Open Mic: My All-Time Chelsea XI

In response to Zander’s request, here is my all-time Chelsea XI.

Manager: Jose Mourinho. It really couldn't be anyone else. Our greatest ever manager and I still miss him to this day.

Formation: 4-4-2

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech. One of the best, if not the best, goalkeeper in the world. He might have had a dodgy Euro 2008, but for Chelsea Petr Cech has often been our saving grace. He holds the record for the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal 1,025 minutes, beating Peter Schmeichel.

He also holds the record for the most clean sheets in a Premier League season (25). Cech showed great courage to come back from such a horrific injury inflicted by Steven Hunt, and at 26, he still has a long time to go before he can think about hanging up his gloves and head guard.

Left-Back: Graeme Le Saux. Had two spells at the club, 1987-1993 and 1997-2003. He was an important part of the successful 1990s side.

Centre-Back: John Terry (C). Mr Chelsea, loved and adored by Chelsea fans, and the club’s most successful captain ever. To top it all of he is a Chelsea Youth product and he turned down the chance to play for Manchester United (good lad!).

He has stuck with the club through good and bad, and will play through injury for the cause. He will go down in Chelsea’s history as a legend without a doubt.

Centre-Back: Ron Harris. They didn’t call him “Chopper” for nothing. I wasn’t around in Ron’s heyday, but my Dad was, and he has regaled me with tales of the no nonsense defender, who made a staggering 795 appearances for the club, a record that is not likely to be beaten.

Right-Back: Steve Clarke. A loyal servant to the club as both a player and a coach, Clarke played for the club between 1987 and 1998, making 421 appearances. Clarke has been on the coaching staff at Chelsea since 2004, and remains a link between the past and the current Chelsea.

Left Midfield: Roberto Di Matteo. Scorer of the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history and the goal that won Chelsea our first trophy in 27 years. Sadly suffered a premature end to his career in 2000, when he broke his leg in three places in a UEFA Cup tie against St Gallen.

Central Midfield: Frank Lampard. The highest scoring midfielder in our history and he only cost us £11 million back in 2001, a certified bargain. Lampard is quite simply the best goal scoring midfielder in the world, he has a record most strikers would be envious of.

April 29th 2005 at the Reebok Stadium sealed his legendary status, when he scored the two goals that won us our first league title in 50 years.

Central Midfield: Dennis Wise. “Oh Dennis Wise, scored a f*cking great goal, in the San Siro, two minutes to go…” To this day Dennis Wise is remembered in song by the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Spent 11 years at the club and won many trophies. Twice voted player of the year and made over 400 appearances for the club.

Right-Midfield: Dan Petrescu. Considered by many Blues fans to be one of the best overseas players to play for the club, Petrescu made over 200 appearances whilst at Chelsea, and was a part of the very successful side of the late 1990s. He has often spoke very fondly of time at the club, calling it the best period of his career.

Centre Forward: Gianfranco Zola. Voted the clubs greatest ever player, Zola’s place in my all-time XI is a foregone conclusion. A true gentleman on and off the pitch, and a genius with the ball at his feet.

Centre Forward: Peter Osgood. The King of Stamford Bridge, his death on March 1st 2006 was a say day for Chelsea Football Club. Scored the winner in the 1970 FA Cup Final, and hit 150 goals in 380 games. Our joint third highest goal scorer with Roy Bentley.

R.I.P. The King of Stamford Bridge

Substitutes

Goalkeeper: Peter Bonetti
Defender: Marcel Dessaily
Midfielder: John Hollins
Striker: Bobby Tambling
Striker: Jimmy Greaves