Chelsea Roster:
1 Cech · 2 Ivanovic · 3 Cole · 4 David luiz · 5 Essien · 6 Romeu · 7 Ramires · 8 Lampard · 9 Torres · 10 Mata · 11 Drogba · 12 Mikel · 15 Malouda · 16 Meireles · 17 Bosingwa · 18 Lukaku · 19 Ferreira · 21 Kalou · 22 Turnbull · 23 Sturridge · 24 Cahill · 26 Terry · 37 Hutchinson · 34 Bertrand · 35 Piazon · 40 Hilário ·
Overview:
Since billionaire Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich swung into town in 2003 Chelsea have enjoyed the sort of success supporters must have thought they would never witness.
But the team has still not realized Abramovich's ambition of lifting the Champions League for the first time in the club's history.
Despite the three Premier League titles Chelsea have won under his ownership, the closest the Blues have come to Champions League glory was in 2008 when they were a penalty kick away from beating Manchester United in the final. John Terry clipped the post with his effort, and United went on to win the shoot-out.
In the summer of 2011 Chelsea sacked Carlo Ancelotti, who had won the double with the club a year earlier, and hired 33-year-old Porto coach Andre Villas-Boas.
But the job proved too mch for such a young manager and in March 2012 he was sacked and replaced by assistant manager Roberto di Matteo until the end of the season.
Quick Facts:
- Founded: 1905
- Home Ground (Capacity): Stamford Bridge (41,841)
- Nickname: The Blues
- Home Colors: Blue and White
- Top Goalscorer All-Time: Bobby Tambling (202 from 1959–70)
- First Division/Premier League Titles: (4): 1954–55, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009-10
- FA Cup Titles: (6): 1970, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010
- League Cup Titles: (4): 1964–65, 1997–98, 2004–05, 2006–07
- European Cup Winners' Cup: (2) 1970–71, 1997–98
- UEFA Super Cup: (1) 1998
The Team:
- Current Manager: Roberto di Matteo
- Top Goalscorer 2010-2011: Nicolas Anelka (16 in all competitions)
- Captain: John Terry
- 2010-2011 League Finish: 2nd
A Little History:
Despite being formed in 1905, Chelsea had to wait 50 years for their first major trophy, in the form of a 1955 league title.
A side featuring the talents of Ron 'Chopper' Harris, Ian Hutchinson and Peter Osgood defeated Leeds United to win the 1970 FA Cup, the first in the club's history.
The 1990s saw the arrival of Ruud Gullit who won the 1997 FA Cup as manager, and Gianluca Vialli repeated the trick two years later. Both came to the club as players before making their first strides into management at Stamford Bridge. The club's supporters had been starved of success for many years, but those lucky enough to have season tickets in the 1990s were privileged to be seeing the likes of Gianfranco Zola, Marcel Desailly and George Weah turning out at the Bridge on a weekly basis.
However, it was another 50 years until they would repeat their league title success, this time under the charismatic Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006, also winning the FA Cup, and League Cup twice.
