The Chelsea fans here in the Transfer Tavern have been a disgruntled bunch for the majority of the 2015/16 campaign, and the supporters are already looking forward to next season, under the management of Antonio Conte.
Talk among the group of supporters has turned towards just how bad the current crop of players are, and discussions as to where they would rank in a list of worst ever have already begun.
Whilst the Chelsea team has underperformed this season, it is difficult to imagine that any of them would get in a team made up of the worst players to ever grace Stamford Bridge.
This got our writer Lee Clarke thinking about even worse players who have played for Chelsea Football Club, and he attempted to put a smile on the faces of the Blues faithful, with this worst ever Chelsea XI……..
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE WORST EVER CHELSEA XI!
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Mark Bosnich
The Australian goalkeeper did next to nothing for Manchester United so when Chelsea opted to take him off their hands, it came as a major surprise.
The controversial Aussie played just five times for the Blues during a miserable two seasons at the club, which ended with him failing a drugs test and subsequently getting the sack.
With his reputation in tatters the custodian moved back to his homeland and managed to get another 12 games under his belt with Central Coast Mariners and Sydney Olympic, before hanging the gloves up once and for all.
Winston Bogarde
The Dutch defender arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2000 with a glowing reputation have played 41 times for the mighty Barcelona.
It was soon apparent why the Catalan giants wanted to move the right-back on however and in four years with the Blues he managed just nine games for the club.
The worst part of the ordeal was that Chelsea tied the flop to a £40,000 per-week contract, which meant he was never remotely interested in leaving the club, even when they tried to offload him.
He eventually retired in 2004 following the four-year spell at Chelsea, where he undoubtedly earned the easiest money of his career.
Tal Ben Haim
The Israeli central defender was superb in three seasons for Bolton Wanderers, playing 88 times under the stewardship of Sam Allardyce.
Being a good Bolton player doesn’t necessarily make you a good Chelsea player however and the 13 games he played for the Blues during the 2007/08 season were riddled with errors.
He was eventually offloaded almost as quickly as he was signed to Manchester City and they were equally unimpressed and his career began to take a nosedive.
Sam Allardyce speaks highly of him in his recent autobiography but let’s just say that those of a Bolton persuasion will respect him way more than the Chelsea fans do.
Khalid Boulahrouz
The Dutch central defender arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2006 and big things were expected from him, following a successful time at Hamburg.
In two seasons however the powerful defender made just 13 appearances for the club, suffering with injury after injury and struggling to find any real form.
He was sold to Stuttgart in 2008 and his career began to recover somewhat, indeed, the defender boasts 35 caps for the Dutch national team.
Chelsea fans will always see the big man as a flop for his time at Stamford Bridge and it isn’t difficult to understand why.
Yuri Zhirkov
I often wonder whether the Russian was signed by Chelsea owner Roman Abromovich without the consent of the manager, such were his bang average displays.
Following 139 games for CSKA Moscow in his homeland, Zhirkov made the move to London but in two years he managed just 29 games and played second fiddle to Ashley Cole more often than not.
It is no coincidence that Zhirkov has since only ever played in the Russian league, which suggest that is where his standards are better suited.
Quite remarkably Zhirkov has played 68 times for the Russian national team, which probably says more about the team rather than his ability.
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Chelsea signed the right winger from Manchester City for a whopping £21 million, which back in 2005 was still quite a hefty sum.
Even during his spell at the Citizens, Wright-Phillips struggled with an end product and his ability to whip a ball into the box was clearly lacking.
This weakness never improved during his time at Stamford Bridge and although he played 81 games in three years, he was used a substitute more often than not.
Just three years after signing him, Chelsea took a big hit on Wright-Phillips and sold him back to City for £8.5 million.
Scott Parker
Whilst I don’t for one minute class Scott Parker as a bad footballer, his time at Chelsea was undoubtedly frustrating for the central midfielder.
During his time at Charlton Athletic Parker was one of the most sought-after players in the Premier League but there is a case for Chelsea ruining his potential.
In his final season as a Chelsea player he started just four games and on occasions found himself not even included among the substitutes on match days.
Following a failed spell at the Blues he moved onto Newcastle where he began to show people what a good player he actually was all over again.
Jiri Jarosik
I really don’t want this team to seem like I am poking fun at the Chelsea team of 2005/06, but they really did have some shockers back then.
Czech Republic international Jarosik was a central midfielder who influenced games rarely and possessed nothing other than an ability to go missing on a football pitch.
It is no surprise whatsoever that he only managed 14 games, mainly sub appearances, in a Chelsea shirt and was soon packed off to Celtic.
Florent Malouda
This one may seem a little bit harsh because Malouda did net 35 goals in 149 games for Chelsea, which for a left winger is certainly not to be sniffed at.
The Frenchman’s inability to play as an old fashioned left winger was seen as a major weakness during his time at the Bridge however.
He had his most successful days in a Chelsea shirt when operating in a more advanced role, which also explains the reason why he chipped in with his fair share of goals.
Malouda’s crossing was somewhat weak and at times he struggled with the physicality of the English Premier League.
Fernando Torres
The striker signed for Chelsea from Premier League rivals Liverpool in 2011 for a staggering £50 million.
That said the 65 goals in 102 games that he scored for the Reds, were probably worth justifying such a hefty transfer fee from Chelsea.
The Spaniard struggled for goals from the word go at Stamford Bridge however and in four years with the club he managed just 20 in 110 games for the club.
The 32-year-old is now at Atletico Madrid and although he is a likable character, he is probably the worst spent £50 million in the history of Chelsea Football Club.
Mateja Kezman
The Yugoslavian striker was signed by Chelsea on the back of a staggering 105 goals in 122 appearances in the Dutch league with PSV Eindhoven.
Although goals were frequent in Holland they weren’t quite so forthcoming in the Premier League and in a single season with the Blues he managed just seven goals.
His career struggled to recover following his Chelsea ordeal and after spells at Fenerbahce, Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, the curtain was drawn on his playing days with South China.
Kezman was clearly talented but just wasn’t made of stern enough stuff for the Premier League.
