Playing for 90
Fansided

Chelsea FC: Greatest XI from the Roman Abramovich era

By Christopher Godfrey

LONDON - SEPTEMBER 13: Frank Lampard of Chelsea celebrates scoring the first goal with Arjen Robbenduring the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Chelsea and RSC Anderlecht at Stamford Bridge on September 13, 2005 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images)
LONDON - SEPTEMBER 13: Frank Lampard of Chelsea celebrates scoring the first goal with Arjen Robbenduring the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Chelsea and RSC Anderlecht at Stamford Bridge on September 13, 2005 in London, England. (Photo by Ben Radford/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 12
Next
Liverpool, UNITED KINGDOM: Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech wear a protective helmet during their English Premiership  January 2006. AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS GK:
Liverpool, UNITED KINGDOM: Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech wear a protective helmet during their English Premiership  January 2006. AFP PHOTO/PAUL ELLIS GK: /

GK: Petr Cech 2004-2015

This one seems obvious right? The legendary Chelsea FC goalkeeper was the best goalkeeper of the Premier league during his peak. He was also one of the best in the world. Nowadays he’s plying his trade at Arsenal where he isn’t quite as good. But still good.

In fact, Roman Abramovich and Mourinho thought so highly of him that they let him go to Arsenal, with Abramovich sanctioning the move to allow Cech more game time due to the new addition of Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian had pushed him out of the first team and normally the Russian billionaire owner would not even think about allowing a Chelsea player join Arsenal, their rivals, but Cech had been a loyal servant of the Blues and thus he was allowed to join the London rivals.

The Czech Republic international joined Chelsea from Rennes in 2004 for £7m. Manager Claudio Ranieri wanted him initially to be the understudy to first team goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini. New manager Jose Mourinho came in for the 2004/05 season and due to injury to Cudicini, Cech was promoted to the first choice goalkeeper.

More from Playing for 90

He won the Golden Glove award in the 2004/05 season for keeping 21 clean sheets along with winning the Premier league title.

Cech won the Premier league in the following season and was named Czech footballer of the year.

In March 2005, Cech set a new Premier League record after playing for 1025 minutes without conceding a goal.

He sustained that horrific head injury in 2006 which kept him out of action for a while but since then he’s adorned the rugby helmet and has been just as good.

The towering goalkeeper went on to win two more Premier League titles with Chelsea in 2009/10 and 2014/15 along with winning the Champions League in 2011/12 and various other trophies.

His tenure at the club saw him play under many different managers at Chelsea which represented the turbulent time Chelsea faced after Mourinho’s first spell.

Cech played under Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Scolari, Hiddink, Ancelotti, Villas Boas, Di Matteo, Benitez, and finally Mourinho again.

Home/Chelsea FC