Chelsea FC player evaluations 2015/16: 4 ex-Blues
By George Perry
Former Chelsea FC players – including a few legends – are scattered around the globe continuing their careers. We checked in on four ex-Blues who still face off against their former club in the Premier League.
Chelsea and Everton had a lot in common this year. Woeful underperformance, porous defense, managerial sackings. A key difference is that Everton had an offensive threat, while Chelsea’s supposed goal-scorers hibernated for most of the season. Romelu Lukaku may soon rejoin the Blues, for only twice the transfer fee the club sold him for after several seasons of loans.
Petr Cech is in good company with many of his former squad-mates: a closet full of trophies and an unceremonious transfer. Cech was washed up and over the hill when the club brought Thibaut Courtois back from loan at Atletico Madrid.
After sitting on the sideline for much of 2014/15, Cech was put out to pasture in North London. Or so the story went. Instead, Cech picked up where he left off, backstopping Arsenal to a second-place finish as part of the Premier League’s top goal-keeping tandem.
Among the many people unhappy about Jose Mourinho’s move to Manchester United is Juan Mata. Mata was a regular in Chelsea’s midfield, but never adapted to the demands of Mourinho’s system. Despite his role in Chelsea’s Champions League title and his popularity among the fans (check out his Twitter), the club sent him to Manchester. Mata will likely be using his off-season to pack up his flat.
Claudio Ranieri stocked Chelsea with a team destined to become trophy-winners many times over. Then the club sacked him, and Jose Mourinho immediately became a trophy-winner many times over. Ranieri then did what journeymen do, managing six clubs and one national team in the subsequent decade. He then did what journeymen are not supposed to do. But you already knew that.
Next: Romelu Lukaku
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