Quick player review – From Chelsito!

They sweated out blood to bring us these glorious moments of sheer ecstasy. Look at the exultant faces of Ballack, Joe, Fereira, Belletti and the pure passion they share for this club. May be, they won’t make the starting line up next season, but can you ever deny their commitment. Bear with me for the long post but it’s the least they deserve.

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Cech

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Many including me, were skeptic about his stature as one of the best goalkeepers in the world. But what a turnaround by the man in the second half of the season. He bloody stuck two fingers to the critics including me and made some awe-inspiring saves throughout and deservedly got the Golden Glove. And I don’t get heartache anymore when seeing Chelsea defend setpieces

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Hilario & Turnbull

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They stepped up when it mattered. Hilario against Liverpool, and Turnbull against Inter come to mind. Never let us feel the absence of Cech.

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Paulo & Belletti

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Paulo has been with Chelsea since Jose. Spent most of his time warming the bench, and did you hear even a whisper of discontent? And when the time came, he showed everyone he still is a player who always puts in a 7/10 performance every match. He would be missed by every blue out there. Belletti also put in some decent performances in the group stage of the Champions league. A very good utility player. I wish him luck at Brazil and I would seriously miss those chants of ‘Buuuullettiiiiiii’ from the fans to urge him to send his 30 yards screamer across the goal.

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Ivanovic

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Its so sad that he didn’t get any accolade for his outstanding display throughout the season. By far the most consistent Chelsea performer this season. Bosingwa’s injury, had brought this maestro to the front, and at a rather unknown position for him. He outshone every RB in the PL to claim his place in PFA team. A true legend in the making. The able successor of JT.

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Terry

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Controversies & media took the sheen of our leader for some time. But if at some point the team looked lost for direction, it was this man’s calm and assured leadership that brought that lost intent back. Be it the call for huddles, or a pep talk he was always there. Leader Legend.

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Carvalho & Alex

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Carvalho for the first half of the season, looked like bringing back the old dream Terry-Carv combination that had become nightmare for strikers. But an injury to him meant that Alex had to step in and perform. And boy did he shine. He was that sturdy wall which we had always relied on, when Terry was out of form. Iva-Alex, the future of Chelsea defense is in safe hands.

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Ashley Cole

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He along with Iva formed one of the most envied fullback combo in the world. Had he not got himself injured, would have easily ended up displacing Evra in that PFA team. Chelsea goal of the season award (against Sunderland) to a defender tells you a lot about his attacking talent. Kudos to the world’s best Leftback.

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Yuri Zhirkov

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Too prodigious a talent to heat the Chelsea bench. Incisive runs into the final third, searching crosses any striker would love to be at the end of, resilient defense and all other attribute that a bench player lacks. How many times have you seen a player with his head so profusely bleeding coming up with a MOTM performance. He redefines commitment.

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Deco

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Another Chelsea player who might leave us next year. Some of his passes are still vivid in memory. A player who thrives & blossoms in space. He looks such an artist with the ball. He deserved this glorious end and a gift to such an illustrious career.

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Ballack & Mikel

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Ballack might not be with us next season, but Ze-german’s memories would still be. Calm & composed. Weliterally lost no match when he played. Its still a mystery as to what he brings to the team. An attacking MF for his country, and a brilliant one at that, effortlessly transforms into a holding midfielder for Chelsea. His chase of Ovrebo, might be embarrassing for Uefa. But he reflected every blue fan that day. Only one complaint; wished he knocked down that retard following his run. Mikel has to still score for Chelsea, but with the most absurd shooting legs in the planet it really seems difficult to see him in the score sheet in the near future. May be he should try to aim the corner flag next time. Apart from that he has shown excellent game breaking ability this season and has age on his side.

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Essien

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Had it not for his injury, Chelsea might have walked off with the title with 5 games to play. One of the best Box to Box MFs in the world with a stupendous run with the ball and cannon ball shoots.

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Lampard

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PFA can f*** off, the pundits can f*** off, Chelsea-haters can f*** off. Don’t be bothered about them Lamps, they aren’t worth it. The most underrated footballer ever in history. These idiots will know when he is ‘Gone’. He epitomizes Chelsea.

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Malouda

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Before the season started, he was the one who was top in our ‘To be axed’ list. He had a silent first half of the season, but had other plans for the next half. And once on song, he looked like our replacement for Robben but with an added attribute – physicality. Marauding runs & pinpoint crosses got him the votes from players to win the Chelsea Players’ Player of the season award.

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Joe & Kalou

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Both players capable of occasional brilliance. Joe’s restricted celebrations indicated he might be his way out. It would be so terrible to see him in any other colour than the Chelsea blue. But I would still pray for him to gatecrash into Capello’s team. Kalou deservedly earned his starts with performance which was promised when he arrived. If only he could back it up with some consistency.

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Anelka

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Some here incapable of even lacing his boots might comment ‘ He is useless and has his moments like the fluke assists and the fluke odd goal. He is as lazy as they come and a sight for sore eyes’. But true blues know why he is such a genius & selfless player who can drop down from his regular position to help his mates get to better scoring positions. For a record, he was involved in all four 7+ goal matches while Drogba managed to play in only 2 of those. The best ever January transfer in Epl.

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Drogba

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It just defies logic that this was the first time he won the Chelsea Player of the season award. He is right up there with Zola, JT, Lamps as Chelsea legends. Unplayable at times, and his defending qualities mean that he is one of the most complete players in modern football. Golden boot for a player who started his career as a defender.

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Carlo Ancellotti

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Finally the media got one thing right. He achieved one thing that no Chelsea manager has ever managed not even the flamboyant, tactical genius, TSO; He made look Chelsea beautiful. He gave an identity to Chelsea that Roman craved for.

In his first season, he won the title, breaking the odd records in his way. The one thing adorable about him, was that he was never rigid with formations. He altered them to suit the personnel. He played the team as the players wished it to be, not the players to suit his beloved diamond. And all this, without a hint of arrogance or cunning mind games (Jose & SAF being pioneers). He inherited the squad from Guus, and didn’t need any recruitments to achieve all this. Imagine what he could do with his own team. Simply a ‘Fantastic’ Manager.