Chelsea 2017 vs. Chelsea 2007: Which Is the Stronger XI?
Things change a lot in football—just ask Chelsea.
This time last season, the Blues were on their knees. They had just been dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain for the second season running, while they were sat in 10th place in the Premier League, playing for nothing more than pride.
Their season was over.
In the present, things couldn't be any more different. The Blues have league and FA Cup glory that they're chasing, with Antonio Conte's arrival sparking a renaissance that has helped restore their reputation among English football's elite.
Rewind a decade ago to March 2007 and it was a similar story. Jose Mourinho was in charge back then and in his third season as Chelsea boss. The Blues were competing with Manchester United on two fronts—the Premier League and FA Cup.
Come May, they would have to share the spoils as United took league glory before Chelsea defeated them at Wembley to lift the FA Cup.
So how does Mourinho's Class of 2007 compare with Conte's Chelsea now?
Using the latest round of Premier League fixtures, we've rewound the clock to March 3, 2007, to compare like-for-like with the starting XI that took to the field for Chelsea against West Ham United on Monday.
In the true spirit of a challenge, we're gauging the players like the warriors they are, using a boxing-style scorecard to judge who wins each bout.
Chelsea deployed a 4-1-3-2 back in 2007, defeating Portsmouth 2-0 at Fratton Park. Under Conte now, the system is somewhat different with a 3-4-3 the system of choice in Monday's 2-1 win over the Hammers. With those differences in mind, we'll try to keep things as close as possible.
For instance, the right-back against Pompey was Lassana Diarra, so he will be paired with Chelsea's current right wing-back Victor Moses as we combine those positions that are most similar.
That's enough of the small talk. In true boxing tradition, let's get ready to rumble!
Goalkeepers: Petr Cech vs. Thibaut Courtois
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Peak Petr Cech remains Chelsea's finest ever goalkeeper, and Thibaut Courtois has it all to do if he's ever to match his former team-mate's exploits at Stamford Bridge.
That's not to say the Belgian won't, but where he finds himself in his career right now isn't on the same level as Cech from back in 2007, when he was busy keeping a clean sheet against Portsmouth.
Cech was an incredible servant for Chelsea, and it was his presence in goal for the Blues that proved a major staple in their back-to-back title wins in 2005 and 2006. He was reliable, and there was a strong relationship between backline and goalkeeper.
Courtois lacks that same authority, and while this term has seen him restore his reputation, there have been some moments where the ghosts of 2015/16 have lingered.
This is a close contest, but Cech edges this one to put Mourinho's Class of 2007 one up on the current crop.
Verdict: Cech 10-9 Courtois
Left-Back: Ashley Cole vs. Cesar Azpilicueta
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Defence has proved a tricky matchup to select as Chelsea effectively play with five defenders in Conte's current 3-4-3 formation, with Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso becoming full-backs when Chelsea switch to defence.
In March 2007, it was just four defenders for Chelsea against Portsmouth.
With this is mind, we've adjusted our bouts slightly. Cesar Azpilicueta has featured as a left-back for Chelsea before, so for the purposes of this matchup, we've moved him back there.
When this matchup happened in real life, it was Azpilicueta who came out better off. Indeed, the Spaniard ended Ashley Cole's Chelsea career, with Mourinho forcing the ageing star out of Stamford Bridge at the conclusion of 2013/14 due to Azpilicueta's form on the left.
In 2007, regardless of how good Azpilicueta has been for Chelsea since he signed in 2012, there's little chance he would have come close to bettering Cole. The Englishman was the best left-back in the world, and a decade ago, he was in his peak years.
Azpilicueta's good, but he's not that good.
Verdict: Cole 10-9 Azpilicueta
Centre-Back: Ricardo Carvalho vs. David Luiz
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Now this is an interesting one, as Ricardo Carvalho and David Luiz are two very similar players—cultured defenders who in another life could have been slick, creative midfielders. They've both partnered John Terry at some point in their Chelsea careers, too.
Luiz has been a revelation as the libero in Conte's three-man defence, showing us what a fine player he is. He has matured this season and looked every bit his potential from yesteryear suggested.
Carvalho rarely suffered the same problems Luiz has with the defensive slips that have plagued him at times. He was impeccable in a Chelsea shirt, complementing Terry's style perfectly. That pairing is one of the strongest Chelsea have seen, with Carvalho close to Terry's equal.
The Portuguese edges this one.
Verdict: Carvalho 10-9 Luiz
Centre-Back: Michael Essien vs. Gary Cahill
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In much the same way that Diarra facing Moses is unfair, it's the same with Michael Essien and Gary Cahill here. In one corner we have a central midfielder filling in for an injured team-mate, and in the other a defensive specialist.
Essien played as a centre-back for Chelsea against Pompey in March 2007 as Terry was missing through injury. Just six days previous, the Chelsea captain had found himself in hospital after Arsenal's Abou Diaby accidentally knocked him unconscious in the Carling Cup final. Terry would miss two weeks of action on the back of the collision, leaving Essien to deputise.
The Ghanaian did a good job wherever he featured in a Chelsea shirt—even at right-back for a spell—but as a central defender, he's no match for the talents of Cahill in that position.
Verdict: Essien 9-10 Cahill
Right-Back: Lassana Diarra vs. Victor Moses
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There really is no competition here. Diarra wasn't a right-back, but he was forced to play outside of his usual central-midfield position to cover for injuries against Pompey. He was a stop-gap, a necessary evil as Mourinho looked to populate his side.
Moses, on the other hand, has been one of the best right-sided players in the Premier League this term. Playing as a wing-back, he's been excellent for Chelsea, using his pace and work rate to benefit Conte's new system.
If we're talking boxing, Diarra facing Moses in these circumstances is akin to a middleweight stepping up to the heavyweight division. He may hold his own for a few rounds, but the knockdown is inevitable.
Verdict: Diarra 8-10 Moses
Left Midfield: Frank Lampard vs. Pedro
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Yes, we hear you—Frank Lampard and Pedro are completely different players. While Pedro operates as an inside-right attacker, Lampard was known for being a box-to-box, goalscoring midfielder.
With Mourinho's system against Pompey in March 2007, however, Lampard's position was similar to what Pedro's is now. And while the Spaniard has been excellent for Chelsea this season, he still doesn't come close to defeating Lampard.
There's nothing left to say about the ex-Chelsea star that hasn't already been written. We'll just leave you with the memory of his record 211 Chelsea goals. That says everything about him.
Verdict: Lampard 10-9 Pedro
Central Midfield: Claude Makelele vs. N'Golo Kante
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We've all seen the viral YouTube clips where two boxers are slugging it out only for both to drop their guard simultaneously and knock the other to the floor at the exact same moment their own jaw turns to glass.
Well, that's what we're predicting here for Claude Makelele and N'Golo Kante. If the pair had ever come face-to-face, we'd probably be spending 90 minutes watching them dispossess each other and close down their space. The rest of the game would become a sideshow.
It's what Makelele did so well in his Chelsea career, and Kante is doing it now.
It would be some bout, but we're predicting a draw.
Verdict: Makelele 10-10 Kante
Central Midfield: Michael Ballack vs. Cesc Fabregas
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This gave us a real headache when mulling over, as Michael Ballack was a supreme talent. He had everything to his game, being capable of scoring goals from all over the pitch with both feet and his head.
Cesc Fabregas is equally talented, but he brings something different to the table. Not only does he score goals—granted, he's not as prolific as Ballack—but he assists them, too. Fabregas is the joint-third assists maker in Premier League history with 102; and with 46 goals in his 301 appearances, he is involved in a goal close to every other game.
That's an incredible statistic, outlining just how essential he was to Arsenal and now Chelsea. That gives him the edge over Ballack.
Verdict: Ballack 9-10 Fabregas
Right Midfield: Arjen Robben vs. Marcos Alonso
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Arsenal fans can testify that while it may be a decade on since Arjen Robben was turning out for Chelsea, not much has changed. He is still a menace to defenders, as he proved in Bayern Munich's recent 10-2 aggregate thrashing against the Gunners in the Champions League.
Robben was incredible in his three years at Chelsea, terrorising full-backs on either flank. While Marcos Alonso has done an impressive job as the Blues' left wing-back this term, he struggles to compete with the threat of Robben now and especially 10 years ago.
Verdict: Robben 10-9 Alonso
Forward: Andriy Shevchenko vs. Eden Hazard
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In his prime and as a striker, Andriy Shevchenko knocks Eden Hazard out here. Only Chelsea didn't sign Shevchenko in his prime; they paid AC Milan £30 million for a poor imitation of what he was.
His Chelsea career was a disaster. Sheva was unable to adjust to the pace of the Premier League, and apart from some flashes of brilliance, he was a major flop.
Hazard's opener against West Ham showed us what he is all about. He has the instincts of a predator who is at the top of the food chain, spotting the moments when he can pounce and cause real damage. More often than not, he does that for Chelsea. More so than Shevchenko ever did.
This a TKO for Hazard.
Verdict: Shevchenko 8-10 Hazard
Forward: Didier Drogba vs. Diego Costa
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The debate rages on where Didier Drogba and Diego Costa are concerned. Who is the better striker? If we compare legend status, then there's no competition—Drogba wins hands down for his moment of inspiration in the 2012 Champions League final in Munich.
Costa can't compete, but we're not talking about legends here. Its about individual talents, and by that measure, Costa shades it over his former Chelsea team-mate.
When Costa scored to make it 2-0 against West Ham at the London Stadium, it was his 49th Premier League goal since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2014. Should he score in his next league outing, he'll become the fifth-fastest player to hit 50 goals in English football's top flight.
It's taken Costa 79 matches to rack up his current tally. In contrast, Drogba hit his first half century of league goals for Chelsea in 106 matches.
The difference between the pair is staggering, especially when we consider that Chelsea were England's dominant team for much of those games Drogba played. On the back of 2015/16, we know that hasn't been the case for Costa's Chelsea.
In 2006/07, Drogba would hit 20 league goals for the Blues. Costa already has 17, and with 11 matches remaining, he's set to surpass Drogba's return. Indeed, he's averaging 0.68 goals per game in the league this season, meaning we should expect Costa to score around 25 this term.
Verdict: Drogba 9-10 Costa
Overall Scorecard
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Chelsea 2007: 103
Chelsea 2017: 105
Chelsea's current crop just shades the battle with Mourinho's Class of 2007, which is thanks to the killer blows thrown by Hazard and Moses.
In fairness, were we to supplement Diarra with a right-back specialist and also add Terry in over Essien as a central-defender, then the Chelsea team from March 2007 would have come out much better off. Injuries let them down.
