// Chelsea FC :: It's Our Year

[Chelsea11]

Disappointment has dominated the feelings of Chelsea fans for the last few years
Many managers and players have come and gone under the reign of Roman Abramovich
Now, with a new manager and an unprecedented wealth of talent, this could be the year:
Our Year

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► CLUB INFORMATION
- Full Name: Chelsea Football Club.
- Nicknames: The Blues, The Pensioners.
- Founded: March 14th, 1905.
- Rivals: Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, West Ham United, Manchester United, Liverpool.
- Home Ground: Stamford Bridge.
- Club Owner: Roman Abramovich.
- Club Chairman: Bruce Buck.
- Manager: Carlos Ancelotti.
- Captain: John Terry.
- League: Barclays Premier League [England]

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► STADIUM INFORMATION



STAMFORD BRIDGE
- Location: London, England.
- Capacity: 42,055.
- Pitch Surface: Grass.
- UEFA Rating: UEFA Elite Stadium.
- Built: 1876.
- Opened: 1877.
- Renovated: 1904/05, 1990s.
- Owner: Chelsea Pitch Owners Plc.
- Operator: Chelsea Football Club.
- Architects: Archibald Leitch.

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Chelsea have always sported a blue top, although their first shirt was a lighter shade than the club's current royal blue jersey. In the early 1960s when Tommy Docherty was named manager of the club, he changed the kit, replacing the white shorts with a pair of blue shorts and white socks. He believed that this look made the club's colors more distinguished, as no other club was currently sporting this color combination. Docherty's look of the blue shorts has stuck with the club ever since.

The kits are currently manufactured by German company Adidas, and hold the rights to make the club's strips until 2011. Previously, Umbro were the company that produced the Chelsea uniforms, until 2006 when Adidas took the job. Midway through the 1983/84 campaign, Gulf Air became Chelsea's first sponsor. Following that, Chelsea were sponsored by Grange Farms, Bai Lin Tea, Simod, and Commodore International. In 1989, Chelsea signed a long term deal with Commodore International, and they sponsored the Blues until 1995. They were then sponsored by beer company Coors (1995-1997), Autoglass (1997-2001), and Emirates Airline (2001-2005). Currently, the Blues are sponsored by Korean electronic giants, Samsung.

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► MANAGER INFORMATION



CARLO ANCELOTTI
- Date of Birth: June 10th, 1959.
- Place of Birth: Reggiolo, Italy.
- Age: 50.
- Managerial History:
::: AC Reggiana (1995-1996)
::: Parma FC (1996-1998 )
::: Juventus FC (1999-2001)
::: AC Milan (2001-2009)
::: Chelsea FC (2009-)


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►HONORS



- DOMESTIC HONORS
/// First Division/Premier League:
- Winners (3): 1954-1955, 2004-2005, 2005-2006.
- Runners Up [3]: 2003-2004, 2006-2007, 2007-2008.

/// Second Division:
- Winners (2): 1983-1984, 1988-1989.
- Runners Up [5]: 1906-1907, 1911-1912, 1929-1930, 1962-1963, 1976-1977.

/// FA Cup:
- Winners (5): 1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009.
- Runners Up [4]: 1915, 1967, 1994, 2002.

/// League Cup:
- Winners (4): 1965, 1998, 2005, 2007.
- Runners Up [2]: 1972, 2008.

/// FA Community Shield:
- Winners (3): 1955, 2000, 2005.
- Runners Up [4]: 1970, 1997, 2006, 2007.

- EUROPEAN HONORS
/// UEFA Champions League:
- Winners (0): N/A
- Runners Up [1]: 2008.

/// UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
- Winners (2): 1971, 1998.
- Runners Up [0]: N/A

/// UEFA Super Cup
- Winners (1): 1998.
- Runners Up [0]: N/A

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►LEAGUE INFORMATION


-Name: Barclays Premier League.
-Founded: February 20, 1992.
-Number Of Teams: 20.
-Relegation To: Coca-Cola Championship.
-Current Champions: Manchester United.
-Current Runners Up: Liverpool FC.
-Most Successful Club: Manchester United (10).
-Previous Champions: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Blackburn Rovers.

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►CLUB RECORDS




**INDIVIDUAL RECORDS**

-Most Appearences: Ron Harris - 795.
-Most League Appearences: Ron Harris - 655.
-Most FA Cup Appearences: Ron Harris - 64.
-Most League Cup Appearences: John Hollins - 48.
-Most European Appearences: Frank Lampard - 67+.
-Most Capped Player (At Chelsea): Marcel Desailly - 74.
-Most Appearences In A Season: Frank Lampard - 62.
-Most Consecutive Appearences: John Hollins - 167.
-Most Consecutive League Appearences: Frank Lampard - 164.

-Most Goals: Bobby Tambling - 202.
-Most Goals In A Season: Danny Greaves - 43.
-Most Goals In A Match: George Hilsdon - 6.
-Most Premier League Goals: Frank Lampard - 71+.
-Most FA Cup Goals: Bobby Tambling - 25.
-Most League Cup Goals: Kerry Dixon - 25.
-Most European Goals: Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard - 18+.
-Most Hat Tricks: Danny Greaves - 13.

-Most Clean Sheets: Peter Bonetti - 208.
-Most Clean Sheets In A Season: Petr Cech - 28.
-Most Consevutive Clean Sheets: William Foulke - 9.

**TEAM RECORDS**

-Most Goals Scored In A Match: 13 vs Jeunesse Hautcharage.
-Most Goals Conceded In A Match: 8 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers.
-Most League Goals Scored In A Season: 98 - 1960-1961.
-Most League Goals Conceded In A Season: 100 - 1960-1961.
-Most Points In A Season (3 For A Win): 99 - 1988-1989.

**TRANSFER RECORDS**

-Highest Fee Received: £24,000,000 from Real Madrid for Arjen Robben.
-Highest Fee Paid: £30,000,000 to AC Milan for Andriy Shevchenko.
-First £1,000,000+ Player: Dennis Wise - £1,600,000.
-First £5,000,000+ Player: Graeme Le Saux - £5,000,000.
-First £10,000,000+ Player: Chris Sutton - £10,000,000.
-First £20,000,000+ Player: Didier Drogba - £24,000,000.
-First £30,000,000+ Player: Andriy Shevchenko - £30,800,000.

[Chelsea11]

+ TEAM HISTORY

Of every decision that has shaped Chelsea's past, present, and future, Gus Mears made the most important in the history of Chelsea FC, one fateful morning. Mears was a football enthusiast, and fell in love with the game that took northern England by storm. With London still lacking a team in the first division, Mears purchased an old athletic ground at Stamford Bridge in West London. Despite a lucrative offer to buy the land from a coal company, the plans to develop Stamford Bridge were underway, however, Chelsea FC were not in the picture.

Mears was on the verge of selling the land, but his business partner, Frederick Parker, begged him to rethink, and keep Stamford Bridge. At first, Mears told Parker that he was wasting his time, but a twist of fate and a dog bite would lead to the development of the stadium. As Mears and Parker were walking, Mears' dog unexpectedly bit Parker, drawing blood and inflicting pain on Parker. However, an amused reaction came out of Parker, and Mears was quoted as saying "You took that bite damn well. Meet me here at nine tomorrow, and we'll get busy." The next day would mark one of the most important moments in Chelsea's history.

Stamford Bridge became the finest sporting venue in all of London, however, it looked out of place on the edge of the arty part of Chelsea in southwest London. As history shows though, Mears picked chose the spot well, as the close proximity to the vibrant center of town made Stamford Bridge a perfect venue to witness a football match.

Originally, Mears was looking to bring an existing club, Fulham Football Club, to Stamford Bridge, but a financial disagreement thwarted those plans, and Fulham decided to stay at the less grand, Craven Cottage. Because of this, Mears would decide to build his own football team. On March 14th, 1905, a meeting convened across from Stamford Bridge in a pub, currently known as the "Butcher's Hook." One of the items on the agenda was a team name. Many names were suggested, such as London FC, Stamford Bridge FC, and Kensington FC, but they were all rejected. Chelsea FC was chosen, and so the story begins.

John Tait Robertson was named the first player/manager of the club, and soon enough, a squad of respectable players were signed. However, there was a difficulty finding an accepting league. The Southern Division would appear to be the obvious choice, but they were unwelcoming to having new clubs in the league. Undaunted by this, Chelsea set their sights on the northern dominated football league.

On May 29th, 1905, the Football League AGM dramatically inserted Chelsea into the second division. Parker proved persuasive once again, and shockingly, the club was put in the division, becoming the only club to make the League without ever kicking a football.

Despite losing their first competitive game, Chelsea would improve, as they would win promotion into the first division after their second season. Those early days of Stamford Bridge saw the crowd populated more by spectators than passionate fans, attracted by what would become a Chelsea tradition of signing star names.

The club was not successful in their early years, switching between leagues, narrowly avoiding relegation at times. The Blues would not obtain their first trophy however, until the 1950. With relegation becoming an imminent reality in the 50s, Chelsea were a club ripe for change. That change would come in the form of a new manager, Ted Drake. Drake was a top class striker for both Arsenal and English national team, and he had championship medals to boot. Drake was also a renowned manager, as his reputation grew during his time with Reading.

Drake was upset about the "fan" base, as he wanted people to actually "eat, sleep, and drink Chelsea," rather than just coming to watch a football match. He immediately removed the Chelsea Pensioner from the club's badge, as well as banishing the Pensioner nickname given the club shortly after its formation.

Drake changed the Chelsea philosophy, going for young, cheap players, who were hungry for silverware. In 1954, Chelsea sat solidly in the middle of the table, about half way through the campaign. All of the sudden, Drake ignited the team, and Chelsea accumulated point after point, drastically moving up the table. As Easter arrived in London, Drake's side sat atop the table, four points clear of the Wolves, who would be their next challengers. Chelsea would walk away the victors after a penalty, and would go onto win the league that year, the club's first major trophy.

However, such success was unsustainable. After winning the championship, Chelsea suffered a 16th place finish, only followed by a succession of lower table finishes in the years to come. Despite this, Chelsea's best youth product ever, by the name of Danny Greaves, would emerge. Equally comfortable with both feet, his close-control, lightning like darts through the defense, and unerring accuracy, helped him reach the 100 goal mark before turning 21. By the time of his sale to AC Milan in 1961, Greaves had scored a staggering 132 times in only 169 appearances.

After Graves' departure, Chelsea sunk low to the bottom of the table. The club was crying out for another overhaul, and elevated from the coaching ranks to see it through was 33 year old, Tommy Docherty. As the 1960s moved into full swing, Docherty ruthlessly hacked out all the dead wood, and brought in fresh-faces, with names like Ron Harris and Bobby Tambling. Those two names would turn out to be Chelsea legends, as the average age of the club dropped to a mere 21 years old.

Promotion was soon won, and a classy, youthful side was beginning to produce the most solid football seen at the Bridge. Improved fitness and youth among the team led to fast-pace football, cheered on by an increasingly partisan crow, especially in an area of the southern terrace that had taken the name “The Shed.” Fans were treated to success, as the Blues came very close to a treble win in 1965.

After a loss on a rough pitch to a relegation stricken Sheffield Wednesday side in 1966, Docherty dismembered a very talented squad, yet to reach its peak. The manager’s relationship with his captain had reached the breaking point, so he replaced Terry Venables, with a young Scot by the name of Charlie Cooke. Cooke was one of the greatest entertainers to grace the Stamford Bridge turf as his creative skills and flashy dribbles combined perfectly with Peter Osgood. Chelsea refused to sell their 17 year old prodigy, Osgood, and was quickly crowned the prince of Stamford Bridge because of his success.

After years of heartbreak Chelsea were finally able to reach a Wembley final, where they would take part in the first ever all-London match up in the FA Cup in 1967. The 2-1 defeat was only harder to swallow for Chelsea supporters, as they saw Danny Greaves and Terry Venables in Tottenham colors that day.

After Dotchery’s sacking in the late 1960s, Chelsea would reach another FA Cup final in the 1970s, where they would play the best team of the era, Leeds United. Leeds rarely took prisoners, and although Chelsea were a team with style and pose, they weren’t a team to be bullied around either. It turned out to be a ferocious, titanic battle, fought to the death. Despite falling behind, Chelsea would show enough steel to equalize, and for the first time, the FA Cup final ended in a draw, with neither team being able to be separated. The replay took place at Old Trafford and was ferociously fought and sometimes brutal game. Osgood scored to put the game into extra time, and that was where it would happen, as David Webb would score the winner, leading to Chelsea’s first FA Cup title.

Cup victory brought qualification for European football in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Manchester City was beaten in an all-English semi-final, pushing Chelsea through to Greece, where the famous white shirts of Real Madrid waited anxiously. Fans were not disappointed, as it took two games to decide a champion, and after those two exhilarating face offs, Chelsea’s first European trophy was flying back to England.

Just four years after the European triumph in Greece, Chelsea were relegated back down to division two. With debts reaching three million pounds, and only increasing, it appeared as if the club had reached an all-time low. However, a former player, Eddie McCreadie, took the reigns and led the club back to top tier football only two years later, and at only 18 years old, there was a new hero at the Bridge, Ray Wilkins, who was named captain by McCreadie.

However, after failing to reach a contract agreement, McCreadie walked out, and the decline re-started, as a bottom table finish troubled Chelsea. With the financial crisis worsening, Chelsea had no choice, and Wilkins was sold away to Manchester United. Long seasons in Division Two continued in the 80s, and ticket sales plummeted.

Six new players were signed in the summer of 1983, all for minimal amounts of money with the financial crisis still at hand. Chelsea took the league by storm, easing their way to the League Two championship, as well as promotion. The rapid ascent continued, as Chelsea finished in an astonishing 6th place position in their first year back in Division One.

After four seasons in Division One, Chelsea were relegated once more, still with a talented squad in tact. This they proved by cruising to the Second Division championship a year later with 99 points and a club record unbeaten run. Under the guidance of Bobby Campbell Chelsea finished in an impressive 5th place position in their return to the top division.

With the beginning of a new decade came firsts. With an increasing influx of money, Chelsea were able to make their first one million pound purchases, Dennis Wise and Andy Townsend. However, disappointed seasons followed, as Chelsea failed to amount more than a mid table finish and were repeatedly knocked out of cups by lower level sides.

In 1993, Glenn Hoddle was appointed Chelsea's manager. Almost instantly, the club's play improved and the Blues were able to play well enough for a spot in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Waiting for The Blues at Wembley were Manchester United, who thrashed Chelsea 4-0, although the scoreline was a bit harsh following a bright start from Chelsea.

Hoddle would prove to be a great fit for the club, leading Chelsea to the European Cup Winners' Cup semi-finals next year, but it would be the next summer where he made his biggest contribution. Hoddle was able to persuade Dutch legend Ruud Gullit to leave Italy where he played for Sampdoria, to move to West London and play for Chelsea. Later, Mark Hughes from Manchester United and Romanian wing back Dan Petrescu were signed, and great football returned to Stamford Bridge.

After just one season, Gullit was being tagged as Chelsea's best player ever. Then, as Hoddle left to take over the English national team in 1996, noone was better placed to take over Hoddle's job that Gullit, the former European Player of the Year. Using his contacts throughout Europe, Gullit was able to bring in Gianluca Vialli, quickly followed by the Italian international midfielder Roberto Di Matteo and French sweeper Frank Leboeuf. Gianfranco Zola, another superstar of Serie A, was signed only a few months later.

The FA Cup Final was reached in thrilling fashion and this time Chelsea were ready. It took Chelsea just 43 seconds to get on the board, as Roberto Di Matteo bagged a goal, a Wembley Cup Final record, to fire his side ahead. Eddie Newton then sealed a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough in the second-half. A long 26 year wait for honors was finally over and what followed were the longest celebrations seen in the history of the old Wembley. Sadly not present was Matthew Harding, a lifelong supporter and young millionaire who had become vice-chairman. Harding had died in a helicopter crash when returning from a game a few months earlier. His legacy is the stand at the north end of Stamford Bridge, a construction he played a big part in financing and now bears his name.

Chelsea improved their squad even more the next summer, as Gullit proved to have an amazing eye for talent. Influential midfielder, Gustavo Poyet and Norwegian striker Tore Andre Flo were snapped up by the Blues for nearly nothing. Also added were Celestine Babayaro, England left-back Graeme Le Saux, and goalkeeper Ed de Goey. All five would play a major part in the seasons that followed.

Gullit would not survive the next season however, as he was replaced after contract talks broke down in early 1998. He would be replaced by one of Gullit's ex-players, Gianluca Vialli. Only months later, Vialli had two trophies to his name, the Carling Cup and the UEFA Cup Winner's Cup.

That summer, World Cup winning center back Marcel Desailly signed for the club, joining his French national team colleague, Frank Leboeuf. Chelsea were then able to down powerhouse Real Madrid in the 1998 UEFA Super Cup, with Poyet scoring the game's lone goal with only minutes remaining. That season saw Chelsea's first genuine challenge for the league title since the 1960s, as they finish a mere four points behind the winners, Manchester United.

The third place finish meant one thing - Champions League football for the Blues. For the first time ever, an English club reached the Champions League quarter finals on their first ever attempt. The European campaign had many great moments, including Dennis Wise's equalizer at the San Siro, a 5-0 thrashing in Istanbul against Galatasaray, and a 3-1 vs Spanish giants Barcelona at the Bridge.

However, it would be Barcelona who eventually knocked Chelsea out of the tournament, defeating them 1-0 at the Camp Nou. However, that season did not go without a trophy. Chelsea won the final FA Cup final at the old Wembley, beating Aston Villa 1-0, courtesy of a Roberto Di Matteo strike in the second half. Just twenty years after the club had teetered on the brink of financial collapse, Chelsea equalled the British transfer record by paying £15 million for goalscorer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. His first goal in his first game helped Chelsea raise the Charity Shield to make it six trophies in a little over three years.

However, not everything was going well for Chelsea. Problems were occurring between Vialli and a number of his players and some of his transfer purchases had not worked out. The team was an ageing one and with the need for much rebuilding imminent, the club decided to look elsewhere for someone to oversee it. Claudio Ranieri was selected for the job and led Chelsea to another European qualification.

Ranieri began his transfer work, shipping out Wise, Poyet and Leboeuf, among others. He spent whopping total of £42 million to bring in defender William Gallas, midfielders Frank Lampard, Emmanuel Petit, and Slavisa Jokanovic plus forwards Jesper Gronkjaer and Boudewijn Zenden. By the start of the 2001/02 season, we saw a younger, more compact Chelsea team, one that was determined to grab silverware.

Top six finishes, cup trophies, and European quialifications were becoming common for the Blues, but not all was well. The club had unprecedented debts, after some reckless spending. But, on July 2nd, 2003 thirty-six year old Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich purchased the club, relieving Chelsea of their debts. However, departing the club was thirty-seven year old legend Gianfranco Zola, who gave his word to his hometown club in Italy that he would return.

Abramovich spent over a stunning £100 million for both foreign and domestic talent. English talent was purhcased, including Joe Cole, Wayne Bridge, and Glen Johnson. Other Premier League clubs were raided for Geremi, Juan Sebastion Veron, and Damien Duff. From Italy's Serie A, Chelsea bought Hernan Crespo and Adrian Mutu, along with Real Madrid's Champions League winner, Claude Makelele.

In Chelsea's first season with Abramovich as owner, they defeated Liverpool at Anfield for the first time in eleven years in the Premiership's opening match. In November, The Blues defeated Lazio 4-0 in Rome. Then Chelsea beat Arsenal for the first time in seventeen meetings at Highbury. However, the challenge for the title stuttered, and failed to hold onto their lead and they finished in second, their highest finish ever.

After four years without a trophy, Abramovich decided it was time for a change, as Ranieri was let go as Chelsea's manager. Abramovich hired Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho. Brimming with self-assurance, the 41 year-old set about instilling the same belief in a squad which had again been bolstered. Portuguese internationals Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho and Tiago followed Mourinho to Stamford Bridge. Two of Europe's hottest young prospects, Petr Cech and Arjen Robben also arrived, as did Didier Drogba, raising the club record purchase fee to more than £20 million. Mateja Kezman was a second new striker.

The Premiership was won with the best points total and best defensive record in English top-flight history. Joohn Terry was also the first Chelsea player to be voted Player of the Year while Frank Lampard, who had scored 19 goals from midfield in all competitions, was the Footballer of the Year. Chelsea may have fallen short in the Champions League again, losing to Liverpool in the semi-final, but a Carling Cup victory against the same opponentst, ensured 2004/05 was our most successful season ever. It truly was the perfect way to celebrate Chelsea's first 100 years.

The wait for more trophies was a short one, as Arsenal, Chelsea's closest challengers the previous year, were defeated in the Community Shield and then again in the opening home game as the Blues raced away for a Premier League record nine straight wins at the start of a campaign. The Blues would go on to win the Premiership for the second season on the bounce, making them the first London team to do so since the 1930s.

In the summer of 2006, goodbyes were said to stars of the trophy wins, Eidur Gudjohnsen, William Gallas and Damien Duff especially. Prominent players on the world scene Andriy Shevchenko, for a club record fee, Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole arrived to signal the intent to stay at the top. However, the third season under Mourinho was different from the out-in-front experience of the previous two. A steady start was severely shook by a serious head injury to Petr Cech. Form was maintained until the Christmas period, a fortnight that was the backbone of the back-to-back title wins. This time the Blues stumbled through the holiday season, further injuries to John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Carlo Cudicini far from helping. Though Cech returned, the casualty list remained long through to May, forcing Mourinho to play what he described as "survival football."

Although the Champions League run once again came to an end at Anfield, Chelsea grabbed their first domestic double, winning both cups in 2007, while finishing second in the league. Mourinho had led the club to the full quota of the domestic trophies available but his stay at Chelsea had only a few months to run. In September 2007, the most successful manager in the club's history left by mutual consent. Avram Grant, who had joined Chelsea as director of football in the summer, moved into the manager's role, replacing Mourinho.

Grant led Chelsea through some difficult times, but it turned out to be a season of "nearly's" and "almost's." The Blues were ousted of the FA Cup by Barnsley, finished runners up in the Premier League and the Carling Cup, then lost dramatically in the Champions League final against Manchester United, losing on penalties. Three days following the loss, Avram Grant left the club, and World Cup winning manager Luiz Felipe Scolari was hired.

After a promising start with a solid win over Portsmouth in Scolari's first game in charge, everything seemingly went downhill from there. Scolari made it until March, when he was sacked as manager. Abramovhic hired Guus Hiddink as a temporary manager to replace Scolari, and it was Hiddink that led Chelsea to the Champions League semi-finals where they were snubbed out of a second straight finals birth. After the season, Hiddink decided to return to his post as the Russian national team coach and after some time, Carlo Ancelotti was named the new Chelsea manager.

[Chelsea11]

+CHELSEA SQUAD: 2009/10
// GOALKEEPERS

[Chelsea11]

+CHELSEA SQUAD: 2009/10
// DEFENDERS

[Chelsea11]

+CHELSEA SQUAD: 2009/10
// MIDFIELDERS

[Chelsea11]

+CHELSEA SQUAD: 2009/10
// FORWARDS

[Chelsea11]

+CHELSEA SQUAD: 2009/10
// RESERVES

[Chelsea11]

JOHN TERRY ::: CAPTAIN
For yet another season, John Terry will be sporting the captain's arm band for Chelsea FC. Terry is going into his sixth season as the Blues' skipper after taking the band from Marcel Desailly after his retirement prior to the 2004/05 season. In one of the first things he did after becoming manager, "The Special One," Jose Mourinho, made Terry the captain of his squad. Terry's leadership in that season was a key factor in Chelsea record breaking season where they captured the Premiership title. This season, Ancelotti will keep Terry as his captain, as he will look to Terry to provide leadership both on and off the pitch.





FRANK LAMPARD ::: CORNER TAKER
As all Premiership followers already know, Frank Lampard may be Chelsea's most important player. Not only is Lampard a vice-captain and playmaking midfielder, but he is also constantly involved with Chelsea's set pieces. With great size and heading ability in their squad with players such as John Terry, Alex, Michael Ballack, and Didier Drogba, Chelsea could be score loads of goals from corners. But, it all starts with the man crossing it in -- Frank Lampard. Lampard is renowned as one of England's best passers, as he has displayed on both the domestic and international levels. His crosses off of corners this season could really change the face of the game, as Chelsea have the ability to grab a goal at anytime.





FRANK LAMPARD & DIDIER DROGBA ::: FREE KICK TAKERS
Expect Lampard and Didier Drogba to both take free kicks this season, with Drogba most likely taking the ones closer to the goal, while Lampard will probably take the set pieces from a further distance. Both of these stars possess the ability to score from anywhere on the pitch and could delivery many lethal free kicks in the 2009/10 campaign.





FRANK LAMPARD ::: PENALTY KICK TAKER
Frank Lampard really is the jack of all trades, being the main man in Chelsea's corners, free kicks, and penalties. Lampard will be taking the penalty kicks for The Blues this season, which will only help the English international add to his Premiership goal tally. During the course of his career, Lampard has taken many crucial penalties for Chelsea, including one to knock Liverpool out of the Chamions League in 2008, only a week after the passing of his mother. Eighteen of Lampard's first one hundred Premier League goals were from penalties, only showing how dangerous he is from the spot.

[Chelsea11]

++ 2009/10 STATISTICS

++ LEAGUE TABLE




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++ TOP GOALSCORERS
1. C.Jerome (Birmingham) :: 5 goals
2. D.Bent (Sunderland) :: 4 goals
3. K.Davies (Bolton) :: 4 goals
4. F.Lampard (Chelsea) :: 4 goals
5. R.van Persie (Arsenal) :: 3 goals
6. J.Defoe (Tottenham) :: 3 goals
7. N.Kalinic (Blackburn) :: 3 goals
8. D.Berbatov (Manchester United) :: 3 goals
9. J.Gomez (Wigan) :: 3 goals
10. S.Ebanks-Blake (Wolves) :: 3 goals

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++ MOST ASSISTS
1. F.Muamba (Bolton) :: 3 assists
2. F.Fabregas (Arsenal) :: 2 assists
3. G.Espinoza (Birmingham) :: 2 assists
4. D.Dunn (Blackburn) :: 2 assists
5. D.de Ridder (Wigan) :: 2 assists
6. S.Davis (Bolton) :: 2 assists
7. M.Taylor (Bolton) :: 2 assists
8. D.Murphy (Birmingham) :: 2 assists
9. N.Anelka (Chelsea) :: 2 assists
10. S.Parker (West Ham) :: 2 assists

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++ MOST CLEAN SHEETS
1. P.Cech (Chelsea) :: 4 clean sheets
2. P.Reina (Liverpool) :: 2 clean sheets
3. S.Given (Manchester City) :: 2 clean sheets
4. E.van der Sar (Manchester United) :: 2 clean sheets
5. H.Gomes (Tottenham) :: 2 clean sheets
6. R.Green (West Ham) :: 2 clean sheets
7. B.Jensen (Burnley) :: 2 clean sheets
8. M.Almunia (Arsenal) :: 1 clean sheet
9. P.Robinson (Blackburn) :: 1 clean sheet
10. Hilario (Chelsea) :: 1 clean sheet

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++ MOST YELLOW CARDS
1. G.Elokobi (Wolves) :: 3 yellow cards
2. P.McShane (Hull City) :: 2 yellow cards
3. C.Davies (Aston Villa) :: 2 yellow cards
4. E.Edman (Wigan) :: 2 yellow cards
5. C.Cuellar (Aston Villa) :: 2 yellow cards
6. C.Samba (Blackburn) :: 2 yellow cards
7. R.Nelsen (Blackburn) :: 2 yellow cards
8. D.Collins (Stoke City) :: 2 yellow cards
9. A.Faye (Stoke City) :: 2 yellow cards
10. J.Mensah (Sunderland) :: 2 yellow cards

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++ MOST RED CARDS
1. J.Bullard (Hull City) :: 2 red cards
2. R.Nelsen (Blackburn) :: 1 red card
3. P.Chimbonda (Blackburn) :: 1 red card
4. Z.Knight (Bolton) :: 1 red card
5. N.Vidic (Manchester United) :: 1 red card
6. J.Collison (West Ham) :: 1 red card
7. L.Ridgewell (Birmingham) :: 1 red card
8. G.Espinoza (Birmingham) :: 1 red card
9. M.Mancienne (Wolves) :: 1 red card
10. K.Henry (Wolves) :: 1 red card

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

++ TRANSFERS

++ TRANSFERS IN
Ross Turnbull (Middlesbrough)
Daniel Sturridge (Manchester City)
Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow)
Nemanja Matić (MFK Kosice)

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++ TRANSFERS OUT
Claudio Pizarro (Werder Bremen)
Andriy Shevchenko (Dynamo Kyiv)
Ben Sahar (Espanyol)
Mineiro (Released)
Sergio Tejera (Real Mallorca)

----------

++ LOANS IN
N/A

----------

++ LOANS OUT
Scott Sinclair (Wigan Athletic)
Tom Taiwo (Carlisle United)
Miroslav Stoch (FC Twente)
Jack Cork (Coventry City)
Shaun Cummings (West Bromwich Albion)
Franco di Santo (Blackburn Rovers)
Michael Mancienne (Wolverhampton)
John Mellis (Southampton)
Ryan Bertrand (Reading)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

++ FIXTURES

- LEAGUE FIXTURES
August 15th, 2009: Arsenal (Away) : 4-0 Win.
August 22nd, 2009: Aston Villa (Home) : 2-0 Win.
August 29th, 2009: Liverpool (Away) : 0-0 Draw.
September 5th, 2009: Tottenham Hotspur (Home) : 3-0 Win.
September 12th, 2009: Fulham (Away) : 3-0 Win.
September 19th, 2009: Wigan Athletic (Home) : 2-2 Draw.
September 26th, 2009: Portsmouth (Away) : 2-0 Win.
October 3rd, 2009: Birmingham City (Home) : 2-1 Win.
October 10th, 2009: Hull City (Away) : 1-0 Win.
October 17th, 2009: Bolton Wanderers (Home) : 1-0 Win.
October 24th, 2009: Burnley (Away) : 3-0 Win.
October 31st, 2009: Wolverhampton Wanderers (Away) : 2-0 Win.
November 7th, 2009: Sunderland (Home)
November 14th, 2009: Blackburn Rovers (Away)
November 21st, 2009: West Ham United (Home)
November 28th, 2009: Manchester City (Away)
December 5th, 2009: Stoke City (Away)
December 12th, 2009: Manchester United (Home)
December 19th, 2009: Everton (Away)
December 26th, 2009: Arsenal (Home)
December 30th, 2009: Sunderland (Away)
January 2nd, 2010: Aston Villa (Away)
January 23rd, 2010: Tottenham Hotspur (Away)
January 27th, 2010: Bolton Wanderers (Away)
February 6th, 2010: Fulham (Home)
February 13th, 2010: Wigan Athletic (Away)
March 6th, 2010: Portsmouth (Home)
March 20th, 2010: Blackburn Rovers (Home)
March 27th, 2010: West ham United (Away)
April 3rd, 2010: Manchester City (Home)
April 14th, 2010: Burnley (Home)
April 17th, 2010: Stoke City (Home)
April 21st, 2010: Hull City (Home)
April 24th, 2010: Liverpool (Home)
April 28th, 2010: Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)
May 1st, 2010: Manchester United (Away)
May 5th, 2010: Birmingham City (Away)
May 8th, 2010: Everton (Home)

::::::::::

- CUP FIXTURES

+ FA COMMUNITY SHIELD
August 9th, 2009: Manchester United (Wembley Stadium) : 2-0 Victory.

+ CARLING CUP
September 15th, 2009: Blackburn Rovers (Home) : 1-0 Win.
October 13th, 2009: Bolton Wanderers (Home) : 2-0 Win.
November 3rd, 2009: Manchester United (Away) :

+ FA CUP
January 6th, 2010: TBA
(Rest TBA)

+ UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
TBA

[Chelsea11]

++SEASON REVIEW - 2008/09
// AUGUST, 2008:

Big Phil Scolari enjoyed the perfect debut of his Chelsea career at Stamford Bridge. In the opening match of the Barclays Premier League, The Blues showed a lot of promise, thrashing Portsmouth 4-0. The impressive demolition of the FA Cup holders made it seem as if Chelsea were up for the challenge the Premier League would hold. Not only Scolari had a good debut, but in his first Premier League appearence, Portuguese international Deco put his name on the score sheet.

The next week The Blues looked mediocre as best after that 4-0 domination the previous match. It was only a free kick from Deco in the closing moments of the match that gave Chelsea three points over Wigan who put up a good fight at the JJB. With two goals in as many games, Deco looked like a promising acquistion, but the future would tell the true story about how Deco would turn out.

After their narrow victory over Wigan, Chelsea returned to the Bridge for a London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. But disappointment filled Stamford Bridge as this Chelsea side could only muster out one point against the Spurs in a 1-1 stalemate on the last day of the month.


[ Deco celebrates his goal with Frank Lampard in Chelsea's 4-0 victory on opening day]

---------------------------

// SEPTEMBER, 2008:

After taking seven points out of a possible nine in the month of the new Premier League campaign. Chelsea started the month of September against Manchester City. During the summer, Manchester City stole away Robinho as it looked like Chelsea were set to bring in the Brazilian superstar. Robinho's opening goal in Manchester proved to be in vain. as Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard, and Nicolas Anelka all scored to show Robinho he made the wrong choice.

Only a few days, the Champions League was underway and Chelsea were set for their first clash against French side, Girondins de Bordeaux. Pundits predicted the match to be close, but they couldn't have been more off, as The Blues pummeled Bordeaux 4-0 at Stamford Bridge to put them on the top of their group table.

In arguably the biggest game of the month, Chelsea were set to travel to Old Trafford to clash with reigning Premier League champions, Manchester United. Following Park Ji-Sung's early goal in the 18th minute, Chelsea worked dierly to find a equalier. With only minutes left, Salomon Kalou found that equalizer The Blues were searching for, giving Chelsea another point.

Portsmouth and Chelsea met again in the third round of the Carling Cup and Pompey were hungry to avenge their 4-0 loss on opening day. But, they failed miserably, suffering another 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Blues, with Lampard, Kalou, and Florent Malouda all scoring goals.

On the final matchday of September, Chelsea traveled to Stoke-On-Trent to play newly promoted Stoke City at Britiannia Stadium. Chelsea welcomed the Potters to the Premier League, keeping a clean sheet as they came away with a 2-0 victory.


[Frank Lampard puts away his penalty against Bordeaux in the Champions Leauge]


---------------------------

// OCTOBER, 2008:

Chelsea got October off to a disappointing start with a lacklustre result against CFR Cluj in the Champions League, in Romania. However, the Blues rebounded in their next league match as they took on Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Both Nicolas Anelka and Joe Cole found the back of the net for Chelsea in their routine victory over the Villians.

In their next match, Chelsea signaled their intentions and made them pretty clear with a 5-0 hammering at the Riverside. The burst of offensive play led to the biggest ever Chelsea win at Riverside Stadium, but the match will most certainly be remember for Juliano Belletti's screamer.

Chelsea got back onto their Champions League form, defeating AS Roma 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. However, the Blues did not look quite like the team we saw earlier in the season. But, John Terry's late header in the 77th minute led Chelsea to their victory over one of the Serie A's stronger teams.

The following match was arguably the beginning of Chelsea's downfall. At this time the Blues were in first place on the table, just ahead of Liverpool. But, the upcoming clash with Liverpool would turn out to be a disaster. The Pensioners fell to Liverpool 0-1 at home, finally ending Chelsea's eighty-six game home unbeaten streak, a streak which began when they were still under the control of Claudio Ranieri.

This defeat spelled the beginning of a disastrous couple of months and one that would ultimately result in drastic changes.For now though, things weren't so bad. Second in the league, vastly superiour goal difference to everybody else and maximum points in the Champions League.

They then closed out the month of October on a good note, capping off the month with a 3-0 win agaist Hull City at the KC Stadium. Nicolas Anelka scored his fifth league goal of the season in the match, with the other two coming off the feet of Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda.


[Chelsea players react after their loss to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge]


---------------------------

// NOVEMBER, 2008:


On the fourth of November, Chelsea were stunned and thrashed by Roma, conceding three goals at home in a 1-3 loss, where John Terry's 75th minute goal was purely consolation. Christian Panucci and Mirko Vucinic were the two scorers for the Romans, with Vucinic, the Montenegrin international, netting a brace in the win.

Even more disappointment came after the Roma defeat, as Chelsea took on Burnley in the fourth round of the Carling Cup. After defeating Portsmouth 4-0 in the previous round, Chelsea seemed like a lock to cruise past the Clarets and into the next round. However, they put up a good fight, and The Blues fell at Stamford Bridge once again, with Burnley playing the role of giant killers, knocking their opponents out on penalties.

The Blues picked up the pace soon after, with four straight league matches unbeaten, where they outscored their opponents (Sunderland, Blackburn, West Brom, Newcastle) 10-0 over the span of about two weeks. Anelka was certainly in top form during that stretch, adding seven goals to his total, in only three matches, scoring a hat trick against Sunderland, then having braces in both matches against Blackburn and West Brom.

However, Stamford Bridge was falling down, the once fortress where no team could win was suddenly overtaken by defeat. Now with the month nearing it's closing, Chelsea appeared to be back on solid ground and found their feet as they looked back to their old selves. But, the idea of Stamford Bridge once being a "fortress" was slipping away quickly. As Arsenal made their way to the Bridge, Chelsea were in a fairly good spot in the table.

But, after this match, fans must have thought the wheels were coming off at this point. Robin van Persie struck twice in a minute period, following an own goal from Yohan Djourou to give Chelsea the lead just after the half hour mark. But, van Persie's first goal is still one to be questioned as he appeared to be in an offsides position. The majority of the scoring chances also fell to the Blues, so yet another dominating performance went unrewarded.

Now the problems were apparent. Chelsea looked shaky at home, they repeatedly struggled to keep a clean sheet, and Big Phil Scolari's flaws were now showing up on a regular basis. However, Chelsea's away record was still something to shout about, and players and fans soldiered on.


[Robin van Persie celebrates his second goal at Stamford Bridge vs Chelsea]

---------------------------

// DECEMBER, 2008:

Going into the final month of the calender year, Scolari's side aimed to finish strong going into the New Year. Anelka kept up his goal scoring form in Chelsea's first two Premier League matches of December, grabbing a goal in a win against Bolton, and another goal in a stalemate against London rivals, West Ham United.

After a 1-1 Champions League draw with Bordeaux at the tail end of November, Chelsea had to come away with a victory against CFR Cluj to qualify for the Round of Sixteen. After Salomon Kalou got the Pensioners a 1-0 lead just prior to the half, the match came down to the closing, as Drogba netted a winner in the 71st minute after a Cluj equalizer from Yssouf Kone. With the win, Chelsea had narrowly advanced to the Champions League's next round, where they would face Serie A powerhouse, Juventus.

Chelsea finished the month with three draws, one each to West Ham, Everton, and one against Fulham to close out 2008. With his side obviously struggling, Scolari was on the hot-seat. If anything went wrong and Chelsea started to slip down the table, Scolari's departure would be imminent.


[Salomon Kalou scores against CFR Cluj to qualify Chelsea for the Round of Sixteen]

---------------------------

// JANUARY, 2009:

The new year started on a low note for Chelsea, as their dark days of winter rolled on. After the embarrassing 1-1 draw with Southend United in the FA Cup, at Stamford Bridge nonetheless, Chelsea were set to rebound against Manchester United. But, that rebound never occurred. The Blues were torn apart by a vibrant and determined United squad, losing 3-0 at Old Trafford.

Big Phil had problems, big problems. If Scolari did not mend his team and start to lead the club back to success, he would soon be looking for a new job. In the FA Cup replay, Chelsea bounced back against Southend, pumping for unanswered goals into the back of the net after Adam Barrett's early 16th minute goal for the League One side. However, the win wasn't all sweet, as Joe Cole severely injured his knee, putting him out for the rest of the season, leaving Chelsea without one of their best playmakers.

After their dreadful loss to the Red Devils, Chelsea took on Stoke City in their subsequent Premier League matchup. This match probably ran every Chelsea supporter through every emotion possible, from frustration, to despair, and panic to happiness. Chelsea dominated the first half of the game, and it appeared to be only a matter of time before the ball went into the net, but as the half came to an end, the two clubs were still at level pegging. After an hour of play, the panic set in as Stoke City grabbed a goal on sixty minutes.

At this point, it appeared to be another one of those games for Chelsea, one of those games where they totally dominated, only to drop points. This came more and more realistic as time ticked away. With the game coming to an end, fans started to leave Stamford Bridge, muttering that Scolari must go to themselves. But, with minutes left, the ball continued to bounce around in the Stoke City penalty area, and excitement grew. In the 88th minute it was right back Juliano Belletti who netted the ever so important equalizer for Chelsea. The Blues did not let up after Belletti's goal and continued to pound away at Stoke. The ball fell to Lampard, who hammered it in from the edge of the box, giving Chelsea such a dramatic victory at home, and Scolari lived to breathe another day.

In the fourth round of the FA Cup, Chelsea would breeze past Ipswich Town with Michael Ballack grabbing a brace, and would then finish off their month with a Premier League victory against Middlesbrough, all thanks to Salomon Kalou who snatched both goals. During the winter transfer season, fans saw Wayne Bridge and Carlo Cudicini leave the Bridge in favor of other Premier League club, but Portuguese starlet, Ricardo Quaresma, was brought in on loan from Inter Milan as cover for our wingers, especially after Joe Cole's dreadful season-ending injury.


[Nemanja Vidic scores the opening goal against Chelsea just before the half]

---------------------------

// FEBRUARY, 2009:

Going into February, Chelsea's chances of a Premier League title were sinking. Things didn't get any better in the early days of February either. The Blues opened the month with Liverpool at Anfield. Just as the match appeared to be heading for a 0-0 draw, Liverpool's Spanish superstar Fernando Torres struck twice in the last moments, scoring in the 89th minute, and once again in stoppage time to lead Liverpool to a clutch 2-0 victory.

Scolari was already in hot water by the time of the Liverpool and was certainly on a short leash as Chelsea took on Hull City the next week. Big Phil failed to impress once again, as Hull held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at The Bridge. That was certainly the last staw for Scolari, and only two days later he was out as Chelsea's manager and Ray Wilkins was put in charge for the time being. On February 11th, Roman Abramovich found Scolari's interim replacement, Guus Hiddink. Now questions were swirling: Could Hiddink rescue the sinking boat that was Chelsea? Was Hiddink the man to save the club from near-imminent failure? Only time would tell.

Hiddink, just as Scolari, got off to a flying start at the helm of Chelsea. Hiddink won his first match as Chelsea's manager, beating Watford in the fifth round of the Carling Cup, with all three of Chelsea's goals coming off the boot of Nicolas Anelka. The Frenchman would also give Hiddink his second of his Chelsea career, scoring the only goal in Chelsea's 1-0 win over Aston Villa in Birmingham.

Now Hiddink's real challenge came, facing off against Juventus in the Champions League Round of Sixteen. Once again, the new Russian gaffer did not disappoint, as Chelsea proved too much for the Italian outfit, coming out with a 1-0 victory in the first leg, courtesy of an early goal from Ivorian Didier Drogba. Hiddink's first month in charge came to a close with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Wigan Athletic in which Frank Lampard scored in the only minute of injury time to scrape away three points.


[Didier Drogba celebrates after scoring against Juventus at Stamford Bridge]

---------------------------

// MARCH, 2009:

Under Hiddink, Chelsea would go onto the defeat Portsmouth in the Premiership, Coventry City in the FA Cup quarter finals, and draw 2-2 with Juventus in the second leg to advace on aggregate to begin March. However, The Blues were quickly dragged back down to earth, as they fell to the hands of Tottenham Hotspur 1-0.

Hiddink certainly had a fine start to his rein at Chelsea, but his Premier League hopes were extinguised as Luka Modric scored the lone goal in a heart-breaking 0-1 loss at White Hart Lane to their London rivals. Chelsea now fell behind Liverpool and Manchester United in the Premier League standings, and their hopes of a title now looked dashed.


[Luka Modric celebrates his goal against Chelsea at White Hart Lane]

[Chelsea11]

Reserve 10 - Just In Case
Post away

[SAFC_Broady]

Good Luck Mate. I am sure this will be a major hit among the viewers over the next 12 months

[The Citizen]

A good luck from me as well mate. The first MM of FIFA 10.

[GUNNERS_MIKE]

Good luck with this Ryan.. I know this will be great!

[SAFC_Broady]

This is gonna be brilliant once the people realise the MM Forum is open

[T-Hawk94]

Good luck, with all the work you plan on putting in this should be excellent

[GeordieHero]

Sup Buddy Good luck, from what I remember your MM's kick a noos

[Chelsea11]

OP is up

[Hazza_C]

This is bloody brillaint, better than Atlético

[T-Hawk94]

That OP is excellent!!!!!, great job

[Chelsea11]

thank you guys

[Dan]

Very nice mate..

Looking forward to it, even if it is Chelsea..

[Chelsea11]

Thanks, Dan haha.

I just added a bit more information that I got straight off my last Chelsea thread

[KingCantona07]

I'm here now I know this section exists

Superb start so far, this should be a great thread once fifa10 is out.

Must go and sort mine out now

[Chelsea11]

It just got put up today I'm proud that I have the very first MM thread on these fourms