5 most underrated Chelsea players in the past decade

The Best in the World

Chelsea’s Class of 2011/12Football has changed a lot in the past decade. The sport became more glamorous and more rewarding than say it was in early part of the millennium. A lot of this has been due a certain Russian oil baron whose love for a club and the game changed the very dynamics of the game itself to the core.Yes! Those footy keedas must’ve got where I’m leading them. For those who are new to the game and are still unaware, it’s Chelsea Football Club and its Russian fan-cum-owner Roman Abramovich. The year was 2004 and that’s when the dynamics of European football changed forever. Roman’s billions of pounds along with passion made Chelsea world beaters from perennial slumbers yoyo-ing between mid-table and relegation zone.Along with the owner, the club had one of the top managers who graced them in this era, from Jose Mourinho to Carlo Ancelotti. Also they had some big names in Europe who have played for them. John Terry, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech and Didier Drogba are just a few of them.Now it’s time to acknowledge those unsung heroes who were ever-present but politely slid under the radar. Let’s see who are those Fabulous Five.

#1 Ashley Cole

The Best in the World

He was one of those players who were considered the ‘Untouchables’ in the Jose Mourinho’s side. Before you guys get me wrong, untouchables are those players in football jargon who are dead certain to start each and every game if available. Ashley Cole was one of them. He was always the one whogot the limelight for the wrong reasons. Be it his controversial transfer from Arsenal or his infidelity escapades.

It is almost baffling that from 2010/11 season he was slowly being edged out by the subsequent managers. He was without a shadow of doubt ‘the best left-back’ in the world in his prime and a legend for his services at Stamford Bridge. But somehow people kindly ignore him for some reason or the other. He always has been one of those guys at the Bridge who could not get into the top tier of superstars like his compatriots John Terry and Frank Lampard are revered by the Blues hierarchy and faithful alike. Although Lampard too was shown the door later on, but one has to be a bit naive to compare the way in which both of them left the club.

Despite him being omnipresent in Chelsea he was somehow not their poster boys.

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If you choose to disbelieve me. See it for yourself.

SeasonClubDivisionLeagueCupLeague CupCommunity ShieldChampions LeagueOtherA yellow card
Total
A red card
Discipline
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2006–07ChelseaPremier League23050300090400140
2007–0827110201010041161
2008–0934170008049190
2009–102742010104035440
2010–113802000107048040
2011–123204000120480121
2012–13311503010506051170
2013–141702010501026030

#2 Carlo Cudicini

Carlo Cudicini is that guy who majority of noveau Blues will have just heard about him, just a bit from here and a bit from there. In true sense he was their silent hero. He was never ever in the league of superstars or for that matter he was not even considered a star at Chelsea post the signing of Petr Cech. But no one can forget his contribution to Chelsea, where he spent his best years as a professional player for almost a decade.

Cudicini broke through in the Chelsea side in 1999-2000 season but he rose to fame and carved a niche for himself in 2001 season where he was voted Chelsea’s Player of the year and a couple of seasons later was voted Premier League keeper of the year by fans at ITV. Despite him being an accomplished player he was always those guys who were miles away from the gaze of spotlight.

In many sense he was an antithesis of Petr Cech who eventually replaced him in 2004-05 season. He was very much marginalized in the Jose Mourinho era but always was the vital cog in the team which was undergoing a transformation of epic proportions.

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#3 Raul Meireles

A midfielder who can’t stop scoring, this chant was frequently sung for two players at the Stamford Bridge. One was their titan Frank Lampard while other one was a relative visitor but a player still loved by the blue half south-west London. He is Portugal’s sensation Raul Meireles.

He made the step up in his career from Porto to Liverpool where he shone like a Kohinoor for the Meraseyside club in second half of 2010/11 season which earned him a £12 m move to London club. He was impressive in his short stint at Chelsea and was one of the principal sufferers of the Mary-go-round which was going on in that period at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese midfielder formed a very good partnership with Jon Obi Mikel but somehow was never valued for his contributions by any of his managers. He was pivotal in Blues’ maiden Champions League success although he missed the final due to suspension. He was always their go-to man in cup competitions.

Meireles at Chelsea

SeasonPremFA CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2011-12282620011200456
2012-13300000000030
Total312620011200486

#4 Salomon Kalou

Salomon Kalou always stayed in the shadows of his compatriot Didier Drogba for almost his entire time at the Bridge. The Ivorian forward was most of the times overlooked despite him being one of their key players in the Abramovich era.

A player blessed with raw physicality and an inextinguishable source of energy, he was always the beast which could torment the best of the defences in the world, as he did so with aplomb during his six year spell at Chelsea. He was never rewarded for his contributions at Chelsea in spite of him rescuing them from the dumps on numerous occasions.

Despite 107 of his 254 appearances coming as a substitute, he scored 60 goals for Chelsea; he was relieved of his duties when his contract expired in 2012. He was their super-sub and always stayed that way when it came to his profile at Chelsea.

SeasonPremFA CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
2006-07337716111010589
2007-083073142111004811
2008-09276622181004310
2009-10235413363103712
2010-113110321060114213
2011-1212151217200265
Total156362881884973125460
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#5 Eidur Gudjohnson

Chelsea’s smooth transition to European elite is widely credited to its success in initial years of Abramovich era under Jose Mourinho. Everyone remembers the Drogbas and the Lampards but they somehow forget Eidur Gudjohnsen. The Icelandic was as crucial as the the famed duo was for Chelsea. In fact, he was more important than them when he was at Chelsea.

In his initial years at the Bridge he was always under the shadow of Gianfranco Zola and Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank. Although his stay at Chelsea was marred by injuries in his initial years but still he was one of their key players.

His role as a withdrawn forward under the Special One’s title winning team was one of the highlights of his career. He helped Chelsea win back-to-back league titles and thus made his step up to FC Barcelona. He is still revered by the Pensioners but somewhere he didn’t get what he deserved while he was at the Stamford Bridge.

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Edited by Staff Editor