Is this the best Chelsea team ever?

[Chelsea? 892]

I know the season isn't over yet and there's still much to play for. But at this point would you say this is the strongest team we've ever had?

[Leif 6,006]

Oh absolutely. Costa > Drogba, Alonso > Cole, Matic > Ballack, Kante > Essien, Cahill > Terry, Courtois > Cech, It's obvious.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

9 hours ago, Chelsea? said:

I know the season isn't over yet and there's still much to play for. But at this point would you say this is the strongest team we've ever had?

Hahaha, I want half of this team binned or relegated to the bench before the start of next season, that's how much I rate this squad. Our league position says everything about our coach and nothing about the squad. We have minimal depth and yet it's not an issue, credit to Conte that we have excellent injury record. 

[Polo7 3,496]

7 minutes ago, Blue Colored Sky said:

Hahaha, I want half of this team binned or relegated to the bench before the start of next season, that's how much I rate this squad. Our league position says everything about our coach and nothing about the squad. We have minimal depth and yet it's not an issue, credit to Conte that we have excellent injury record. 

So Conte could walk the league with Sunderland then? You're talking shit. Surely its credit to our medical team that we have no injuries? We rarely had injuries before Conte.

[manpe 10,861]

On 07/03/2017 at 0:15 PM, Blue Colored Sky said:

Hahaha, I want half of this team binned or relegated to the bench before the start of next season, that's how much I rate this squad. Our league position says everything about our coach and nothing about the squad. We have minimal depth and yet it's not an issue, credit to Conte that we have excellent injury record. 

You know we had great injury record before Conte too? It's credit to our fitness and medical team. And no, this is not the best Chelsea team ever. Our 09/10 team would wreck them.

[Tautvix 1,321]

Jose's 1st Chelsea was far better than Ancelotti's or this team. Everyone who watched that Chelsea, will agree with me.

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

On 3/7/2017 at 0:23 AM, Chelsea? said:

I know the season isn't over yet and there's still much to play for. But at this point would you say this is the strongest team we've ever had?

In a nutshell no. The team of 98-99 was a great team Zola, Poyet, Di Matteo, Petrescu, Desailly, Wise etc. We should have won the league but with some unfortunate injuries Casiraghi who wasn't great but I think would have improved, Brian Laudrup leaving and he looked good the few times he played. Graham Rix going inside deservedly so dirty bastard. We drew to many games and anyone who was at that Leicester game well that was just horrible. 

Conte deserves all the plaudits he gets he's a top bloke on and off the field and the way he's turned us around is nothing short of miraculous

[Beigl 1,387]

This team is much better than our 2012-2014 teams and more balanced and experienced than the league title winning squad from 2015. But no way our current team can beat our 2004-2010 crop.

[Tomo 21,733]

Not yet but it certainly has the potential to be. 

I consider the respective spines to be very, very close. Cech, Terry, Maka, Lamps and Drogba compared to Courtois, Azpi, Kante, Eden and Costa is really really close in terms of the level there at what seperates this team and that one is the support players around the spine.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Nowhere close. 

Only bonafide world class players we have are Courtois and Eden. Costa, Azpi and Kante are just the level below but we need more players like Eden or Courtois who are or have the potential to be at least top 5 in their position. If we look at Mourinho's CFC, we had bonafide world class players all over the pitch. Cech, Cole, Terry, Carvalho, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Drogba, Ballack when he joined. 9 top top players. 

We need at least 3/4 bonafide stars before we can compare it to the best CFC team.

[DYC. 7,542]

23 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

Nowhere close. 

Only bonafide world class players we have are Courtois and Eden. Costa, Azpi and Kante are just the level below but we need more players like Eden or Courtois who are or have the potential to be at least top 5 in their position. If we look at Mourinho's CFC, we had bonafide world class players all over the pitch. Cech, Cole, Terry, Carvalho, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Drogba, Ballack when he joined. 9 top top players. 

We need at least 3/4 bonafide stars before we can compare it to the best CFC team.

I'm sure this is an unpopular opinion but Ballack was not world-class in a Chelsea jersey. He was fantastic in 09/10 but never world-class before. I find his time at Chelsea to be greatly overrated by most fans. Big personality though.

It also has to be said that Drogba and Essien developed into genuine world-class players during the course of 06/07, Mourinho's final full season. But then again, Drogba's form dipped greatly from 07/08 until Hiddink took over. And Essien got injured and missed a lot of football. And Cole of course only joined in 06/07 and was pretty underwhelming that season (he wasn't bad but he wasn't the great Ashley Cole).

It's hard to compare teams from different eras. Old Chelsea didn't have to face the current super teams. But I would agree with saying 04-07 trumps 14-17.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

12 hours ago, Tomo said:

Not yet but it certainly has the potential to be. 

I consider the respective spines to be very, very close. Cech, Terry, Maka, Lamps and Drogba compared to Courtois, Azpi, Kante, Eden and Costa is really really close in terms of the level there at what seperates this team and that one is the support players around the spine.

If we need half of new first XI it's hard to say that we're close to having the best squad ever. Yeah, Chelsea never had squad that you wouldn't want to replace a player or two, however I still see more really well drilled machine than genuine top class players all over the pitch. I dread to think if we treat the summer to buy a player or two for depth. We can slip to 6th easily. 

 

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Its very good squad, balanced well and managed by great coach. But it has plenty of room for improvement. The core is there we just need to add few players.

The league performances are absolutely brilliant on paper tho. Most consecutive victories, hopefuly most consecutive home victories...not bad at all.

Be it Conte or squad, this team can grind out the results.

But before saying anything about being best or one of best, we will need some consistency (PL next season) and more importantly how we do in CL.

As of now, I can think with player or two, we could reach realy far, but a total flop is not impossible either.

[Tomo 21,733]

On 3/11/2017 at 4:11 PM, Blue Colored Sky said:

If we need half of new first XI it's hard to say that we're close to having the best squad ever. Yeah, Chelsea never had squad that you wouldn't want to replace a player or two, however I still see more really well drilled machine than genuine top class players all over the pitch. I dread to think if we treat the summer to buy a player or two for depth. We can slip to 6th easily. 

 

Maybe, but the bottom line is it's doable with some good windows in the next couple of years, compared to say 2011 when we looked a million miles away from having a title challenging squad again, never mind one to challenge the previous great one.

[gadget 126]

Cech 

Azpilicueta Carvalho  JT Cole

Kante

Essien     Lampard

Robben                      Hazard

Drogba

 

Overal answer is a no for me. I would only pick 3 of the current squad to fit into early/mid 000's team. Many tough decisions (Courtoi/Cech, Kante/Maka) appreciate many opinions differ. Image that team above though!!

[manpe 10,861]

Cech 

Azpilicueta Carvalho  JT Cole

Kante

Essien     Lampard

Robben                      Hazard

Drogba

 

Overal answer is a no for me. I would only pick 3 of the current squad to fit into early/mid 000's team. Many tough decisions (Courtoi/Cech, Kante/Maka) appreciate many opinions differ. Image that team above though!!

That team, with everybody at their peaks, would be unbeatable. My God we fostered some incredible players. I would only replace Kante with Maka, too soon for him, he's still a Chelsea rookie and i would rather take Maka to CL final with me.

[kwylino 329]

I would say the 04-08 team was a bit more... powerful? Specially the first mourinho and maybe the hiddink - ancelotti teams?

[gadget 126]

48 minutes ago, manpe said:

That team, with everybody at their peaks, would be unbeatable. My God we fostered some incredible players. I would only replace Kante with Maka, too soon for him, he's still a Chelsea rookie and i would rather take Maka to CL final with me.

Not disagreeing with you at all. The Gk's and kante/maka you could pick either without damaging the team. Kante is a rookie, but if he continues his form for the next 18/24 months he'll cement his place for me