And now, the annual review of gut-wrenchingly disappointing performances (vs expectation). This is as distinct to general awfulness.

I can only give an 18 year perspective but I have it on good authority that in the early and mid 80's, the club had no expectations anyway; so here's my XI:

GK: Bosnich

D: Pannuci

D: Bogarde

D: Del Horno

M: Veron

M: Deschamps

M: Ballack

M: Laudrup

A: Sutton

A: Sheva

A. Fleck

Subs: Casiraghi / Kezman

I tell you, it's bloody difficult finding central defenders who have been 'disappointing' since they don't tend to get that many matches.

Anyway, let's be having your nominations

take ballack, sheva, casiraghi out. sheva and ballack aint been here long enough. casiraghi was flying when he got his injury. also, laudrup was fantastic at times when he was here. short and sweet.

take ballack, sheva, casiraghi out. sheva and ballack aint been here long enough. casiraghi was flying when he got his injury. also, laudrup was fantastic at times when he was here. short and sweet.

As it stands today, I don't think we've ever experienced the sort of gulf that exists between expectation vs performance than we do with Sheva. Sure, it can all change (God, please...), but currently he's first on the team sheet.

Laudrup was a genius footballer but then came to CFC and couldn't be arsed - so much so he retired after two or three months. Ballack, in my mind, is in the same camp.

And Casiraghi is in because he was a gent and a grafter who found it hard to adapt to the EPL, and then just as he was getting the hang of it, had to retire. Now that's disappointing!

well, mike it's obvious I wouldn't put in ballack and sheva, what I do want to say is- deschamps! really?

I thought he was a very good player for us, and with him we did great in the CL and wise had what is regarded as his best ever season for us.

nomination?

mutu- the talent was all there.

Mike, can you give Veron the Captain's armband please ?

decent, switch ballack with maniche though

GK: Bosnich

D: Pannuci

D: Bogarde

D: Del Horno

M: Veron

M: D Lucas

M: Maniche

M: Laudrup

A: Sutton

A: Casaraghi

A. Fleck

Subs: Mutu/ Kezman/Petit...never looked his best with us

Mutus in because he wasted what was a good chance for a player of undoubted talent, Shevas out as is Ballack because I believe they will come good. Casaraghi deserves better but it was a huge dissapointment when he got that terrible injury just as he was sharpening up.

well, mike it's obvious I wouldn't put in ballack and sheva, what I do want to say is- deschamps! really?

I thought he was a very good player for us, and with him we did great in the CL and wise had what is regarded as his best ever season for us.

nomination?

mutu- the talent was all there.

deschamps was sh*te...even he admitted he'd only played 50 per cent or something like that...he came for a pay day and didn't deserve to get a cup medal

well, mike it's obvious I wouldn't put in ballack and sheva, what I do want to say is- deschamps! really?

I thought he was a very good player for us, and with him we did great in the CL and wise had what is regarded as his best ever season for us.

nomination?

mutu- the talent was all there.

deschamps was sh*te...even he admitted he'd only played 50 per cent or something like that...he came for a pay day and didn't deserve to get a cup medal

Never rated Deschamps while he was at Chelsea. And now he's in the running to become our manager, should Mourinho leave

can;t look much past you team there MikeO. Sutton, huge dissapointment. Veron, I rest my case. Ballack and Sheva, when it comes to expectation, there was none greater. You could put de lucas in there, but honestly, where was the expectation.

Would anyone put Weah in there team?

Scott

how 'bout our very own italian ryan giggs?

gabriele ambrosetti, anyone?

he's at least on the bench for me...

how 'bout our very own italian ryan giggs?

gabriele ambrosetti, anyone?

he's at least on the bench for me...

of course, was almost going to put him in there, and started thinking Pannucci and couldn't get past that Italian name. Bench for sure

Scott

And the manager?

There's only one Claudio (ducking for cover now....)

can;t look much past you team there MikeO. Sutton, huge dissapointment. Veron, I rest my case. Ballack and Sheva, when it comes to expectation, there was none greater. You could put de lucas in there, but honestly, where was the expectation.

Would anyone put Weah in there team?

Scott

Weah is out by dint of the fact that he scored vs Spurs automatically ensuring a place in our hearts....

Where oh where is Jokanovic ? Gronkjaer ? Ambrosetti ? Les Fridge ?

Where oh where is Jokanovic ? Gronkjaer ? Ambrosetti ? Les Fridge ?

well we have already covered ambrosetti, and the rest you talk of never really had much expectations of them. I think that is what the main point was, who has been the biggest disappointment, in that we had soooooo much expectations of them, but they failed to deliver. Jokanovic, nor Gronkjaer really had much expected of them

Jokanovic was a class act, just a bit slow

Adrian MUTU

Boudewijn ZENDEN

Manager : Ian Portfield

1. Bosnich

2. Panucci

3. Bogarde

4. Boyd

5. Del Horno

6. Della Bonna

7. Wegerle

8. Dickens

9. Amrosetti

10. Sutton

11. Fleck

Subs : Mutu , Kezman, Matthew, Coady, Myeres

Adrian MUTU

Boudewijn ZENDEN

Don't agree with Zenden unlucy with injuries and if Sheringham had not ruined him ( the worst tackle I have seen in football ) I think he would have done the job for us

Casiraghi

Harsh that Mike i think. Gigi was a great player and was really starting to make his mark before Upton Park.

I thnk putting Sheva and Ballack in there is too quick, after all i think its only fair to judge a players career at chelsea when their chelsea career is over and there is still a good chance both of them could become great players for us. so (remember Wises first season with us?) , with that in mind not quite a team but here are some players who spring to mind...

Bosnich (waster)

Del Horno

Zenden (all down hill after the first 45 mins where he looked like Jarzinho)

Veron

Deschamps

Laudrup

Fleck (more goals at SB for Norwich than Chelsea)

Sutton (never stood a chance to be fair)

obviously a lot of the players are from the last 10 years or so, that is clearly because we expect so much more from our players now, whereas in 1982 or whenever we just knew there was a good chance they were going to be sh*te.

I also don't agree with Deschamps being in there. I do admit that we never saw the very best of him but I don't think he was anywhere near as poor as people made him out to be and Wise had his very best season for us that year because he had Deschamps playing alongside him.

Zenden I do agree with - I don't think the Sheringham tackle made all that big a difference to his general performance and effort. he rarely bust a gut and for a bloke who us supposed to be a black belt in something or other he didn't half love to avoid a challenge.

I go along with not including Ballack and Sheva yet as I don't think half a season is enough to go on - clearly if their form was to carry on like this into next season then there would definitely be a case.

It is atough one as I think you do have to weigh up your expectations and compare them to the performance rather than just say the performance was poor. Yes Ambrospaghetti was rubbish but we only rewally had great expectations because of Luca's daft comment about 'the next Ryan Giggs' - we didn't really know how good or bad he was going to be. Dalla Bona came as a youngster so again expectations should have been limited. De Lucas I had no expectations of whatsoever and he fully met them!

Panucci was only ever a short term loan and only played 6 or 7 times so can we really say it is all that possible to assess him against players who were with us for seasons.

Bosnich was good when he played but I would put him in as he cocked things up all by himself! As did Mutu. Bogarde was probably as ahafted as he was the shaftee.

Sutton and Fleck merit two spots in the team each

Well, if Pierluigi Casiraghi is going to be selected, then David Hay must also be in with a shout. He arrived from Celtic as one of Scotland's best players, only to have his career cut short by a knee injury, and eye problems.

On a personal level, I'd also have to nominate Derek Johnstone, who'd been brilliant at Rangers for over ten years. I was looking forward to seeing him play for Chelsea so much, but unfortunately he was well past his sell-by date by the time he arrived, and he only ever started one game for us

The most disappointing Chelsea XI of all time...

Personally i was disappointed with Michael Duberry. He didnt quiet make the top grade in the end.

But he wouldnt make the all time XI.

No way in the world that gronks can be in there. In fact he has legendary status in my book for one macth, liverpool at the bridge last game of the season, baba was a dissapointment for me.

He came withs huge expectations have also been coverterd by Manure, such terms as "can run with the pigions followed" obvusly indicating blistering pace... at the end of the day thouhg just never worked out