Players You Were Wrong About

[Liam]

Which Chelsea players were you wrong about?

Frank Lampard - During his first 2 seasons at the club I thought he was a good solid midfielder with classic English qualities. I had no idea he would become the god he is.

Florent Malouda - Never for a second thought he was any where near capable of producing the level of performance he reached in the second half of last season.

Damien Duff - When he signed for the club I thought he would become a Chelsea legend. I'm still gutted that he bottled it.

[Plavi26]

Mateja Kezma: Had really high hopes for the lad, especially after his time with PSV and because he was another player from former Yugoslavia breaking trough the Chelsea ranks. His performance in the friendlies before the season showed him as a really promising signing for 9million pounds. Unfortunately, he never found his form and only showed small flashes of brilliance.

Didier Drogba: I really resented him in his first years at the club, mainly because of his attitude and his antics on and off the field. Boy has he shown us a completely new version of himself after the arrival of Guus and the way he played even under Grant.

[mad_mac]

Good question. I suppose one I have to admit was Zola. I thought he was too old and fell into the cliche of "too lightweight" for the premiership.

Recently I would say it looks like Di Santo. I honestly thought that he'd be the next Crespo. But it looks like that might not be the case as even Blackburn fans I know think he's rubbish!

Scott

[sals]

Big one for me is sheva, once we signed him and he scored in that community shield match i just couldnt see how we wouldnt sweep all before us.

Also Anelka, when we signed him i wasn't sure if he still had what it takes to play at a top team, thought it was a short term thing to cover the ACN. Turned once more into one of the worlds elite strikers

[BlueBosnian]

Drogba. Didn't like him at all. Even after he became the top scorer I refused to like him because he never stopped talking. For me personaly he became a God after the famous Barcelona match when the whole world heard his opinion. Football is lacking players with passion, and although many were "offended", I give him a lot of respect for it.

[Spiller86]

Will agree with Sals on both of his. I remember having a rather large argument with a friend who suggested to me that Sheva wouldn't adapt to England. Myself being rather arrogant about Chelsea at the time after two titles in a row, I told him Mourinho was a genius and could fix anything. He reminds me about it every time I see him.

Similarly with Anelka, I really thought Avram had bottled it, particularly after that penalty miss and then him saying it was because he hadn't been on the pitch long enough. But of course then we actually played him in position and he dominated.

[loz]

I was bitterly disappointed when we signed Anelka. Criticised it openly at the time and it took a long long time until I accepted he could be a valuable asset.

Drogba I think is a different story. I didn't know enough about him when he signed bar a couple of European games I had seen him in. My opinion of him was formed over what I thought was an unimpressive initial season and a half. That opinion turned out to be wrong.

Going back a little bit further I thought Peter Nicholas was going to be a total flop.

Flip side was that I though Laudrup was going to be a star for us. Similarly Veron who I always thought was wasted at Utd and would come good in our team playing in his best role.

[Tim W]

Cech - He wasn't really setting the world on fire in France, Carlo was doing well. Up until the sc**t injury he was brilliant since then a bit iffy, as I initially thought he would be.

Obi Mikael - Thought he would be the dog's bollocks, yet he's still 22 so there's time still believe by the time he's 26 he'll be the best in the PL.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Tim W

[Blue Celery]

Man. Khalid the Cannibal. I had hope for Boulahrouz to become what we now cherish in Ivanovic. Was it just because of his nickname? I don't know.

Maybe he failed because he was a defender wearing Ossie's number.

[dkw]

for me it was Alex after his first season. i remember a conversation with Loz where i said he just wasnt consistent enough and was prone to far too many stupid mistakes. i was very, very wrong.

[ethicalstrategy]

Mikel for me. When he first arrived I never thought he could become as good a player as he is today. How wrong can you be?

[Nibs]

Mikel for me. When he first arrived I never thought he could become as good a player as he is today. How wrong can you be?

Is that a double bluff ES?

[ethicalstrategy]

Is that a double bluff ES?

Must be a little irish blood in me somewhere

[andy]

Good thread

I got some spectaculalry wrong......

Zola ! Just didnt think his flair would suit the Premier League at the time espeically winter away days in the FA cup, where in fact he excelled.

flip side was Sheva as said above, I thought that was it we are signing the worlds best striker after 2 PL titles we would lift everything.

Kerry Dixon - Being bought up and schooled in Reading I hated Reading Football club (still do) naturally and thought he was one of those good journey men lower league players.

Mark Hughes - hated him at United and thought he was past his best or Fergie would have never let him go ... bet Fergie wished he had a couple more seasons out of him now

[midlandblue]

Mikel, disapointing so far

Laudrup, was expecting fanatstic wing play

Carlton Cole, all though he may yet prove himself

Veron and Mutu massive let downs

Sutton, thought he might just be a hero no.9

on the positive

Spackman, Dixon and Nevin almost unknowns but what a contribution they made.

Graham Roberts, disliked him but was a fantastic leader on the pitch

Joey Jones and Mickey Thomas, see above

[fester]

Flip side was that I though Laudrup was going to be a star for us. Similarly Veron who I always thought was wasted at Utd and would come good in our team playing in his best role.

Agree about Veron, I thought "we can show Fergie what he's been missing". However, with Laudrup as soon as he announced his international retirement prior to joining us I had doubts about his motivation.

I thought Chris Sutton was a good signing.

I've been disappointed in Ballack I thought he'd be the sort of player that could take control of a game (he does for Germany).

Jesper Gronkjaer should have been soooo much better, he had the skill, but seemed to lack the mental strength to put in the hard yards.

How could Cech be better than Carlo - generally regarded as one of the best keepers in the PL at the time!

Deschampes... was that it???

Makalele... what a value-for-money buy he proved to be.

Mutu... say no more

Kezman as stated above.

Robben... I think he could have been so much more under a Guus or Carlo!

I thought Crespo should have been a star in the PL (maybe some of the Robben comment also applies)

Winston Bogarde.....

[Backbiter]

Anelka and Malouda. I never thought they'd come good.

Spackman - at first sight he was a total donkey, but he improved quickly and became a key player for us.

Mcky Nutton - thought he'd become a really good defender!

Steve Francis - gave some of the best performances I'd ever seen as a 17 year old keeper. Like West ham he faded....

[Tea Bar Boy]

Robert Fleck – Saw him score one of the best goals I have ever seen at the Bridge for Norwich thought he was going to be fantastic for us 4 goals and a Bogarde

Mutu – As Above

Kezman – As Above

Kevin McAllister – on the cards to be as good as wee pat ……………..

Jody Morris – He should be still playing for us feckin eigit

Brian Laudrup – Possibly the most natural gifted player I have seen in a Chelsea shirt. Shame he couldn’t be arsed to use it

Dennis Wise – Horrible dirty little sh*t at Wimbledon . After season 1 still a dirty horrible little sh*t . After season 2 OUR dirty horrible little sh*t the rest is history

Vinny Jones – A much better footballer than he was ever given credit for

Luca Vialli – Thought he was here for the London bus tour after Le Arse turned him down

Andy Townsend – Thought he was going to be another Norwich flop ,prior to his departure one of the best midfielder’s in the league at the time.

Tony Cascarino – See Vinny Jones

Frank Lampard - As Liam said

[Chippy]

Sheva was a big let down for me, I really thought he would do the business.

Laudrup, Mutu and Kezman all I thought would do well

Crespo my favourite player that never quite hit the hieghts with us that I'm still sure he was capable of

But most of all Deco

I thought Deco would be a lot better given enough chances and although he's done ok here and there he has never looked like the difference maker I thought he could

I must say though it was a couple of years before he arrived that I was saying he would be good here but even so I still expected a lot more.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Chippy

[Ruh Buh Juh]

Mikel - in his first season I was not impressed at all, and held grudges against him in every game he played, but then he turned good (ish).

[Alex]

agree with a lot above

i thought wright phillip was going to be a lot better than he was.....used to go round players for fun at city. think he got found out playing at a better club though

[coco]

Drogba: For the first 12 months I despised the player. His first touch was total sh*te, he would constantly hold up play with his theatrics, and I know I wasnt the only supporter who felt the same, their were droves of us.

Well his first touch is still pretty sh*te, and yes the theatrics are still there (but certainly not as bad as they were), but he has proven one thing, he is a match winner, thats why he's still at the club.

Shame about the CL final, if he'd of scored a goal when his shot hit the post in the 2nd half, he probably wouldnt of been sent off, and we would be talking legendary status beyond comparison, he would of had his own statue outside SB in years to come. But although he has proven me wrong, he still pisses me off most games.

[BlueBeard]

I agree with quite a few of the players already mentioned, particularly Brian Laudrup, Gianluca Vialli and Steve Francis. I thought I'd go back a bit, and here's a few players I was wrong about in the late 60's and 70's.

On the plus side: -

Micky Droy - thought he looked a bit of a freak and out of his depth when he first played for the Blues. He was never the most skillful of players, but ultimately became a Chelsea legend due to his loyalty and commitment to the club

Steve Kember - I was determined not to like him, partly because he came from Palace, but mostly because I thought he'd been brought in to replace Alan Hudson. He eventually won me over though with his tough tackling and slick passing.

Ian Britton - I fell into the trap of thinking he was too small. That, and his extreme hair made me very dubious about him, but he turned out to be one of our best players of the mid-to-late seventies

David Hay - I was violently opposed to him coming to Chelsea, what with his being a Septic player, but he slowly won me over. Great player.

The minuses: -

Alan Birchenall - I was chuffed when we signed him from Sheffield United, and he became fairly popular at Chelsea. Sadly he never quite had enough to be a success at the Bridge

Derek Smethurst - looked promising at first, but in retrospect I should have realised he'd never be up to the task of replacing Osgood, Hutchinson or Baldwin

Steve Sherwood - I was there at the Baseball Ground in January 1972 when he made his debut, and I really thought he'd turn out great. 6' 4" and built like a brick sh*t-house, he looked like he'd be the keeper to take over from Peter Bonetti, but unfortunately it wasn't to be.

Teddy Maybank - thought he'd be our main striker for some time, but he soon lost his place to Steve Finnieston (and rightly so!)

Duncan McKenzie - very talented player, he just never looked the part at Chelsea

[Nibs]

Drogba: For the first 12 months I despised the player. His first touch was total sh*te, he would constantly hold up play with his theatrics, and I know I wasnt the only supporter who felt the same, their were droves of us.

Well his first touch is still pretty sh*te, and yes the theatrics are still there (but certainly not as bad as they were), but he has proven one thing, he is a match winner, thats why he's still at the club.

Shame about the CL final, if he'd of scored a goal when his shot hit the post in the 2nd half, he probably wouldnt of been sent off, and we would be talking legendary status beyond comparison, he would of had his own statue outside SB in years to come. But although he has proven me wrong, he still pisses me off most games.

I was certainly another. That first season, at times he was shocking. When we signed Drogba and Kezman I really didn't expect much from Drogba and thought that Kezman would be our 20+ goal a season man.

How wrong you can be. (It's the only time though!!).

Edited January 13, 2010 by Nibs

[The Moos]

I knew very little about Drogba and Essien when they joined so naturally I didn't have high expectations on them. Drogba then proved to be a diving, whining b*stard and I really didn't like the way he acted on and off the pitch. Wasn't setting the world on fire either.

But now I wouldn't dream of letting him go. Worlds best striker and though he still goes down a bit too easy at times he doesn't dive as much.

Had high hopes for Mutu, Sheva and Crespo. I'm still not sure if I'm terribly disappointed with them. Didn't Mutu play well at first? Of course him dipping into the white powder meant he went down in mu estimation immediately.

Sheva might not have scored as many goals as we all hoped, but I still say he worked really hard and provided other things on the pitch. Anelka does the same, but with more goals.

Crespo scored a fair few goals for us and I will always respect him for his professionalism. Even though he didn't like it here and wanted to move back to Italy he still never complained and always did his best to help the team.

And do I even have to mention Kezman? I thought he would be our van Nistelrooy or something but he turned out to be absolutely rubbish. I mean, he scored only twice as many goals as Makelele!

Boulahrouz is another huge disappointment (apart from the game where he completely erased Ronaldinho). I thought he would do much better.

Ben Haim. I seem to recall that I was very happy when we signed him for free. I thought he was great at Bolton - a team that didn't let in many goals.

But even though he had some good games he was overall far below the standard I had expected from him.

Could mention Robben as well, but with him I think we can blame the injuries. When he was fit and ready to play he was brilliant. But the problem was that he was probably more injured than fit during a season and that ruined everything.