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Chelsea midfielders have had several attributes and roles over the last 19 years. Defensive midfielders progress the ball and protect the defense, often breaking up opposition play. Attacking midfielders create for their team and are great passers of the ball. Chelsea have had too many to count.
Michael Ballack, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Jorginho, Mateo Kovačić, the list goes on. It is a tough task to narrow it down to the top five who have featured for the club during the Abramovich era. These players have defined their roles, and some personify what it means to be a Chelsea player.
#5 Chelsea's original defensive mid - Claude Makélélé
Claude Makélélé was such a good player that they named a role after him, 'The Makélélé'. The player had a journeyman career playing for Nantes, Marseille, Celta Vigo, and Real Madrid before signing for Chelsea in 2003. Under Claudio Ranieri, Makélélé was a key figure for Chelsea, but when Jose Mourinho arrived, the world took notice.
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Under Mourinho's guidance, Makélélé became the lynchpin through whom Chelsea launched their attacks. He allowed players like Frank Lampard, Damien Duff, and Arjen Robben to flourish in the attack.
He was a destroyer in the midfield and an adept playmaker who was very good at retaining possession and distributing the ball.
Makélélé won the league title and league cup in 2004-05. In the 2005-06 season, teams began to single out Makélélé. Mourinho had to provide more depth in midfield to allow the Frenchman to flourish.
He had a brilliant season in 2007-08 before leaving the club. Makélélé made 144 appearances for the club, and getting a role named after you is as good as it gets for any player.
#4 He wears a magic hat - Cesc Fabregas
Cesc Fabregas was already a top player when he signed for Chelsea in 2014. Fabregas was a product of La Masia, Barcelona's youth academy, but was sold to Arsenal as a teenager.
Arséne Wenger nurtured him and built him into the playmaker he became. Fabregas then returned to Barcelona and dominated under Pep Guardiola. Mourinho saw his chance in 2014 and took it.
It was a shock for everyone when Fabregas signed for the club, given his past with Arsenal. He had an instant connection with Diego Costa and provided 19 assists for the club in his debut season. Two Premier Leagues, an FA Cup, a League Cup, and a Europa League - Fabregas won it all in his career.
Fabregas made passing look easy, and Chelsea haven't replaced him since he left the club. The ease with which he used to find the forwards, whether it was a through ball or a lofted pass over the top, was stunning. It takes a special player to be loved by Chelsea fans when it was Arsenal who built him.
#3 'The Bison' - Michael Essien
Michael Essien signed for Chelsea from Olympique Lyonnais for a club-record fee of £24.4 million in 2005. Essien was the quintessential box-to-box midfielder.
When he signed for the club, he would often play alongside Frank Lampard and ahead of Makélélé. Essien would drive the ball forward with his power and technical ability. The Ghanaian was consistently nominated for Player Of The Year awards, both at the club and league level.
In 2008, Essien began to suffer injuries to his ankle and knees that kept him out for large parts of the season. The injuries took a toll on his overall ability, but he still came up with important goals and moments.
Under Carlo Ancelotti, he was given more freedom to be a threat in the final third. Two Premier Leagues, four FA Cups, a League Cup, and a Champions League, he won all of these with the Blues and left a legend.
#2 N'Golo Kanté
There are no nicknames for N'Golo Kanté because he does not need any. Kanté signed for Chelsea in 2016 from champions Leicester and became a champion again with the club. Kanté has been a crucial figure in the midfield for six seasons, and his absence is always noticeable.
Kanté is an enforcer and not similar to Makélélé. At Chelsea, he thrived in a midfield two with Matic under Conté.
When Maurizio Sarri joined the club, he played him as an advanced eight in a midfield three. The Frenchman was great at breaking up play and even managed to possess a threat in attack but often fell short in the final third.
Kanté's string of Man-of-the-Match performances in 2021 as Chelsea won the Champions League personified his consistency.
At 31, injuries and his style of play have taken a toll on him. He does look slower, and his ability to win tackles has also faded. He struggles to play even half of the games during a season.
On his day, Kanté is a Ballon d'Or contender, but those days are few and far between at the moment. The Frenchman has won everything at the club bar a Carabao Cup and has been a key figure.
#1 'Super Frank' - Frank Lampard
What can anyone say about Frank Lampard that is not already known? To many, Lampard, with John Terry, personify the club.
Lampard signed for Chelsea in 2001 from West Ham United. He made 648 appearances for the club, scoring 211 goals and providing 149 assists. To achieve such numbers as a central midfielder is unheard of.
Lampard always said that he wasn't blessed with great technical ability or physical prowess but what he did was work hard. Practice and the right outlook got Lampard to the level he achieved.
A level of consistency that was unmatched and the ability to always be available. Lampard was a key figure for Chelsea right down to his final season in 2013-14.
Lampard is the only player of the Abramovich era who became manager of the club in 2019. He took over the reigns during a transfer ban and integrated several youth players like Mason Mount and Reece James into the team.
Lampard's inexperience as a manager got him the sack in 2021, but his reputation was intact. A true legend of the football club.
