What is Chelsea’s best starting XI for the 09/10 season?

Ollie Irish

25th, August 2009

30 Comments

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This is where you get to pick Chelsea’s best starting line-up for this season. First up, I’ll reveal my selection (based on their squad at time of writing).
My default XI (in Carlo Ancelotti’s 4-4-2 diamond formation):

Petr Cech
José Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry, Ashley Cole
Michael Essien
Michael Ballack, Florent Malouda
Frank Lampard
Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba

John Terry’s immense popularity means that there are plenty of people out there who would go for a Carvalho/Alex pairing. But Terry never lets Chelsea down, he leads from the front and he must start.

The diamond is yet to look polished (boom boom) but I think it suits Chelsea’s midfielders. John Mikel Obi is going to be a hell of a player, but I’d still pick Michael Essien to play at the base, with Herr Ballack and the greatly improved Malouda on the right and left points, respectively; as the season progresses, expect Yuri Zhirkov to challenge Malouda for the wide-left role. The essential Frank Lampard completes the diamond at its apex, with the revitalised Deco and Joe Cole (remember him?) also useful options for that position.

Up front, Drogba and Anelka pick themselves – contrary to popular opinion, they can play well together.

It’s a very imposing team, and with the benefit of quality cover in many positions. You have to say they’ll go very close to winning the title this season.

That’s my take. Let’s hear your XIs…

MORE
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What is Liverpool’s best starting XI for the 09/10 season?
What is Real Madrid’s best starting XI for the 09/10 season?

Posted in Chelsea, Opinion

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30 Comments

  1. Nick says:

    Completely agree, but when Joe Cole returns, i’d move Lampard back into the left of the diamond, and put J. Cole at the front of the diamond, behind Drogba and Anelka :)

  2. terrry says:

    Petr Cech
    José Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry, Ashley Cole
    Michael Essien
    Michael Ballac Yuri Zhirkov Deco Nicolas Anelka, Didier Drogba

  3. aisi says:

    please make sunderland best starting XI..

  4. Ben says:

    Petr Cech
    José Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry, Ashley Cole
    Michael Essien
    Michael Ballack, Deco
    Frank Lampard
    Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka

  5. Anonymous says:

    Without wanting to sound rude, the guy who has picked a Chelsea XI that doesn’t feature Frank Lampard, Chelsea’s best player for the last 6 years, is insane.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa, Riccy, Terry, Cole
    Essien
    Ballack, Lampard
    Deco
    Anelka, Drogba

  7. Anonymous says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa, Riccy, Terry, Cole
    Essien
    Ballack, Lampard
    Deco
    Anelka, Drogba

  8. Anonymous says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A.Cole
    Mikel
    Essien, Zhirkov
    Lampard
    Anelka, Drogba

  9. Anonymous says:

    cech
    bosingwa terry carvalho a cole
    mikel
    essien zhirkov
    lampard
    anelka drogba
    booyah, unstoppable

  10. shola says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa, ivanovic, carvalho, A.Cole
    Ballack
    Essien Lampard
    malouda drogba J.Cole

  11. Blue man says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A.Cole
    Mikel
    Essien, Malouda
    Lampard
    Anelka, Drogba

  12. Anonymous says:

    cech
    bosingwa alex terry a.cole
    mikel
    ballack essien
    lampard
    drogba anelka

  13. Anonymous says:

    TERRY?
    No place in your lineup for Frank?
    A joke!
    HaHaHaHaHaHaHa

  14. Anonymous says:

    TERRY?
    No place in your lineup for Frank?
    A joke!
    HaHaHaHaHaHaHa

  15. Anonymous says:

    Zhirkov is a great player

  16. Moussa KZ. says:

    Peter Cech
    Jose Bosingwa (Paulo Ferreira), Ricardo Carvallho (Alex), John Terry, Ashley Cole
    Michael Essien (Mikel Obi), Michael Ballack, Flourent Malouda(Zhirkov), Lampard (Joe Cole & Deco)
    Nicolas Anelka (Sheva), Didier Drogba (Kalou)
    in brackets are the substitutes

  17. Anonymous says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa Carvalho Terry A. Cole
    Essien
    J. Cole Malouda
    Lampard
    Drogba Anelka
    Subs – Ivanovic, Alex, Mikel, Ballack, Deco, Kalou, Sturridge
    (Not seen Zhirkov play so either him or sturridge)

  18. Anonymous says:

    You haven’t seen Zhirkov play? he scored on his debut

  19. Anonymous says:

    You haven’t seen Zhirkov play? what about euro 2008, he was great

  20. Collie says:

    I cant get over the fact that somebody left lampard out of the team, he must be a fulham fan!!!

  21. Anonymous says:

    Cech
    Ivanovic, Terry, R. Carvalho, A.Cole
    Essien
    Ballack,Zhirkov
    Lampard
    Kalou
    Drogba

  22. machine goooner funk says:

    cech
    bosingwa alex terry cuntley
    essien
    mikel zhirkov
    fatty j.cole
    drogba

  23. soccer goals says:

    Essien has to be part of the starting Xl.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Mikel in, ballsack out

  25. […] XI for the 09/10 season? What is Real Madrid’s best starting XI for the 09/10 season? What is Chelsea’s best starting XI for the 09/10 season? This entry was by posted Ollie on August 27th, 2009 in Feature, Man City. You can follow any […]

  26. Anonymous says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa Alex Carvalho A.Cole
    Essien
    J.Cole Malouda
    Lampard
    ANelka Drogba

  27. Anonymous says:

    Essien and Lampard must be in the XI.

    I would choose:
    Cech
    Bosingwa, Terry, Carvalho, Cole
    Essien
    Ballack, Deco
    Lampard
    Drogba, Anelka

  28. Joel says:

    Cech
    Bosingwa Carvalho Terry A.Cole
    Essien
    Ballack Lampard
    Deco
    Drogba Anelka

    Subs:
    Turnbull
    Ivanovic
    Zhirkov
    Mikel
    J.Cole
    Malouda
    Sturridge

    Unstoppable, so much quality and experience in that starting XI, when Deco is on form the little guy adds so much creativity and he has the ability to score goals, Lampard and Ballack add the threat of arriving late in the penalty area and scoring, plus both can score from 20-25 yards, and you know what you get from Essien, energy, pace, great tackling and when needed a great shot, cech, the back four and the front two need no explanation

  29. Lye says:

    Tight Games;

    Cech
    Ivanovic Alex Terry A.Cole
    Mikel
    Essien Lampard
    Ballack
    Drogba Anelka

    Or for games where were quite clearly favorites;

    Cech
    Bosingwa Carvalho Terry A.Cole
    Essien
    Lampard Malouda
    J.Cole
    Drogba Anelka

  30. Michael McGrath says:

    2010 season

    Cech

    Bosingwa , Alex , Terry , A. Cole

    Essien , Lampard , Malouda

    Anelka , Drogba , Kalou

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