Being a very busy individual with lots of important things to be done, naturally I find myself bored and needing something to take my mind off not only my catastrophic "love" life, but also the fact that I'm finding out whether or not I got into Uni tomorrow, so, like any normal person, my first port of call was to try and make a classic Chelsea XI on Pro Evolution Soccer 6.

I was going to largely center it around the 1970s FA Cup winning team, with some extra names thrown in (Dixon, Zola, Petrescu, Nevin, etc...) thrown in, but I wasn't entirely sure whether I'd be truly impartial with the stats, so I thought I'd ask for your help.

I don't expect you to be able to tell me exactly what stats I should be giving each player, obviously, but I was wondering whether anyone could give me a modern day player who would be, if not identical, then at least comparable to each of the players I have chosen, so I can make a reasonable representation of the team without making them over- or underpowered.

My provisional squad would be something along the lines of

Bonetti

Niedzwiecki (sp?)

Petrescu

Webb/Clarkey

Chopper

Droy

McCreadie

Le Saux

Hollins

Hudson

Wilkins

Wise

Cooke

Nevin

Speedie

Dixon

Osgood

Zola

Bentley

Greaves

Tambling

If you feel I've made any glaring omissions obviously feel free to slap me, but I [largely] left out recent players in favour of 60s-70s-80s era players.

Short of naming the entire late '60s, early '70s squad, the most glaring ommissions would be:

Tommy Baldwin

Peter Houseman

Ian Hutchinson

David Webb

Also, it would be nice if you could find a place for a few more players from a little later in the 70s , the likes of Tommy Langley, Steve Finnieston, Stevie Wicks and so on.

Sorry to harp on about Dave Sexton again, but with better planning, foresight etc, there would have been a gradual introduction of youth team players (and we had loads of them back then), the ups and mostly downs of the '70s need never have happened. What actually happened, was that the majority of the better, more experienced players/legends were unceremonously disposed of by that ex-Arsenal twat, players were pushed in to the first team whether they were ready or not because there was no one else, and there was no money to buy suitable replacements, the situation being massively exacerbated by the then huge debt resulting from the building of the East Stand in expectation of further success that never actually materialised .

IF Sexton hadn't been such a stubborn egomaniac or whatever the f**k his problem was, the likes of Alan Hudson, Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke and so on, would have still been there playing alongside those players that came through the ranks, who in turn would have had more time to settle naturally into the first team squad, and so it's not at all unreasonable to believe that the club would have gone on to enjoy continued success throughout the '70s and beyond, instead of coming within a whisker of going out of existence.

Dark days of the '70s? All down to Dave Sexton. He took the glory of winning the FA Cup and Cup Winners Cup with Tommy Docherty's team, but his true legacy is the dismantling of that squad and the absolute chaos that followed.

Posted this in another thread, might be helpful...

Thought it might be an idea to make a sensible Top 50 Chelsea Players list - though I've only included players that I've seen since I started watching in 1967.

01 - Peter Osgood

02 - Ron Harris

03 - Gianfranco Zola

04 - Peter Bonetti

05 - Bobby Tambling

06 - Ian Hutchinson

07 - Kerry Dixon

08 - Alan Hudson

09 - Charlie Cooke

10 - Johnny Hollins

11 - Eddie McCreadie

12 - Ray Wilkins

13 - Dan Petrescu

14 - John Terry

15 - Robbie Di Matteo

16 - Frank Lampard

17 - David Webb

18 - Marcel Desailly

19 - Petr Cech

20 - Ricardo Carvalho

21 - Eddie Niedzwiecki

22 - Dennis Wise

23 - Claude Makelele

24 - Tommy Baldwin

25 - Eidur Gudjohnsen

26 - Pat Nevin

27 - Albert Ferrer

28 - Gianluca Vialli

29 - Arjen Robben

30 - David Speedie

31 - Steve Clarke

32 - Michael Essien

33 - Kenny Swain

34 - Marvin Hinton

35 - John Dempsey

36 - Graeme Le Saux

37 - Mark Hughes

38 - Peter Houseman

39 - Steve Finnieston

40 - Micky Thomas

41 - Johnny Boyle

42 - Tony Dorigo

43 - Micky Droy

44 - Frank Leboeuf

45 - Ian Britton

46 - David Hay

47 - Carlo Cudicini

48 - Nigel Spackman

49 - Didier Drogba

50 - Paul Elliott

These didn't quite make my Top 50, but a special honourable mention must go to...

Damien Duff

Hernan Crespo

Joey Jones

Tore Andre Flo

Gary Locke

Wayne Bridge

William Gallas

Gus Poyet

John Bumstead

Steve Wicks

John Sparrow

Colin Pates

Tommy Langley

Paddy Mulligan

Chris Garland

Clive Walker

Colin Lee

John McLaughlin

Clive Wilson

Kevin Wilson

Erland Johnsen

Kevin Hitchcock

Eddie Newton

Graeme Stuart

John Spencer

Ed De Goey

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Ashley Cole

Joey Cole

Graham Roberts

Paul Canoville

Jesper Gronkjaer

Ruud Gullit

Mario Melchiot

Gordon Durie

Gavin Peacock

Totally agree with Lofty - I've never forgiven Sexton (with the support of Brian Mears) for destroying our best ever team, and never will.

You might want to add some players from Docherty's Diamonds, all of whom left just before I started going to the Bridge: - Terry Venables, George Graham, Barry Bridges, Bert Murray, Ken Shellito...any more for any more?

Edited August 20, 200916 yr by BlueBeard

Hope that 50 is not in order of greatness Steve or we'll come to blows the next time we share a pint.

Hope that 50 is not in order of greatness Steve or we'll come to blows the next time we share a pint.

What players do you disagree with? Don't tell me, you've got the hump because I didn't include Micky Nutton?

I liked Keith Weller the short time he played or us

I liked Keith Weller the short time he played or us

So did I, he was a classy player. Unfortunately three things went against him: -

1) he was only at Chelsea for one year

2) he was an ex-y*d

3) he went on to wear white tights on the pitch after leaving us to go to Leicester - highly embarrassing!

*********************************************************************

Tim W - I should have copied the entire post from the other thread. Maybe this will help explain the reasoning behind my selection: -

I took into account length of service with Chelsea, club loyalty, popularity with the fans, trophies won, personal achievement at the club, etc... On the other hand, some players had points go against them for such things as moving to the y*ds (unforgivable).

Obviously this is just my personal choice of top players from the last 42 years, and everyone else is gonna have different opinions. It'd be interesting to see what other people's lists would be, especially the older fans.

However, if you continue to insist that Robert Fleck was better than Ian Hutchinson, and that Micky Nutton should be higher placed than Ron Harris, then you'd best bring your knuckledusters next time we go for a pint in Hastings :D

Robben ahead of Steve Clarke?

And who the hell is Drogba ?

Nothing to add really. Lofty and Bluebeard have pretty much covered the players to be included.

Robben ahead of Steve Clarke?

Well, in my defence, Robben was the best winger we'd had in donkey's years, though I've still got the right hump with him over the CL-SF at Anfield. Thinking about it, I'd put Peter Houseman above Robben. But there's no way I'd put Clive Walker in there after he celebrated beating us when he was with Sunderland - glad someone gave him a slap! And although Steve Clarke was a great servant for Chelsea, he preferred to f*ck off to the scum from East London - I'm gonna find it very difficult to forgive him for that. Close call!

And who the hell is Drogba ?

As you well know, he's a long way from being my favourite player too, but which strikers that I've left out would you rate better than him? Tommy Langley?

Come on, admit it Tim, you're peeved because there's no Derek Smethurst, Graham Wilkins or John Sitton :)

And if you're that unhappy, why don't you post your Top 50 Chelsea players? Go on, you know you want to!

As you well know, he's a long way from being my favourite player too, but which strikers that I've left out would you rate better than him? Tommy Langley?

At least Tommy Langley could just about stand on his feet

Come on, admit it Tim, you're peeved because there's no Derek Smethurst, Graham Wilkins or John Sitton

I liked Graham Wilkins up until a couple of years ago when he was a guest on Chelsea TV after being a coach in Spain, what he didn't know about football wasn't worth knowing.

I would have ranked Chris Garland higher, had Flo in instead of Drogba. Eddie Mac would be in the top ten. I would have included Greaves otherwise it's spot on.

At least Tommy Langley could just about stand on his feet

Good point, well made!

I liked Graham Wilkins up until a couple of years ago when he was a guest on Chelsea TV after being a coach in Spain, what he didn't know about football wasn't worth knowing.

I would have ranked Chris Garland higher, had Flo in instead of Drogba. Eddie Mac would be in the top ten. I would have included Greaves otherwise it's spot on.

I never ever rated Graham Wilkins, he just wasn't good enough - though it couldn't have been easy living in his brother's shadow.

I left Garland out due to his poncy flouncy hair :)

Flo was probably the closest to take Drogba's place, due to his performance at sh*te Fart Lane alone.

I just had another look at my list, and I can't think who I'd leave out of the top 10 to make way for Eddie Mac - maybe I should have made Eddie & John Hollins joint tenth.

I only included players that were at Chelsea from when I started going to the Bridge in 1967. I only ever saw Jimmy Greaves play for Spuds and Wet Spam against Chelsea, that's the only reason he's not in there. If I were to include players from before my time it would have to be a top 100 :(

Thanks for your help, everyone, but I was more looking for help in understand each of these classic players. It's very well and good to say John Hollins (for example) was fantastic, but what was it, in your opinion, that made him so good, and how did he play, how did he help the team to make him so widely renowned and respected?

And also, what modern day players would they be comparable to?

Thanks for your help, everyone, but I was more looking for help in understand each of these classic players. It's very well and good to say John Hollins (for example) was fantastic, but what was it, in your opinion, that made him so good, and how did he play, how did he help the team to make him so widely renowned and respected?

Well John Hollins talked in a very high voice, bit like Alan Ball. That made him fantastic.

Thanks for your help, everyone, but I was more looking for help in understand each of these classic players. It's very well and good to say John Hollins (for example) was fantastic, but what was it, in your opinion, that made him so good, and how did he play, how did he help the team to make him so widely renowned and respected?

Give me a while, and I'll see what I can come up with

Well John Hollins talked in a very high voice, bit like Alan Ball. That made him fantastic.

But did it make him fabulous?

Give me a while, and I'll see what I can come up with

Thanks BB. ;)

But did it make him fabulous?

Thanks BB. ;)

No, what made him fabulous was he the fact he was a great up and downer who would run all day. He wasn't particularly gifted but rather like Makelele he allowed the more gifted players the chance for them to excel whilsy he did the donkey work. He also possessed a fantastic shot and scored some memorable goals especially against the gooners. He was really unlucky not to win more than his one England cap

No, what made him fabulous was he the fact he was a great up and downer who would run all day. He wasn't particularly gifted but rather like Makelele he allowed the more gifted players the chance for them to excel whilsy he did the donkey work. He also possessed a fantastic shot and scored some memorable goals especially against the gooners. He was really unlucky not to win more than his one England cap

Sounds like he had a bit of the Essien about him as well?

Sounds like he had a bit of the Essien about him as well?

He also had a hell of a shot on him. Not that he was ever a prolific goalscorer, but he couldn't arf 'it 'em! He had a similar reputation for taking free kicks as Roberto Carlos, but unless my memory fails me, Hollins's was a little less mythological.

I'm currently downloading the 1970 FA Cup Final onto my PC, so I can watch both games whenever I please. :angry:

Thanks for your help, everyone, but I was more looking for help in understand each of these classic players. It's very well and good to say John Hollins (for example) was fantastic, but what was it, in your opinion, that made him so good, and how did he play, how did he help the team to make him so widely renowned and respected?

John Hollins was an attacking midfield player who switched to right back later on in his career

He scored his fair share of goals and won goal of the season on TV one year

The opening credits of the Sunday afternoon football show introduced by Peter Lorenzo showed this goal for years

He won Chelsea player of the year and was one of the first long throw specialists.Whenever we got a throw in the Sixties the chant Holly, Holly,Holly would sound all around the ground

I liked Keith Weller the short time he played or us

Remember the chant - Keefy, Keefy Weller, Keefy Weller on the Wiiiing

Keefy, Keefy Weller, Keefy Weller on the wing

Remember the chant - Keefy, Keefy Weller, Keefy Weller on the Wiiiing

Keefy, Keefy Weller, Keefy Weller on the wing

That brings back memories

Arsenal have Radford, and Palace have Queen,

West Ham have Geoff Hurst and Tottenham Gilzean,

But Chelsea have Osgood and he is the king,

And also Keef Weller, the king on the wing,

Keefy, Keefy Weller, Keefy Weller on the wi-ng

Keefy, Keefy Weller, Keefy Weller on the wing

Thanks for your help, everyone, but I was more looking for help in understand each of these classic players. It's very well and good to say John Hollins (for example) was fantastic, but what was it, in your opinion, that made him so good, and how did he play, how did he help the team to make him so widely renowned and respected?

Try having a look in the Gallery, Plokkers, I've uploaded quite a few pics from the old days in there and added some notes for those who aren't old enough to remember the players or games.