chelsea Archives - SportsNewsIreland https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/tag/chelsea Sports News, Live GAA scores, GAA fixtures Mon, 15 Apr 2024 09:50:54 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/www.sportsnewsireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/sni-icon.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 chelsea Archives - SportsNewsIreland https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/tag/chelsea 32 32 229439223 Greatest Irish footballers to play for Chelsea https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/greatest-irish-footballers-to-play-for-chelsea https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/greatest-irish-footballers-to-play-for-chelsea#respond Wed, 20 Mar 2024 13:54:37 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=20809 Chelsea is one of the most successful clubs in English football and some Irish players have left their mark on the team’s history 5. Paddy Mulligan (1969-1972) Mulligan was a strong, dependable right-back throughout his long career. He is most known for his successful time with Shamrock Rovers and West Brom but also had a […]

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]]> Chelsea is one of the most successful clubs in English football and some Irish players have left their mark on the team’s history

5. Paddy Mulligan (1969-1972)

Mulligan was a strong, dependable right-back throughout his long career. He is most known for his successful time with Shamrock Rovers and West Brom but also had a decent spell in London with Chelsea.

The 50-capped Irishman cost the Blues £17,500 and made a substitute appearance in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup against Real Madrid. The Dubliner spent three years in blue, scoring two goals in 71 appearances before moving to Crystal Palace.

4. Tony Cascarino (1992-1994)

Cascarino is a very memorable name in Irish football. He had his best moments in a football shirt while playing for Millwall and much later down the line for Marseille in France.

At the midway point of his career, he joined Chelsea. The Kent-born midfielder scored 8 goals in 45 games for the club. After all this, most Irish people will remember him for the important parts he played in the Boys in Green’s runs in 1988, 1990, and 1994.

3. John Dempsey (1969-1978)

Dempsey was a legendary center half for Chelsea throughout the nine years he spent in the clubs. He had many highs, such as winning the FA Cup in 1970 and scoring the opening goals in the previously mentioned UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final victory.

The Hampstead-born defender also stayed with the club during their turbulent spell in the 70s. He qualified for Ireland through his parents and would make 19 appearances, scoring once in six years.

He would also go on the be player-manager for Dundalk before retiring.

2. Andy Townsend (1990-1993)

In 1990, Townsend joined Chelsea for the mouth-watering sum of £1,200,000 from Norwich. He was a truly quality player and this did not affect him as he won the club’s Player of the Year award in his debut season.

Unfortunately, the Irish player never had great success with Chelsea and after 14 goals in 120 games, the midfielder moved to Aston Villa for over two million pounds.

His time in the green jersey is more storied after he scored seven goals in 70 appearances over eight years, playing in many of Ireland’s greatest matches.

1. Damien Duff (2003-2006)

Duff is one of Ireland’s most underrated footballers, a master on the wing, playing for some of England’s best teams and being a major part of Ireland’s success in 2002. In his three years at Chelsea, he played alongside Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben, and Frank Lampard.

He scored 19 goals in 125 appearances while wearing blue in London winning a Premier League title and a League Cup trophy. This made him a must-have for Ireland as he made a century of caps and scored eight goals.

At the peak of his career, Damien was famous on popular betting websites in Ireland and still remains the people’s favourite as a current manager of League of Ireland club Shelbourne F.C.

 

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/greatest-irish-footballers-to-play-for-chelsea/feed 0 20809 Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranked-top-ten-biggest-clubs-in-england https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranked-top-ten-biggest-clubs-in-england#respond Sun, 09 Jan 2022 20:02:51 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22516 Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England We’ve ranked the ten best defenders in Premier League history, the best midfielders in Premier League history and most recently, the best strikers in Premier League history, but now it is time to find out who are the biggest clubs in English football history? What makes a big […]

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]]> Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

We’ve ranked the ten best defenders in Premier League history, the best midfielders in Premier League history and most recently, the best strikers in Premier League history, but now it is time to find out who are the biggest clubs in English football history?

What makes a big club? Well, many things can be looked at, for instance, how many trophies have been won by the respective club, time spent at the top of English football, how iconic the stadium is, the fanbase, financial importance and global notoriety.

With that being said, here are the ten biggest clubs in England, ranked.

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

10. Nottingham Forest

 

11 Major Honours

League Titles (1978), European Cup (2 times), FA Cup (2 times), League Cup (4 times), Uefa Super Cup (1980), Community Shield (1978)

During the Brian Clough era starting in 1975, Nottingham Forest saw a massive overhaul of success. From 1977 to 1990 the club won a single league title, four League cups and most impressively, two European Cups during that timeframe.

With context, those achievements sound even better as the club won all those trophies within three years of getting promoted from the Second Division. Fairytale stuff to say the least.

That being said, the past few decades for the club has seen them relegated twice to the Championship, both in 1997 and in 1999, where they have stayed ever since.

9. Aston Villa

22 Major Honours

League Titles (7 times), FA Cup (7 times), League Cup (5 times), European Cup (1982), Uefa Super Cup (1982), Community Shield (1981)

The most successful club in the Midlands, with more European Cups,  than Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham combined, Aston Villa were once a behemoth in English football, with seven league titles, seven FA Cups and five League Cups, Villa are often forgotten by many modern-day football fans as being a ”big club”.

Having experienced six relegations during their history, their last being the 2015/2016 Premier League season, finishing 20th, they were soon back up playing top-flight football and are now a part of the core clubs to represent English football.

8. Leeds United

9 Major Honours

League Titles (3 times), FA Cup (1972), League Cup (1968), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Winner (2 times), Community Shield (2 times)

Talking about a club like Leeds can go either one of two ways, you call them a ”small club” because of their long absence from the Premier League or to go with the norm and refer to them as a ”huge club” in the history of English football, the latter would be the obvious choice for many.

While they spent over 16-years out of the top flight, Leeds has recently made a resurgence, currently in their second season in the Premier League, where they rightfully belong.

A one-club city, Leeds United have won a decent amount of league and domestic cups while making it to the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2001, an iconic club in England, Leeds will forever be listed as a top tier club.

7. Everton

24 Major Honours

League Titles (9 times), FA Cup (5 times), Cup Winners Cup (1985), Community Shield (9 times)

In terms of English titles, Everton is only beaten out by three clubs (Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal), and more than Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, the Merseyside club are very much a massive club in English football.

Founded before Liverpool, Everton were once a much bigger and more well-renowned club than their rivals for quite some time, making 13 FA Cup final appearances and winning five since they were founded all the back in 1878.

Their trophy cabinet cannot be doubted, with numerous FA Cups and league titles to their name while boasting a tremendous fanbase and being only one of six clubs to never be relegated during the Premier League era, Everton are simply massive.

6. Tottenham Hotspurs

24 Major Honours

League Titles (2 times), FA Cup (8 times), League Cup (4 times), Uefa Cups (2 times), Cup Winners Cup (1963), Community Shield (7 times)

It is hard not to malign Spurs as a mere nearly club, always in the shadow of London rivals Chelsea and especially Arsenal, Tottenham may not be successful, but they are consistent in terms of cementing their place in the higher echelon of English football.

Always in and around the top 6, Spurs were the first London club to win a league and cup double, but that was all the way back in 1961.

Known for their philosophy of attacking and free-flowing football, they were so close to capturing their first Premier League title under Mauricio Pochetinno and even managed to make their first Champions League final in 2019, losing to Liverpool.

They do, however, have the best stadium in England. Make of that what you will.

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

5. Manchester City

28 Major Honours

League Titles (7 times), FA Cup (6 times), League Cup (8 times), Cup Winners Cup (1970), Community Shield (6 times)

Like Chelsea, Manchester City became a footballing powerhouse with outside foreign investment. Bought in 2008 by a Saudi Arabian group led by Sheikh Mansour, City have become the best team in England over the past decade with shrewd signings and beautiful football to match.

Winning five league titles during that timeframe, with the majority of them being record-breaking seasons and being the first club to reach 100 points in the Premier League, a couple of FA Cups and a plethora of League Cups, it is hard to argue that City is not a massive club in today’s footballing landscape, despite much ridicule.

4. Arsenal

47 Major Honours

League Titles (13 times), FA Cup (14 times), League Cup (2 times), Cup Winners Cup (1994), Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Winner (1970), Community Shield (4 times)

London’s most decorative club based on trophy overhaul since the club’s inception in 1886, Arsenal have the most FA Cup titles with a record of 14 and with the third most league titles in English football with 13, their last being in 2003/04.

During the 1930s, they won five league titles in eight years and four FA Cups, making them at the time, certainly the biggest club in London and perhaps the biggest club in England.

They’ve also been the only side in Premier League history to go a whole season unbeaten, winning the league title in the process. Since then, they have fallen off a cliff, steadily moving down the league table, and without a league title in 17 years. With no European success to their name, they sit fourth.

3. Chelsea

31 Major Honours

League Titles (6 times), European Cup (2 times), FA Cup (8 times), League Cup (5 times), Europa League (2 times), Cup Winners Cup (2 times), Uefa Super Cup (2 times), Community Shield (4 times)

Founded in 1905, Chelsea has always been deemed a good footballing club prior to foreign investment in 2003, winning six trophies in seven years before Roman Abramovich’s purchase, it is very hard to call them a small club.

Chelsea has become an English and European powerhouse over the last 20 years. Winning a slew of league titles, FA Cups and League Cups and are the first London club to win the European Cup.

With their recent success in Europe once again, the tide has turned in London between themselves and Arsenal for the biggest team in the capital. Depending on one’s criteria, either club can top the other but with the massive gap in European honours, Chelsea edge it.

2. Liverpool

63 Major Honours

League Titles (19 times), European Cup (6 times), FA Cup (7 times), League Cup (8 times), FIFA Club World Cup (2019), Europa League (3 times), UEFA Super Cup (4 times), Community Shield (15 times)

When you think of consistent success over the past three to four decades, Liverpool will almost certainly come to mind.

The fact that Liverpool only recently won their first league title in over 30 years a year and a half ago and are only one league title behind rivals Manchester United shows how dominant and successful they were during that time.

Holding the title for most European trophies with 14 and with a record of 6 European Cups along with numerous domestic honours, Liverpool is truly a class above the majority of every English club bar one.

Known for their iconic fans, the historically relevant Anfield and club legends, Liverpool is a truly iconic club.

1. Manchester United

66 Major Honours

League Titles (20 times), European Cup (3 times), FA Cup (12 times), League Cup (5 times), FIFA Club World Cup (2008),  Europa League (2017), Intercontinental Cup (1999), Cup Winners Cup (1991), Uefa Super Cup (1991), Community Shield (21 times)

It’s hard to argue that when it comes to the biggest and most well-known club in England and perhaps, the world, Manchester United take the crown and by a fair distance.

United have won the most league titles, second-most for FA Cup triumphs and a plethora of European success, including three historic European Cup victories, with their last being in 2008 in Moscow. With a larger than life fanbase all over the world, United top the list with relative ease.

Besides England, United are on par with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, with massive success, numerous legends, a historic stadium, the money and the profile to match, United will be hoping they can get back to the level of success under Sir Alex Ferguson that made them the club they are today.

Ranked: Top Ten Biggest Clubs in England

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranked-top-ten-biggest-clubs-in-england/feed 0 22516 Watford v Chelsea – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/watford-v-chelsea-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/watford-v-chelsea-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams#respond Wed, 01 Dec 2021 13:24:13 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22903 Claudio Ranieri welcomes his former club, Chelsea to Watford in this midweek clash in Round 14 of the Premier League Watford v Chelsea will kick off at 19:30 tonight, Wednesday 1st December in the Vicarage Road Stadium. Referee David Coote will take charge of the tie. For those that could not get tickets, the match […]

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]]> Claudio Ranieri welcomes his former club, Chelsea to Watford in this midweek clash in Round 14 of the Premier League

Watford v Chelsea will kick off at 19:30 tonight, Wednesday 1st December in the Vicarage Road Stadium. Referee David Coote will take charge of the tie.

For those that could not get tickets, the match will also be shown on Premier Sports ROI 2.

Although Watford has shown to be an impressive and exciting team so far in the Premier League season, Leeds United’s victory last night has dropped them into 17th place. A shock victory tonight could spring Ranieri’s team into 12th place.

The Hornets have become a team to kill the bigger clubs as they have already beaten Manchester United, Everton, and Aston Villa this year. Their major worry is that the team has been hit with injury concerns such as the keeper Ben Foster and star winger Emmanuel Dennis.

Tuchel will be looking at this tie with a smile on his face. Watford has not kept a clean sheet in 12 matches while Chelsea has the most with eight. This is the club’s best chance to open the gap between themselves, Manchester City, and Liverpool after their 1-1 draw with Man United at the weekend.

This will also be a good opportunity to pick up points on the road while some of their major players recover such as Ngolo Kanté, Mateo Kovacic, and Ben Chilwell.

This has become a one-sided affair in the last six years as the Blues have won eight of their last 11 games. There have also been two draws between the two sides while Watford has managed one solitary victory in 2018.

They most recently faced each other in July 2020 as Chelsea ran out 3-0 victors and Watford were later relegated.

Watford v Chelsea Probable Starting Teams

Watford

Formation

4-3-3

Probable Starting 11

Bachmann (GK), Rose, Troost-Ekong, Cathcart, Kiko, Sissoko, Louza, Cleverly, King, Fletcher, Hernández.

Injuries / Suspensions

Foster (Groin), Dennis (Knock), Sierralta (Hamstring), Sarr (Knee), Sema (Knee), Baah (Ankle), N’Koulou (Hamstring), Etebo (Thigh), Kucka (Knee)

 

Chelsea

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Mendy (GK), Rudiger, Christensen, Chalobah, Alonso, Jorginho, Saul, Azpilicueta, Pulisic, Mount, Havertz.

Injuries / Suspensions

Chilwell (Cruciate ligament), Kovacic (Hamstring), Kanté (Knee), Werner (Muscle injury)

Watford v Chelsea Match Betting

Watford to win: 9/1

Draw: 9/2

Chelsea to win: 2/7

 

Score Prediction

Coming into this match, it seems like a free hit for Tuchel’s Chelsea. The Hornet’s large injury list and the Blues continued strong form seem to show that the game can only go one way. Although Watford will try to put up a fight at home expect them to still lose by a hefty margin.

Expect the game to end 3-0 to Chelsea.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Premier League and international club football news, click here.

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/watford-v-chelsea-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams/feed 0 22903 Chelsea v Man United – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-man-united-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-man-united-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams#respond Fri, 26 Nov 2021 16:07:19 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22787 Thomas Tuchel takes on Michael Carrick in the match of the weekend with the Reds needing a win off the league leaders Chelsea v Man United will kick off at 16:30 on Sunday 28th November in Stamford Bridge. Referee Anthony Taylor will take charge of the tie. For those who could not get a ticket, […]

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]]> Thomas Tuchel takes on Michael Carrick in the match of the weekend with the Reds needing a win off the league leaders

Chelsea v Man United will kick off at 16:30 on Sunday 28th November in Stamford Bridge. Referee Anthony Taylor will take charge of the tie.

For those who could not get a ticket, the match will also be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League Ireland.

Chelsea have continued their strong run since losing to Juventus in September. Tuchel’s side are now 10 games unbeaten with only two of those games being draws. They continue to sit on top of the league, three points ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The squad survived well with their first bout of injuries but now with the return of Lukaku and Pulisic, the club is now missing Kovacic, Kanté, and Chilwell for the foreseeable future.

On the other side of the pitch, Manchester United have grown into a joke team in the Premier League. After a bad spell of results, they languish in eighth place, six points off a Champions League place.

Now with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer departed from the club, it looks like Ralf Rangnick will take charge. It will be interesting to see if he can get the most out of the stars as well as the young guns.

This fixture is one of the most long-awaited and hotly contested games of the year. They have faced each other 33 times since 2010 with Man United winning the slight majority with 12 victories. Chelsea have claimed 11 wins while ten games have also ended in draws.

Although this is a matchup of two of the most successful Premier League clubs, it has been a boring affair of late. Last season, both games ended in uneventful 0-0 stalemates.

Now both teams have different managers and styles so this match will depend much more on recent form.

Chelsea v Man United Probable Starting Teams

Chelsea FC

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Mendy (GK), Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Alonso, Jorginho, Saul, James, Ziyech, Mount, Lukaku.

Injuries / Suspensions

Chilwell (Cruciate ligament), Havertz (Hamstring), Kovacic (Hamstring), Kanté (Knee),

 

Manchester United

Formation

4-2-3-1

Probable Starting 11

De Gea (GK), Telles, Lindelof, Bailly, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Van de Beek, Rashford, Fernandes, Sanches, Ronaldo.

Injuries / Suspensions

Cavani (Tendon injury), Greenwood (Covid-19), Pogba (Thigh), Varane (Hamstring), Maguire (Red card)

Chelsea v Man United Match Betting

Chelsea FC to win: 4/7

Draw: 14/5

Manchester United to win: 9/2

 

Score Prediction

United fans might be in high spirits with the new interim managerial appointment but it will be too soon for Michael Carrick and Rangnick to make a difference in Manchester. Chelsea have the stronger team and clearer tactics and this will shine through at the weekend.

Expect the game to end 4-1 to Chelsea.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Premier League and international club football news, click here.

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-man-united-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams/feed 0 22787 Chelsea v Juventus – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-juventus-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-juventus-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams#respond Tue, 23 Nov 2021 13:40:05 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22691 The Blues are looking for an important win as they host a top of Group H clash this evening in the Champions League Chelsea v Juventus will kick off at 20:00 on Tuesday, 23rd November in Stamford Bridge. Serbian referee Srdjan Jovanovic will take charge of the tie. Highlights of the match will be shown […]

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]]> The Blues are looking for an important win as they host a top of Group H clash this evening in the Champions League

Chelsea v Juventus will kick off at 20:00 on Tuesday, 23rd November in Stamford Bridge. Serbian referee Srdjan Jovanovic will take charge of the tie. Highlights of the match will be shown on Virgin Media Two and Sky Sports.

Manager Thomas Tuchel will be very happy to come into this tie after going nine games unbeaten, including two Champions League wins against Malmo. Those wins have Chelsea sitting in second place in the group with nine points, six ahead of third-place Zenit St Petersburg.

A good result tonight will ensure their qualification from the group and help them leapfrog Juventus into first place.

The Old Lady are beginning to turn their season around.  Although they are historically the strongest Italian team with Maximilliano Allegri as manager, Juventus are in eighth place in their league.

It may be too late for them to win the league title but they can focus their efforts on finally winning silverware in Europe.

The Italian giants have owned this fixture in the last decade. They have played three times since 2012 with Juventus coming out on top twice and one game ending in a draw.

Most recently in late September, Allegri’s team kept a clean sheet as they won 1-0 in the Allianz Stadium in Turin. That night, Chelsea were very poor in front of goal, with 73 percent possession and 16 shots but only one on target. Tuchel will want a stronger performance to ensure their team’s qualification.

Chelsea v Juventus Probable Starting Teams

Chelsea

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Mendy (GK), Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Jorginho, Kanté, James, Pulisic, Mount, Havertz.

Injuries / Suspensions

Kovacic (Hamstring)

 

Juventus

Formation

4-4-2

Probable Starting 11

Szczesny (GK), Sandro, de Ligt, Bonucci, Cuadrado, Rabiot, McKennie, Kulusevski, Morata, Chiesa.

Injuries / Suspensions

Ramsey (Muscle injury), Danilo (Muscle injury), Bernardeschi (Groin), Chiellini (Achilles tendon), De Sciglio (Hamstring)

Chelsea v Juventus Match Betting

Chelsea to win: 4/7

Draw: 14/5

Juventus to win: 5/1

 

Score Prediction

Juventus were able to prove their strength earlier in the season but injuries seem to be their main downfall tonight. Tuchel will want to keep the club’s unbeaten run going over the last two months and that will continue in this game.

Expect the game to end 2-0 to Chelsea.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Champions League and international club football news, click here.

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-juventus-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams/feed 0 22691 Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/terry-lampard-drogba-the-greatest-ever-chelsea-all-time-xi https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/terry-lampard-drogba-the-greatest-ever-chelsea-all-time-xi#respond Mon, 15 Nov 2021 20:13:08 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22521 Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI: Chelsea has become a footballing superpower since 2003 with the takeover of Roman Abramovich and are now one of the biggest and well-known clubs in English football history. With an impressive trophy haul in their 116-year history, […]

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]]> Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI: Chelsea has become a footballing superpower since 2003 with the takeover of Roman Abramovich and are now one of the biggest and well-known clubs in English football history.

With an impressive trophy haul in their 116-year history, containing 6  League titles, 2 Champions Leagues, 8 FA Cups, 5 League Cups, 2 Europa League, 2 Cup Winners Cups, 2 Super Cups and 4 Community Shields to their name.

Even before the arrival of Roman Abramovich, Chelsea produced an abundance of great players throughout their history.

From the likes of Peter Osgood, Dennis Wise and Marcel Desailly, Chelsea have seen some of the most lucrative and special players come through the doors of Stamford Bridge

With that in mind, here is a look at Chelsea All-Time XI:

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

Petr Cech

A bargain buy from Rennes at just £7 million in the summer of 2004, under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho, Petr Cech became a Chelsea and Premier League iconic during his time at the West London club.

One of the main reasons why Chelsea won their first Champions League in 2012, saving an extra-time penalty from Arjen Robben, he went on to stop another two spot-kicks in the shootout.

He went on to win four Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups and the Europa League during his spell at Stamford Bridge while holding the record for most clean sheets in the Premier League with 202 in 443 appearances.

Standing at 6 foot 5 inches tall, Cech had everything to his game during his 11-year stint at Chelsea. Strong in the air, a great-shot stopper and possessing great distribution, the Czech international is easily on this list.

Ashley Cole

The greatest left-back to ever play for Chelsea and to ever grace the Premier League, Ashley Cole deserves all the recognition he gets.

After controversially leaving Arsenal in 2006, Cole went on to make 338 appearances for the west London club, scoring 7 and assisting 38 in his 8-year stint.

His decision to leave Highbury for Stamford Bridge was justified, with the defender winning the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, League Cup and Four FA Cups.

The complete full-back, Cole is now retired and works as an academy coach at Chelsea’s Cobham Training Centre.

 

John Terry

Arguably Chelsea’s greatest ever player, John Terry was a world-class central defender during his 19-year spell at Stamford Bridge.

One of the few academy graduates to make a name for himself at the club, Terry is ‘Mr. Chelsea’, becoming their greatest ever captain in their golden era from the early 2000s.

A consistent starter in his mid-30s, Terry made 717 appearances for the club, becoming their all-time leading goalscorer as a defender with 67 goals, he is also the Premier Leagues top-scoring defender with 41 goals.

He went on to lift five Premier League titles as captain, five FA Cups, three League Cups, one Europa League and a historic Champions League win.

Ricardo Carvalho

Bought in for £20 million in the summer of Mourinho, Carvalho was part of the Porto team that captured the Champions League under Mourinho’s stewardship back in 2004.

He came into partner John Terry that season, and in doing so became an instant success. Creating one-off (if not) the greatest central defensive partnership in Premier League history.

While Terry had the leadership and qualities you would assign with a top defender, Carvalho had the speed and on-the-ball talent to accompany Terry wonderfully. Being part of the spine that conceded 15 goals in the 2004/05 Premier League season.

He went on to win three Premier League titles, three FA Cup’s and two League cups in his six years at the club.

Cesar Azpilicueta

Signed for a low £7 million in the summer of 2012 from French outfit Marseille, no one could have imagined the club legend status Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta would possess in 2021.

Referred to as ‘Dave’ by Chelsea fairs upon his arrival, Azpilicueta has become the beating heart of this current Chelsea team, he has made 442 appearances for the club.

Still a main figure in the current Chelsea set-up, he has held the captaincy after John Terry’s departure in 2017, captaining the side to their most recent Champions League win in May 2021.

A clutch player in his own right, scoring 14 goals and assisting 56 in his 9 years at the club, he has won almost everything there is to win.

Claude Makelele

One of the few players to have a position named after him, ‘the Makelele role’ has become synonymous in England and across Europe.

The key defensive port to Mourinho’s first spell in charge at the club, the Frenchman provided energy and world-class tackling to let the likes of Lampard and co ponder forward.

Leaving Real Madrid in 2003 after they embarrassingly allowed him to leave because of their Galactico’s policy. Makelele found a home in Chelsea that respected his talents.

He went on to win two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups during his five years at Stamford Bridge, becoming a legendary figure amongst Blues supporters.

N’Golo Kante

Signed in the summer of 2016 after being an integral part of Leicester City’s unlikely title victory in the 2015/16 season.

The little Frenchman has gone from an unknown player to one of the greatest Chelsea and Premier League player’s of all-time after his unique performances for the London club.

Gifted with unlimited stamina and an engine for days, Kante’s greatest attribute is his excellent ball-winning skills in the middle of the park.

The World Cup winner has won two Premier Leagues (one with Leicester) an FA Cup, Europa League, Super Cup and most recently, a Champions League to add to his lucrative trophy cabinet, where he played a big part in his side’s victory.

Frank Lampard

When you think of Chelsea’s greatest ever player, the name of Frank Lampard will normally come to mind for many Chelsea fans.

A fan favourite within the Stamford Bridge faithful, Lampard signed for the Blues from West Ham United in 2001 for a relatively low £11 million.

Greeted with scepticism upon his arrival, Lampard well and truly proved doubters wrong, becoming one of the best midfielders of his generation.

Becoming Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer with 211 goals accompanied with 150 assists in 648 appearances for the club.

Mainly deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, he was a complete and intelligent player whose greatest strength was running from deep and getting on that final pass to score or assist.

He won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, a Europa League, a Champions League and finished 2nd in the 2005 Ballon D’or rankings in his 13-year career at Chelsea.

Eden Hazard

Easily Chelsea’s most gifted player, Eden Hazard lit up Stamford Bridge when he signed for the Blue’s in the summer of 2012 for £32 million from Lille.

Wowing fans on his debut, the Belgian’s entertaining playing style and world-class dribbling made him a fan-favourite with Chelsea fans and one of the best players in Europe.

Becoming Chelsea’s talisman with his performances and goal contributions, he adapted quickly to the demanding style of play in England, becoming the most fouled player in all top 5 European leagues.

In his seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge, the magician that was Hazard contributed to 110 goals and won six major honours, including two Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup and a dazzling performance on his final game to capture the Europa League for the club.

Didier Drogba

Regarded by many Chelsea fans as ‘The King of Stamford Bridge’, striker Didier Drogba joined from Marseille in a £24 million deal in 2004, becoming a big-part of Chelsea’s first league title in 50 years, perfecting the target man role under Jose Mourinho.

Never seen a prolific goalscorer, Drogba proved to be the man for the occasion, with 10 goals in 10 finals, along with numerous goals in crucial games, proving his worth in his 9-year stint in west London.

The highlight of his Chelsea career was his iconic role in Chelsea winning their first European cup, scoring an 88th minute equaliser against Bayern Munich and scoring the winning penalty to seal his place in Chelsea history.

Contributing to 251 goals in 381 games. Winning four League titles and FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League. World-class in his day, the Ivory Coast forward cemented his place as Chelsea’s greatest ever striker.

Gianfranco Zola

The little Italian genius is the only player on this list to have not been signed during the Abramovich era.

Joining from Parma in 1996 for £4.5 million, Zola was the main element of what was seen as a revolution of sorts during Ruud Gullits and Gianluca Villa’s stints at the club.

Winning two FA Cups, a League Cup, a Super Cup and a Cup Winners’ Cup during a domestic surge of the 1990s at west London. Zola was voted Chelsea’s greatest ever player back in 2003.

A hugely influential figure at the club, with the only shame being that Zola was not part of the success that followed at Chelsea upon his departure in 2003, leaving after seven years of service.

Terry, Lampard, Drogba: The Greatest ever Chelsea All-Time XI

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/terry-lampard-drogba-the-greatest-ever-chelsea-all-time-xi/feed 0 22521 Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranked-every-chelsea-manager-of-the-roman-abramovich-era https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranked-every-chelsea-manager-of-the-roman-abramovich-era#respond Mon, 15 Nov 2021 12:37:09 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22515 Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era Ever since Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea back in 2003, the club has endured an unprecedented 18 years of success. But with Abramovich, came a huge demand for consistent success domestically and in Europe with many Chelsea managers lasting fewer than 2 years at the […]

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]]> Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

Ever since Russian Billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea back in 2003, the club has endured an unprecedented 18 years of success.

But with Abramovich, came a huge demand for consistent success domestically and in Europe with many Chelsea managers lasting fewer than 2 years at the helm.

Thomas Tuchel is the latest man to try his luck in the hot seat and has started his Chelsea career extremely well so far. Winning the Champions League, reaching an FA Cup final and gaining Champions League qualification.

The German is also atop of the Premier League summit after 11 games and has already qualified for the next stage in the Champions League.

But where does Tuchel rank, along with the many managers hired and fired under the  Abramovich era starting from 2003?

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

15. Luiz Felipe Scolari

 

Reign: July 2008 – February 2009

Trophies Won: None

Record: P36 W20 D11 L5

Win Percentage: 55%

After the disappointing end to the previous season, Chelsea fans were getting ready for the arrival of World Cup-winning boss Felipe Scolari.

The idea of bringing Brazilian flair to Stamford Bridge was said to be a dream of Abramovich, who craved free-flowing attacking football.

After a promising start, Chelsea looked void of idea’s and looking wide open at the back. Rumours of player power began to circulate, with the writing was on the wall for Scolari who was sacked after seven months in charge.

He would later admit that his sacking came down to ”communication issues” with some players in the squad.

14. Andre Villas-Boas

 

Reign: June 2011 – March 2012

Trophies Won: None

Record: P40 W19 D11 L10

Win Percentage: 47.5%

After the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti in the summer of 2011, the excitement surrounding the arrival of Andre Villas-Boas to Stamford Bridge was monstrous.

Dubbed the new Mourinho by many, Villas-Boas had a big reputation for being one of the most exciting young managers in Europe.

Winning the treble with Porto the season before, AVB was known for his attacking football and installing faith in youth.

However, the young manager was quick to realise that phasing out the old guard in Chelsea would need time. With reported bust-ups with Frank Lampard, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda leading to his departure.

13. Guus Hiddink II

 

Reign: December 2015 – May 2016

Trophies Won: None

Record: P27 W10 D11 L6

Win Percentage: 58%

Brought in for a second time in an attempt to heal the wounds left by Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese’s sacking in December 2015, with the Blues in 16th position.

Hiddink’s arrival saw his side lose to PSG in the Champions League knockout rounds for a second consecutive season and a Quarter-Final defeat to Everton in the FA Cup followed.

Finishing the season in a disastrous 10th place, Hiddink left doing what he needed to do, steady the ship and start preparations for the next manager to fix.

12. Avram Grant

 

Reign: September 2007 – May 2008

Trophies Won: None

Record: P54 W36 D13 L5

Win Percentage: 66%

After the departure of Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2007, Chelsea went for a short term fix with director of football Avram Grant on an interim basis.

The Israeli did well while in charge of the club, leading them close to all four titles, but winning none meant Abramovich had seen enough, with Grant leaving at the end of the season.

In the Premier League, the Blues pushed Manchester United to the final day of the season after a late surge but ultimately finished 2nd.

Domestically, Chelsea squandered a lead to Tottenham in the League Cup final and was surprisingly knocked out by Barnsley in the Quarter-Finals of the FA Cup.

Grant also led Chelsea to their first-ever Champions League final appearance. Coming within a post after John Terry slipped to win it. Ultimately the Blues lost 6-5 on penalties to Manchester United.

11. Rafa Benitez

 

Reign: November 2012 – May 2013

Trophies Won: 1 Europa League

Record: P48 W28 D10 L10

Win Percentage: 58%

Picking up the pieces after Roberto Di Matteo’s ruthless sacking in November 2012, Abramovich went for an unpopular appointment in former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez on an interim basis.

Chelsea fans hated the Spaniard for his Liverpool background and negative comments on the club during his time in Merseyside. But, nonetheless, Benitez was brought in to steady the ship.

Winless in his opening three Premier League games and losing the Club World Cup final to Corinthians, Chelsea fans were unforgiving in their treatment of the Spaniard.

However, form picked up and Benitez ended up finishing 3rd in the Premier League and managing Chelsea to their first Europa League triumph with a 2-1 win over Benfica in Amsterdam.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

10. Frank Lampard

 

Reign: July 2019 – January 2021

Trophies Won: None

Record: P84 W44 D17 L23

Win Percentage: 53%

Brought in during the summer of 2019, Lampard left Derby to return to the club he called ”his club”. Joining when the club was faced with a transfer ban and without star player Eden Hazard. Lampard’s first season in charge was always going to be assessed sympathetically.

But, Lampard overperformed to a certain extent, securing Champions League football with a team full of youth stars and reaching an FA Cup final

Losing 2-1 to Arsenal before being pulled apart by Bayern Munich in the Champions League followed, Lampard was given mountains to spend in the summer to fix the obvious deficiencies in his squad.

The signings of Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy saw a massive transfer overhaul in Lampard’s second season and from then on, it all went downhill.

He was never able to find the proper system to incorporate all his new signings, and troubles behind the scenes saw Chelsea ninth and 11 points of the top when Lampard was sacked.

His managerial legacy at Chelsea will go down to his faith in Mason Mount, Reece James and co, who have now cemented their place in the squad for years to come.

9. Maurizio Sarri

 

Reign: July 2018 – June 2019

Trophies Won: 1 Europa League

Record: P63 W38 D14 L11

Win Percentage: 63%

Brought in to fix the chaos Antonio Conte left, Sarri was a different approach to Chelsea’s usual manager choices. Enjoying a good start to life in London, going unbeaten in his first 12 Premier League games.

Chelsea were playing what was known as ”Sarriball”, attacking football with a high press. However, their form dwindled come February with a 4-0 loss to Bournemouth and a 6-0 loss to Manchester City acting as the catalyst to many fans turning on the Italian.

He ultimately went on to win his first-ever major trophy, with a 4-1 win over Arsenal in the Europa League. A case of gone too soon for some. For other’s, it was met with good riddance.

8. Claudio Ranieri

 

Reign: September 2000 – May 2004 (Abramovich buys club in July 2003)

Trophies Won: None

Record: P184 W95 D44 L45

Win Percentage: 53%

The first manager under the Roman Abramovich era, Ranieri only managed to secure one season under the Russian.

Before Abramovich’s arrival, Ranieri had done a steady job with the London club. Leading them to the 2002 FA Cup final and moving up the league table from 6th to 2nd in four seasons.

Overseeing the breakthrough of John Terry and purchasing Frank Lampard for £11 million in 2001, Ranieri laid a lot of the groundwork for Mourinho.

In his final season, Ranieri finished second behind Arsenal’s invincible’s, although knocking them out of the Champions League Quarter-Finals thanks to a Wayne Bridge winner.

7. Guus Hiddink I

 

Reign: February 2009 – May 2009

Trophies Won: 1 FA Cup

Record: P22 W16 D5 L1

Win Percentage: 72%

The first interim manager under the Abramovich regime, Guus Hiddink came into Chelsea hoping to salvage the remainder of the season after Scolari’s dismissal.

Losing only once, Chelsea finished 3rd, six points of the top and were controversially knocked out of the semi-final stage in the Champions League to Barcelona after a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

However, Hiddink did find success, winning the FA Cup after a 2-1 win against Everton at Wembley.

Adored by Chelsea fans, Hiddink left at the end of the season to continue his role as manager of the Russian national team, making the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

6. Thomas Tuchel

 

Reign: January 2021 – Present

Trophies Won: 1 Champions League, 1 Super Cup

Record: P48 W33 D8 L5

Win Percentage: 77%

The latest man to try his luck in the Chelsea dugout, Thomas Tuchel has turned out to be an inspired choice after the tough dismissal of club legend Frank Lampard.

Taking charge in January, it has only taken Tuchel six months to put his imprint on this Chelsea side. Managing to secure top 4, reaching an FA Cup final and switching to three-at-the-back, Tuchel went unbeaten in his first 14 games across all competitions.

His biggest achievement thus far is spearheading his side to their second Champions League triumph with a 1-0 win over Manchester City in Porto.

Now on the cusp of his first full season with the Blues, Tuchel currently sits top of the Premier League table, in a League Cup Quarter-Final and securing passage into the knockout stages of the Champions League. It could be another successful season as of yet for the German.

But only tie will tell.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

5. Jose Mourinho II

 

Reign: June 2013 – December 2015

Trophies Won: 1 Premier League, 1 League Cup

Record: P136 W80 D27 L29

Win Percentage: 59%

Returning after seven years, the newly dubbed ”Happy One” made a spectacular return to Chelsea after leaving Real Madrid in 2013. Tasked with bringing the same glory back to West London as he did in his first stint.

His first season saw a Chelsea side falter against the smaller teams, dropping points to Norwich, Sunderland and Crystal Palace, where if they had won, would have seen Mourinho pick up his third league title success in England.

After calling his side ”a little horse”, Mourinho went big in his second season. Signing Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and the return of Thibaut Courtois from loan saw his side ease to another league title and a league cup success.

Blowing teams away in the first half of the season, before Mourinho shut up shop after a 5-3 drubbing to Tottenham towards the end of the year.

But his infamous third season syndrome turned into a horrid show for Mourinho and Chelsea, with Chelsea close to the relegation zone come Christmas, losing 9 of their opening 16 games.

Mourinho was eventually sacked due to a ”palpable discord” within the squad.

4. Roberto Di Matteo

 

Reign: March 2012 – November 2012

Trophies Won: 1 Champions League, 1 FA Cup

Record: P42 W25 D8 L9

Win Percentage: 57%

Merely seen to bring some level of consistency to the squad by seeing out the remainder of the season after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas, assistant manager and Chelsea legend Roberto Di Matteo would lead Chelsea to their first-ever Champions League triumph.

Di Matteo’s run in the Champions League was fairytale stuff, coming back from a 3-1 away loss to Napoli to win 5-4 on aggregate, beating Benfica before shocking Barcelona in the semi-final.

They faced Bayern Munich in Germany, two weeks after lifting the FA Cup in a 2-1 win against Liverpool, winning the European Cup thanks to a Didier Drogba penalty.

That was more than enough to give Di Matteo the permanent job, however, entering the Europa League from the Champions League group stages the following season saw Di Matteo sacked in November.

3. Antonio Conte

 

Reign: July 2016 – July 2018

Trophies Won: 1 Premier League, 1 FA Cup

Record: P106 W69 D17 L20

Win Percentage: 65%

With Mourinho long gone, Chelsea hired fiery manager Antonio Conte in an attempt to catapult them up the league table after an awful 10th place finish a season prior.

After 3 wins from 3 in their opening league games, it looked like Conte would struggle to adapt to English football after back-to-back losses to Liverpool and a 3-0 drubbing to Arsenal.

Immediately after this, Conte worked his magic, switching to a three at the back, using Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso as wing-backs saw Chelsea go on a 13-game winning run, six consecutive clean sheets and beating the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham.

That was the catalyst for Chelsea’s fifth Premier League title, winning 30 league games – the first side in English football history to do so.

Reaching the FA Cup final in the same season, Conte’s side ultimately lost 2-1 to Arsenal, before winning the competition the following season against Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United 1-0 – his final game in charge of Chelsea.

His second season in charge was all but easygoing. Losing their opening game at home to Burnley was the mood setter, with Conte very unhappy with the lack of transfer activity and the underwhelming signings that followed.

2. Carlo Ancelotti

 

Reign: June 2009 – May 2011

Trophies Won: 1 Premier League, 1 FA Cup

Record: P109 W67 D20 L22

Win Percentage: 61%

Following the manager merry-go-round in the prior season. Proven European winner Carlo Ancelotti was given the reigns at Stamford Bridge.

And the Italian led the club to their first-ever League and FA Cup double in his first season.

During their Premier League win, Chelsea broke records. Scoring a record-breaking 103 goals, including 7+ on four different occasions, only beaten by an 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic on the final day of the season wrapping up Chelsea’s 4th league title in their history in style.

They would go on to beat Portsmouth 1-0 in the FA Cup final to secure their first-ever and only double under Abramovich.

However, like many managers since then, his second season was seen as a failure by Abramovich, finishing second and failing in every cup competition. The Italian was sacked on the final day of the season in the Goodison Park tunnel after a 1-0 loss to Everton.

1. Jose Mourinho I

 

Reign: June 2004 – September 2007

Trophies Won: 2 Premier Leagues, 2 League Cups, 1 FA

Record: P185 W124 D40 L21

Win Percentage: 67%

Mourinho’s first spell in charge of the Londoners was so successful that it will take something special to topple.

Fresh from winning the Champions League with Porto in 2004, Mourinho built a defensive juggernaut in his first three seasons with the club. Winning the league cup and their first-ever Premier League title and first title in over 50 years.

Chelsea would go on to lose one game that Premier League season, only conceding 15 goals (a record still yet to be broken), an average of 0.39 per game.

They would go on to break the Premier League record for most points with 95, which stood for 13 years before Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City broke it in 2017/18 with 100 points.

Another league title followed and a second League Cup victory, before capping off his first stint in England with an FA Cup victory over Manchester United.

While never managing to secure European success with Chelsea, Mourinho will forever be known as the ”Special One” and will go down as Chelsea’s greatest ever manager.

Ranked: Every Chelsea manager of the Roman Abramovich Era

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranked-every-chelsea-manager-of-the-roman-abramovich-era/feed 0 22515 Chelsea v Burnley – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-burnley-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-burnley-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams#respond Fri, 05 Nov 2021 14:43:26 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22367 Thomas Tuchel’s men challenge another relegation-threatened side in week eleven of the Premier League this Saturday  Chelsea v Burnley will kick off at 15:00 on Saturday 6th November in Stamford Bridge. Referee Andre Marriner will take charge of the tie. This match will also be shown live on Premier Sports ROI 1. Last week was […]

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]]> Thomas Tuchel’s men challenge another relegation-threatened side in week eleven of the Premier League this Saturday 

Chelsea v Burnley will kick off at 15:00 on Saturday 6th November in Stamford Bridge. Referee Andre Marriner will take charge of the tie.

This match will also be shown live on Premier Sports ROI 1.

Last week was very good for Tuchel’s team, they comfortably beat Newcastle while their nearest rivals Liverpool and Man City dropped points. They have proven to be a near-indestructible side that has kept seven out of ten clean sheets.

The Blues still have injuries to major players to deal with but their squad depth has been vital to their success.

Sean Dyche’s Burnley have finally found three points after they beat Brentford at home last week. Even with this win, they still sit in 18th place, points from safety.

There has been one shining light in the weak Clarets side, Ivory Coast international Maxwell Cornet has scored four goals so far this season.

The Blues have controlled this tie in recent years. In 12 meetings, Chelsea has won eight games, Burnley have won one and there have been three draws. It was back in 2017 that the Clarets managed to claim a shock 3-2 victory in Stamford Bridge.

Last season, the Blues won both games while keeping clean sheets including a 2-0 win the last time Burnley came to London.

Chelsea v Burnley Probable Starting Teams

Chelsea

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Mendy (GK), Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Jorginho, Saul, James, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Havertz.

Injuries / Suspensions

Mount (Illness), Kovacic (Hamstring), Lukaku (Sprained Ankle), Werner (Hamstring)

 

Burnley

Formation

4-4-2

Probable Starting 11

Pope (GK), Taylor, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton, McNeil, Westwood, Brownhill, Gudmundsson, Cornet, Wood.

Injuries / Suspensions

Stephens (Ankle)

Chelsea v Burnley Match Betting

Chelsea to win: 1/4

Draw: 9/2

Burnley to win: 11/1

 

Score Prediction

Burnley has a reputation of being a stubborn side of the big clubs to face but this Saturday Chelsea should win. Although the Blues will be without three of their strongest forwards, Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi, and Havertz have shown their immense strength in recent games.

Expect the game to end 3-0 Tuchel’s Chelsea.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Premier League and international club football news, click here.

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/chelsea-v-burnley-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams/feed 0 22367 Malmo FF v Chelsea – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/malmo-ff-v-chelsea-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/malmo-ff-v-chelsea-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams#respond Tue, 02 Nov 2021 11:01:56 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22254 The second half of the Champions League group stage kicks off tonight as Chelsea travel to the Swedish leaders Malmo FF v Chelsea will kick off at 17:45 this evening, 2nd November in the Eleda Stadium. German referee Felix Brych will take charge of the tie. The game will be shown live on BT Sport […]

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]]> The second half of the Champions League group stage kicks off tonight as Chelsea travel to the Swedish leaders

Malmo FF v Chelsea will kick off at 17:45 this evening, 2nd November in the Eleda Stadium. German referee Felix Brych will take charge of the tie.

The game will be shown live on BT Sport 2 while subscribers can also watch it on the app.

Malmo have been getting back to their good form in Sweden. Since their last match against Chelsea, they are unbeaten in three games including a 3-2 victory away to Sirius.

The Champions League has been much less favourable for them. After three games, they have zero points, conceding 11 goals and scoring none. They will need to turn their form around in the next three games if they want to ensure a Europa League place.

Thomas Tuchel’s men have now gone six games unbeaten since losing to Juventus in September. Chelsea’s squad depth has been really important recently after injuries to crucial players but now they are beginning to return to the first team.

Tonight’s game is the perfect chance for Chelsea to improve their strong goal difference as they mount a comeback to claim the top of the group against the Italian giants.

This is a very sporadic fixture as Sweden’s current number one have only faced England’s current number one three times before. Chelsea have won all three of those games scoring nine and only conceding one.

Most recently, the Blues beat Malmo 4-0 in Stamford Bridge last month in the Champions League.

Malmo FF v Chelsea Probable Starting Teams

Malmo FF

Formation

5-3-2

Probable Starting 11

Dahlin (GK), Rieks, Moisander, Ahmedhodzic, Larsson, Berget, Rakip, Christiansen, Innocent, Birmancevic, Colak.

Injuries / Suspensions

Beijmo (Collarbone), Knudsen (Knee), Toivonen (Knee)

 

Chelsea

Formation

3-4-2-1

Probable Starting 11

Arrizabalaga (GK), Rudiger, Christensen, Chalobah, Alonso, Jorginho, Niguez, Azpilicueta, Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz

Injuries / Suspensions

Mount (Illness), Kovacic (Hamstring), Lukaku (Sprained ankle), Werner (Hamstring injury)

Malmo FF v Chelsea Match Betting

Malmo FF to win: 13/1

Draw: 5/1

Chelsea to win: 1/5

 

Score Prediction

This will be a good home fixture for the Swedish team to have in terms of entertainment but not with the hopes of claiming any points. Malmo’s previous form in Europe will continue tonight as they face a team chasing top of the group.

Expect Chelsea to run out 4-0 winners.

To read more from this writer, click here.

And to read more in-depth and up-to-date Champions League and international club football news, click here.

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]]> https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/malmo-ff-v-chelsea-preview-betting-probable-starting-teams/feed 0 22254 Ranking every Antonio Conte Chelsea signing https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranking-every-antonio-conte-chelsea-signing https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/soccer/premierleague/ranking-every-antonio-conte-chelsea-signing#respond Mon, 01 Nov 2021 14:12:15 +0000 https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/?p=22241 Ranking every Antonio Conte Chelsea signing With news coming out of Tottenham that former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte will be taking over from recently sacked Nuno Espirito Santos, I have decided to look at his last spell in England and rank each signing he made. Joining Chelsea in the summer of 2016, Conte changed […]

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]]> Ranking every Antonio Conte Chelsea signing

With news coming out of Tottenham that former Inter Milan manager Antonio Conte will be taking over from recently sacked Nuno Espirito Santos, I have decided to look at his last spell in England and rank each signing he made.

Joining Chelsea in the summer of 2016, Conte changed the club’s fortunes around after the abysmal 2015-16 campaign, which saw manager Jose Mourinho lose his job and saw the previous year’s Premier League champions finish 10th.

Finding huge success with a back three, Conte led Chelsea to a Premier League title and two back-to-back appearances in FA Cup finals, winning one, his final game being the FA Cup after a win over Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United. He was sacked soon after.

So here are all of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea signings, ranked from worst to best.

Ranking every Antonio Conte Chelsea signing

14) Danny Drinkwater

After Chelsea signed N’golo Kante from Leicester City in the summer of 2016 after his breakout year, they returned a year later with the ridiculous £35 million signing of Danny Drinkwater.

Drinkwater’s Chelsea career was summed up with one word as a ”shambles” by the player himself in a recent interview.

He has only made 23 appearances for the London club since his signing in 2017, scoring one goal and playing 90 minutes only 3 times in that timeframe.

He has since gone on loan at Burnley, Aston Villa, Kasimpasa and now Reading. Garnering more attention for his off the field issues such as fighting outside nightclub’s, headbutting a team-mate while on loan at Aston Villa and starting a fight with a 16-year-old in an Under-23s match.

His contract expires next year and to say Chelsea will pass on his services is an understatement.

13) Tiemoué Bakayoko

After his strong performances in the 2016-17 season with Monaco that saw them reach the Champions League semi-finals, Bakayoko made the switch to West London for £40 million.

In his four seasons with the blues, he has made a mere 29 Premier League appearances in four seasons.

Like Drinkwater, he has since gone out on numerous loan spells, AC Milan, Monaco and Napoli have all taken him off Chelsea’s hands.

A player with huge potential, Bakayoko has turned out to be a massive disappointment.

12) Álvaro Morata

With Chelsea’s failed attempt to re-sign striker Romelu Lukaku in the 2017-18 summer transfer window. They turned to Real Madrid star Álvaro Morata in a deal worth £60 million.

After starting brightly, contributing to 12 goals in 12 games, he hit a ceiling, managing 5 goal contributions in 26 Premier League appearances.

Taking up the cursed number 9 for Chelsea, Morata suffered greatly with low confidence and with a handful of sitters to his name, he left for Atletico Madrid in 2019, with Chelsea managing to secure around the same amount they paid for him.

11) Eduardo

If you can’t remember who this guy was I wouldn’t blame you, but after three seasons at Chelsea, he did not make a single first-team appearance but managed to pick up a Premier League winner’s medal.

What a guy.

10) Ross Barkley

After failing to sign him during transfer deadline day in the summer of 2017, Barkley joined the club in January of 2018, for a low £15 million from Everton.

Struggling to find the form under Conte, the player gained some form under Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard before going out on loan to Aston Villa last term.

He has managed to impress current Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel enough to make him a part of the 22-man squad and has played his part so far this season when called upon.

9) Davide Zappacosta

After failing to sign his first choice full-back in Alex Sandro, Chelsea went for the cheaper option in David Zappacosta for £28 million from Torino.

Never a starter, Zappacosta was a bit-part player during his four seasons at Stamford Bridge but managed to pick up an FA Cup and Europa League medal in the process.

Simply put, if the players previously named never joined, he would be closer to the bottom.

8) Willy Cabellero

A cult figure among Chelsea fans, backup goalkeeper Willy Caballero did what he needed to do when he joined Chelsea for free from Manchester City in July of 2017.

The veteran penalty-stopper managed to displace out of form Kepa Arrizabalaga under Frank Lampard’s stewardship but has since left the club with an FA Cup, Europa League and most noticeably a Champions League medal.

7) Emerson Palmieri

Joining in the January transfer window, Emerson played back-up to Marcos Alonso for a reported fee of £20 million.

Playing sporadically during his time at Chelsea, he never quite managed to nail a starting place under Conte and Sarri.

With the arrival of Frank Lampard, he fell further down the pecking order with the arrival of first-choice left-back Ben Chilwell.

Emerson joined Ligue 1 side, Lyon, on a one-year loan in last summer’s transfer window and looks unlikely he will join back up with Chelsea next season.

6) Michy Batshuayi

Known more for being part of Chelsea’s infamous loan system, Batshuyai has done the best he could have given his circumstances.

Scoring 25 goals and 6 assists in 77 appearances in all competitions may not sound that impressive, he played second fiddle to Diego Costa and co throughout his Chelsea career.

The highlight of his Chelsea career is his winning goal to clinch the 2016-17 Premier League title at West Brom.

He is remarkably still on Chelsea’s books, but to be fair to the Belgian, he will be remembered compared to Chelsea’s past strikers.

5) Olivier Giroud

The target man Conte so desperately wanted in the 2018 January transfer window arrived after an £18 million deal from Arsenal.

Contributing to 53 goals in 119 appearances in his four seasons at the West London side, Giroud was a fan favourite and rightfully so.

The Frenchman showed professionalism and experience in his time at the blues.

He will go down as a cult figure at the club.

4) David Luiz

Returning to the club he was most associated with, David Luiz made the switch from PSG to Chelsea for £34 million in 2016.

After being placed in the middle of Conte’s back-three, Luiz soared to one of the top defenders in the country.

His first season back saw him win the Premier League title and secure a place in the PFA Team of the Year for 2016-17.

He went on to add an FA Cup and Europa League before leaving for Arsenal in 2019 after having disagreements with Frank Lampard, where he endured horribly for the most part.

3) Antonio Rudiger

What a turnaround for the German international. After some dodgy performances under Frank Lampard, the 28-year-old has proven his worth under Thomas Tuchel.

Becoming a no-nonsense defender who likes to play on the edge, Rudiger is one of the top defenders in England and in the world at the moment.

Being a major part of the Champions League-winning side of last season, Chelsea fans will hope the club sorts out his contract situation with many top European clubs circling for his signature.

2) Marcos Alonso

Alonso was signed by Chelsea along with David Luiz on transfer deadline day in 2016 for £23 million.

His signing was a key part of Conte’s success, with the Spaniard slotting in nicely to the left-wing back role.

Never the man for speed of strength, Alonso’s technique, free-kicks and overall reliableness to perform has still made him a key squad player to have around.

He always manages to survive with each transfer window and to that, you can only applaud his Michael Myers-like resilience

1. N’golo Kante

The little Frenchman has redefined the defensive midfield position that Claude Makelele made famous and for good reason.

Kante has been the beating heart of all of Chelsea’s success since his arrival in 2016, winning a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League and Super Cup for the Blues.

He has gone on to win numerous individual awards since his arrival in England and will go down as one of the greatest midfielders the Premier League has ever seen.

A wonderful footballer and an even better human being, N’golo Kante deserves all the love he gets.

Ranking every Antonio Conte Chelsea signing

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