Tchau Londres. Que cidade!!! Pra sempre na minha vida. Meu filho caçula nasceu ali. Esses 3 anos foram incriveis. Voltarei em breve. Tchau!!

..and just like that, it’s over. What Chelsea fans have suspected and rumoured for the past few months was more or less confirmed on Friday evening by the man himself. Juliano Belletti is leaving the club this summer – his new destination unknown – but it is with a heavy heart whilst leaving a clutch of quite wonderful memories from a man who has become a cult hero.

With right-back proving to be a problematic area for Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2007, a surprise move was made for the veteran Barcelona man and he arrived towards the end of the transfer window, making his debut as a substitute against Portsmouth. Wearing the number 35 shirt, it was an arrival without great fanfare, and one which belied the relationship he would eventually have with the supporters. Many questioned the wisdom of spending a reported fee of £5.5m on a 31 year-old, especially from a club who weren’t high on most people’s Christmas card lists, our old friends from Barcelona.

To become beloved by a fanbase takes feats of brilliance, or if that doesn’t materialise, helping put one over your rivals always helps. In Belletti’s case, he was able to combine both. His fantastic solo effort at Wigan in November of the same year he signed notwithstanding, it was his 35-yard Goal of the Season against Tottenham at the Bridge in January 2008 which truly endeared him to the many, and signalled the start of a fantastic relationship.

Let’s take a moment to enjoy it again.

Despite the goal, a regular place wasn’t quite guaranteed and resulted in the arrival of Jose Bosingwa a year later, but not to be cast aside, our Brazilian hero emerged as something of a utility player, finding a new home in various midfield roles under Luiz Felipe Scolari. It really didn’t matter whether he was at the back or in the middle though, as he showed away to Middlesbrough by adding another unstoppable effort against Middlesbrough to his CV. He had even found time to add a second career strike against Tottenham – not a spectacular one by any means, but anyone who manages to achieve such a feat surely belongs in Chelsea folklore.

94 total appearances and five goals in just under three complete years in London doesn’t begin to tell the story of someone who worked his way into the hearts of a crowd who regularly fill the air with a chant of his name to the now-famous tune of ‘Seven Nation Army’. Even towards the end of his time at the club, where it was widely recognised that he’d be leaving, his appearances as a substitute, even if he was just warming up, were greeted in such a fashion. Fate transpired that he would get a final farewell outing in the FA Cup Final with Michael Ballack going off injured, and sure, he conceded a penalty, but we’ll let him off that one. After all, he did score in a Champions League Final to consign Arsenal to defeat as well.

His time at Chelsea has come to and end, with a new adventure ahead, most likely back in Brazil. Wherever you go, tudo de melhor para o futuro Juliano.

At the time of his arrival, the Italian was faced with competition from the long serving and dependable Dutchman Ed de Goey, as well as the talented though controversial Australian, Mark Bosnich. De Goey was ageing, whilst Bosnich was on a path to self destruction.

Though not particularly tall for a goalkeeper, Cudicini’s agility and outrageous athleticism, combined with his stunning reaction time and typical bravery, meant that he had all the talent required to be a world class goalkeeper. His pedigree helped too, his father Fabio kept goal for Italian giants AC Milan, the club where Carlo started his career.

These traits were soon obvious, as he quickly dethroned the likeable de Goey, and showing himself to be one of the most capable goalkeepers in the land. His affable nature, wonderful ability and his often noted good looks, swiftly cemented his position as a favourite amongst the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Season 2001-2002 saw Cudicini voted by those same fans as Chelsea’s Player of the Year. The accolade was well deserved, as he had been outstanding throughout the season in an inconsistent side, as was de rigeur at the time.

These were the halcyon days for Cudicini. His talent was recognised by the entire league, with the likes of Henry, van Nistelrooy and Shearer all left stunned by the Italian’s incredible ability to stop nearly everything that came his way. Coupled with that, was his unnerving ability to save penalties, with Gary McAllister, as well as Henry and van Nistelrooy, all unable to beat the Chelsea goalkeeper from 12 yards out.

Cudicini’s stock was rising, though the mere existence of Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Toldo and Angelo Peruzzi meant that international honours never came his way, a travesty of the modern era. Throughout season 2002-2003, he was recognised as the best goalkeeper in the league, and was awarded the ITV “Golden Gloves” award at the seasons end. Week after week, Cudicini made stunning saves, still leaving strikers nonplussed. Not only that, he was dependable. Mistakes were few and far between, and when they did occur, they were soon forgiven when he next prevented a sure goal. One particular save from Ruud van Nistelrooy was cheered by the Chelsea fans as if it we’d scored a goal!

Injury problems the next season saw the gradual decline in Cudicini’s playing time, as Marco Ambrosio deputised in crucial matches towards the end of the season, as the Blues crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of AS Monaco.

Then came Mourinho, and with him, the precociously talented Petr Cech. Initially signed as backup to Cudicini, the Czech quickly became first choice, with the crowd favourite providing a more than competent alternative. Cudicini remained second choice for the remainder of his career at Chelsea.

However, just last season, he provided a reminder of his incredible talent. He made 19 appearances due to various injuries to Cech, but the crowning moment came in the thrilling 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane. Having already made a world class save from Robbie Keane, Cudicini showed his talent and skill had far from diminished, with his stunning stoppage time save. Dimitar Berbatov looked certain to win the match for Spurs, but his fierce strike was incredibly stopped, Cudicini reacting lightning fast to stretch out a right hand and divert the ball around the post. Martin Tyler described it as an “astonishing save” and once more, the save was cheered like a Chelsea goal.

Throughout his years as second choice, Cudicini was never heard to moan about his situation. In fact, upon his departure in January to Tottenham, there was not a single negative comment to be said about his approach to training, whilst every appearance was still warmly applauded by the fans. His dedication, work ethic and professionalism were all exemplary, and Chelsea fans can consider themselves lucky to have witnessed the very best of Carlo Cudicini, a true Chelsea hero. He departed having made 216 appearances in total, keeping 101 clean sheets.

Carlo Cudicini, we salute you. All the best, you will always be a Chelsea legend.

More to be added soon …

Photos supplied by EMPICs and Getty Images / Darren Walsh Chelsea FC

Since Michael joined Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea on a free transfer in 2006 there seems to have been a certain indifference to the big German. You could put it down to an outdated anti-German mentality – the war was, after all, sixty years ago and everyone else seems to have moved on. But there is something else, it is infuriatingly difficult to pin down. Each of Ballack’s seasons at the Bridge have been curtailed through injuries to knees, calves and feet, but each time he came back and finished the season, as others around him tired, driving play forward through midfield. Yet those performances brought an acceptance of his place in the squad, admiration rather than love.

As Michael Ballack sits with an injured ankle watching Germany play Finland on television this Wednesday he can reflect on the way he has forced his way into the team and finally started to impose his personality on the side. And yet, there always seems to be an ‘and yet’ in Ballack’s career, his influence has been most noted in his absence.

The defeat at Wigan was the first league game Michael missed completely and it showed, throughout the match Chelsea’s midfield was slow to close down Wigan’s passing and lacked its usual punch going forward. A lot has been written about how ineffective Frank Lampard’s play has been since he moved to the tip of the diamond, less about how much better balanced and perceptive Chelsea’s midfield is when both Lampard and Ballack play on the left and right of the formation at home. Away from home the pattern is slightly altered; Ballack partners either Obi John or Essien in a deeper holding role. It is an innovation for which Ancelotti has received scant praise. At home we allow the full-backs to bomb on and look to attack through the middle, just as Scolari’s side played at its best. Away from home Carlo, despite the personal loathing between the two, apes Mourinho’s solidity and caution.

Ballack’s influence on how well we play was evident even in the first game of the season when Hull City came to town and were eventually, very eventually, seen off by Didier’s cross-come-lob. That afternoon while Chelsea hummed along going forward and Hull counter attacked with relative ease as the diamond formation acted like a sieve for simple through balls. Michael Ballack came on at half-time, replacing Obi John and the problems disappeared. Hull found no space to attack and Chelsea pressed relentlessly until the winner arrived three minutes into injury time.

It was the same in Nicosia, Chelsea could not stop Apoel passing the ball through midfield. In the second-half the problem became more obvious, coverage was reactive and slow, while Michael Ballack watched the game on television. It was said at the time that a better side than Apoel would have punished such poor closing down.

Many fans cannot accept, perhaps, that Michael is actually working hard for the team. He has a languid running style that disguises the huge amount work he gets through. Prozone stats you have to pay for with money this website doesn’t have, so all we can say is that years on the pitch have gifted him a knack of positioning and an awareness of the shortest distance to effectively close an opponent down. Ballack’s style is very simple, almost every pass is a quick, one or two-touch, lay off but he is always looking to drive play forward. Against Fulham at the Cottage in August he found two beautifully sharp first-time passes to take out our neighbour’s midfield; first to Anelka who fed Drogba 0-1, the second, cushioned on to Didier, who fed Nicolas 0-2. He is canny in the energy he expends, he makes his fair share of tackles, creates chances and grew up in the DDR, what is not to like?

His finishing is the only aspect of his game that has suffered since his move from Germany. At Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern München in his last five years in the Bundesliga Ballack scored an average of 13 goals a season, with us the mean is just 8. That said he already has three this season so perhaps he is on a roll.

In contrast, Frank Lampard has been having a hard time of it of late. Everyone has now noticed his lack of goals and the commonest reason sited is his elevation to the head of the diamond. A ‘bad time’ to Frank Lampard is a relative term; his team are top of the table and playing well. Expectations of Frank are so high the anything less than perfection is marked. Ballack’s role, in contrast, has been less high profile. When he played in Germany the public expectation of him was on a par with England’s of Beckham or, latterly, Wayne Rooney. A merciless public profile obviously has its effect on an individual and Ballack’s choice to swap Munich for West London was in part to get away from the glare.

Ballack’s lack of love from Chelsea fans could be down to something as simple as his captaincy of our old international rivals Germany. Michael may miss the Finland game but while at Chelsea he has captained Germany 33 times since 2006. That should be a source of great pride for Chelsea fans, as should the memories of England Germany games since Ballack started playing, he was there at the Olympiastadion in 2001, he knows what a 1-5 thrashing feels like.

Ultimately, Michael Ballack doesn’t care whether we love him or not. Ballack came to Chelsea to win medals in our colours, if that pleases us along the way all the better. He holds a unique and unenviable record in football of twice finishing runner up in four major championships in a season. In 2002, Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga, the German cup and the European Cup final. His Germany side went on to lose the World Cup final. Then in 2008 he contrived to do it again, finishing second in the Carling Cup, Premiership and European Cup before Germany lost the Euro 08 final to Spain. He has enough winners’ medals to refute the charge of Jonah but when he comes second he really knows how to do it.

Michael Ballack is one of the best midfielders ever to play at this club, so if you can’t show him love remember how much respect is due. Perhaps we will only really miss him when he is gone and there is a chance he will be gone soon after his recent announcement that he might retire after next summer’s World Cup.

Oh and, by the way, my favourite player is Ricardo Carvalho, great defender and scorer of the World’s Most Perfect Goal in April 2006 as we won the title by beating United at home. Total football.

Brought to the club by his ex-national team boss at Portugal, Luis Felipe Scolari, Deco was one of two signings made over the summer with his compatriot José Bosingwa also joining up with Chelsea. At the time, a friend of mine heralded Deco’s arrival, claiming he could be, and I quote: “The signing of the season.” It is worth pointing out that this same friend once adamantly announced that ex-Portsmouth striker Collins Mbesuma would go on to win the Premier League golden boot upon his arrival on these shores back in 2005.

Mbesuma played four games for Pompey, without netting. Deco did not go on to become “signing of the season.”

Things seemed to start well for Deco however, and incidentally it was against the South Coast side on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. With Chelsea leading 3-0 against the hapless Pompey – after the Portuguese had crossed for Nicolas Anelka to score earlier in the game – Deco fizzed a shot in from fully 40 yards. Although David James could perhaps have done better it was the outlandish nature of the shot which surprised England’s number one goalkeeper. The swerve, the pace, and the precision were perfect in equal measures. Deco seemed a perfect fit.

He followed this blockbuster goal with another fine finish in Chelsea’s next game, away at Wigan. A pinpoint free-kick opened the scoring and as thereafter the Blues struggled against Wigan’s battling style of play, it proved to be the winner.

The Premier League Player of the Month award followed, and then, very little.

The Wigan game may have been an early indication of things to come for both Deco and Chelsea however. Some teams quickly figured out how to stop Chelsea from playing the short passing game Scolari had brought to the club, and with Deco a player who excelled in this environment, he was in turn stifled by the opposition.

A sending-off against Roma in the Champions League accelerated his downward spiral, but there was a brief revival in December against Bolton Wanderers. A spectacular scissor kick goal reminded us of his talents which had been sadly subdued in the months beforehand.

When Scolari eventually departed, Deco may had well have kissed his Chelsea career goodbye. Having fallen out of favour already, Guus Hiddink’s arrival and subsequent playing style left Deco firmly on the sidelines.

Hiddink favoured a direct style, which incidentally rejuvenated Drogba, a player who had been on the periphery under Scolari. Deco was ignored by the Dutchman who picked Michael Essien – back from injury which robbed Scolari of his services – and Michael Ballack ahead of him. They fit Hiddink’s style; Deco did not.

A thigh injury late in the season seemed convenient, and Deco was not even given a place on the bench for the FA Cup Final.

On June 11th, Deco reportedly said: “I do not want to stay, I have said that. I have not liked my experience at Chelsea.

“I want to find a club that can bring the joy of playing football back for me.”

And just like that, Inter Milan and José Mourinho came calling. Along with the unsettled Ricardo Carvalho, Deco is expected to leave Chelsea and join the Italian champions within the next few days and end his Blues ‘nightmare’.

So how does a former UEFA Cup winner, Champions League winner, UEFA MVP, Ballon d’Or runner-up, and so on and so forth, go from the top of his game, to the bottom of the barrel, only to be flirted with by one of the best managers in modern football and the champions of Italy?

When he joined he looked nimble, creative, and, dare I say it, almost Zola-like. But whether it was a case of age catching up with the 31-year-old midfielder, form deserting him, or if he was just a victim of a turbulent season at Chelsea, one thing is for certain. If, as expected, Deco leaves, he won’t even be called a ‘one-season wonder’. He will go down as a flop.

Danny Blanchflower – himself a Chelsea flop albeit in a managerial sense – said of the Tottenham Hotspur player Ossie Ardiles upon the Argentineans’ arrival: “It could be that the other lads at Tottenham find themselves playing a different game from Ardiles.

“If this happens, he’ll have to go – on the basis that it’s easier to find nine players than one.”

As it turned out, Ardiles settled at Spurs. Deco’s game however, doesn’t seem to work at Chelsea. And it’s easier to accommodate the powerhouse likes of Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Drogba et al, than it is the fragile and careful Portuguese.

Hiddink started his life in the dugout as assistant coach at De Graafschap, before taking over the top job at PSV Eindhoven in 1987. Here, he enjoyed immediate success, winning the now defunct European Cup in 1988, as well as three Eredivisie titles, before his departure in 1990.

He spent a solitary season at Fenerbache in Turkey, before moving to Spanish giants Valencia. However, he departed at the end of 1994, to take up his first job as an international manager, taking over as manager of the Dutch national team on January 1, 1995.

It was in this occupation that Hiddink truly cemented his reputation as a manager of outstanding quality. His ability to gather his thoughts at short notice and to optimise the performance of any group of players had him earmarked as one of the brightest in the game. Crucially, the manner in which he is able to influence matches from the sideline and adapt to different situations during the match itself, and his exceptional motivational skills, set Hiddink apart from his contemporaries.

Hiddink is also a disciplinarian, though popular with the players he manages. However, this didn’t stop him from sending fiery midfielder Edgar Davids home from the Euro ’96 tournament, which saw Holland qualify for the second round despite being famously thumped 4-1 by a rampant England at Wembley in the group stages. Regardless, they weren’t able to progress beyond the quarter finals, losing to France 5-4 on penalties, after a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes.

Nonetheless, Hiddink remained in charge through to the 1998 World Cup. His side qualified for the second round out of a relatively weak group, containing Mexico, the Korean Republic and Belgium, the highlight being the 5-0 thrashing of the Koreans in the second match. To say that the round of 16 match against Yugoslavia was eventful, would be to show a mastery of understatement. Holland lead through a Dennis Bergkamp goal, only for the Yugoslavs to equalise just after half time. With the match looking certain to head to extra time, Edgar Davids won redemption, scoring in injury time to send the Dutch through.

Likewise in the quarter finals, Hiddink’s side left it late to secure their passage through to the next round, Bergkamp’s famously brilliant 89^th minute goal enough to beat Argentina 2-1. The Dutch side were earning praise for their enterprising and entertaining brand of football, and Davids would go on to earn a place in the team of the tournament. Unfortunately, despite another late equaliser in the semi final, from Patrick Kluivert, the Dutch were unable to defeat Brazil. After 120 minutes and with the score locked at 1-1, penalties were to decide the victor, and with Cocu and Ronald de Boer unsuccessful, Holland were knocked out.

This so ended Hiddink’s tenure as Holland coach, his resignation tendered at the conclusion of the tournament. Nonetheless, his services were still in high demand, and he signed as coach of Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 1998. Typically blunt and occasionally outspoken, Hiddink was sacked in February 1999, after making disparaging remarks about the board and the club’s finances. When Hiddink reportedly stated that the club needed to be more professional, Club President Lorenzo Sanz reportedly stated, “If he said it, he’ll be gone in five minutes”.

Hiddink’s next job was also in Spain, taking over as temporary manager of Real Betis in 2000. This situation wasn’t to end favourably though, as he was sacked at the end of the season. With rumours abound about a move to Celtic, Hiddink weighed up his options and decided to move back into international management, a situation which optimised his strengths as a manager. The next few years truly cemented Hiddink’s position as one of the top managers in the game.

The 2002 FIFA World Cup was hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan, and the opportunity to manage on the biggest stage in world football saw Hiddink sign with the South Korean national team, in early 2001.

His reputation as a fitness guru and disciplinarian again came to the fore, as in the months prior to the tournament, Hiddink ran his troops into the ground, determined to form a base from which the South Koreans could maintain a base of competitiveness – they made the semi finals. This incredible achievement was exemplified by the fact that in five previous world cup tournaments, South Korea had yet to even win a match. This time around though, they defeated Poland, drew with the USA and then snatched a fanciful 1-0 win over Portugal. The second round saw South Korea unbelievably defeat Italy 2-1 after extra time and then somehow defeat tournament heavyweights Spain 1-0 in the quarter final. Asian football hadn’t seen anything like this ever – “Hiddink for President” was an indication of his popularity. Unfortunately the fairytale ended in the semi final, where the South Koreans were defeated by eventual runners up Germany. It mattered little to the local fraternity though, as Hiddink became the first foreigner to be awarded an honorary citizenship. Other perks followed, including free flights for life on Korean Airlines, and one of the world cup stadiums being renamed “Guus Hiddink Stadium” in his honour. In his home town in Holland, a “Guuseum” was set up to commemorate his career.

Hiddink moved back to club football for the 2002-2003 season, rejoining PSV Eindhoven. He was immediately successful, both domestically and in European competition, winning the Dutch Eredivisie three times, as well as the Dutch Cup and Dutch Super Cup during his time there. He also guided PSV to the semi finals of the 2004-2005 Champions League, where they lost out on away goals to AC Milan. His second spell in Holland made him the most successful Dutch coach in the history of football.

What followed was perhaps his biggest challenge yet. In an unexpected coup, the Football Federation of Australia signed Hiddink to prepare for Australia’s world cup qualification playoff against Uruguay, and the tournament itself, should they qualify. He would continue in his role at PSV during this time. “Aussie Guus” as he is still affectionately known, guided Australia to their first world cup in 32 years, by virtue of a 4-2 penalty shootout win after extra time in the second leg, in Sydney. Both matches had ended 1-0 to the home sides, before John Aloisi netted his famous spot kick to send Australia through, after Mark Schwarzer’s two shootout saves.

The world cup itself was a success. Typically, Hiddink moulded the side into an immensely fit, tactically disciplined unit. In the first match, he presided over the most famous match in Australia’s footballing history, the incredible 3-1 comeback win against the Japanese. A loss to Brazil and a nailbiting 1-1 draw with Croatia were enough to guide the Socceroos into the second round. Unfortunately though, a controversial Francesco Totti penalty at the very end of the match saw Australia defeated 1-0 and thus knocked out of the competition.

Next for Hiddink was at one of his current jobs, the Russian national team, where his wages are paid at least in part by Roman Abramovich. Despite qualification being in doubt at one stage, Hiddink secured their passage through to the Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland. Once there though, the Russians caused waves, beating defending champions Greece in the group stage and Hiddink’s native Holland en route to the semi finals, where they were defeated 3-0 by eventual tournament winners, Spain. Particularly, the performances of Roman Pavlyuchenko and Andrei Arshavin stood out, earning them big money moves to Tottenham and Arsenal respectively.

After the tournament, Hiddink elected to continue on. Nevertheless, the prompt sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari in February of this year, presented Hiddink with the opportunity to become interim manager for the remainder of the season, whilst juggling his commitments with Russia. As a favour for Abramovich he agreed, and so far has embarked on a successful tenure as Chelsea manager. All of his famous managerial traits will be required if Chelsea are to win any of the three competitions they still remain in this season, but as the Australian fans coined back in 2006 - in Guus we trust!

Ouch. No bitterness there, then.

Sam was a product of the Atalanta youth system – one of several players that Chelsea signed from the Italian club in the Vialli – Ranieri years. He was the only one to make a real impact, scoring 6 goals in 73 appearances for the Blues. The one I’m sure we all remember was the spectacular 30-yarder against Ipswich, deciding a humdrum game that had threatened to descend into a stalemate. For that alone, we salute him. But, despite a strong season in 2001-02, interest from Milan was too much of a temptation. Despite a fiercely competitive midfield at the rossonieri, Sam left to test his mettle amongst Serie A’s finest. We’d love to say that this was a fairytale return to Italy for a young man who had captained his country at every level up to Under-21. Sadly, it wasn’t the case. Sam was unable to make an impact on a team featuring the young Pirlo and Gattuso, and with the experience of Seedorf. A miserable season with only 10 appearances, 6 from the bench, culminated in a loan move to Bologna and then sale to Lecce, followed by a further move to Sampdoria last July. He’s been an intermittent feature of the Sampdoria team, with 14 starts in Serie A and a further 4 in the Coppa Italia. Not quite the promised land he might have hoped for.

Just thinking about Sam takes me back to an era that, in these heady days of unlimited expenditure and back-toback titles, already seems a long way off. Remember the frightening season that Eidur and Jimmy had together? Remember Stanic and Petit? And this was less than 5 years ago. What a difference a new owner makes.

Sam first scored for the Blues at Everton in November 2000, with what was to become a trademark fizzer from outside the penalty area. I’m surprised more comparison hasn’t been made with Frank Lampard in recent years: both have a laconic, loping sort of stride on the pitch, and both favour hitting the ball from long range. Fortunately for us, Lampard’s much less likely to go missing when things are tough on the pitch. Sam’s relaxed approach could frustrate. Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised us: he learned his trade in the slower Italian game. I thought him symptomatic of the attitude under Luca, and carried over into Claudio’s time. We were a cup team – ironically, the very mentality that seems to elude us now – and Sam a cup player: elegant, capable of moments of real class, but ultimately not a title challenger. That’s not to say that we had no affection for him: there are many who still hanker after those days. The sort of side that could thump United one week, and be ground down and beaten by Sunderland the next. Thinking back to the perverse glamour and the inimitable charm of the great Vialli, it’s easy to feel nostalgic.

It is easy to forget, too, that Essien is only 26, having been born in December 1982. He spent his youth in the capital of Ghana, Accra and played for local team Liberty Professionals, whose alumni include Sulley Muntari and John Pantsil. Essien’s stock rose after some impressive performances in the 1999 FIFA Under-17 World Championship which saw Ghana reach the semi finals before bowing out on penalties to eventual winners Brazil. A move to Europe beckoned for Essien and French club Bastia secured the 17 year old’s services for a nominal fee in July 2000.

Essien appeared sporadically in seasons 2000/01 and 2001/02 for Bastia but again impressed when representing his national side, this time at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championships. Club form ensued as he helped guide Bastia to an Intertoto Cup place in his final season at the club, netting 6 goals in 29 appearances. In all he made 65 appearances and scored 11 goals for the Corsican outfit, and it became inevitable that France’s bigger boys would come knocking for his signature.

Confusion reigned with regards to his acquisition, much like it would 2 years later when he finally joined Chelsea. The BBC confirmed he had joined PSG for a fee of $6 million as a replacement for the outgoing Ronaldinho on the 30^th June 2003. However, 3 days later, he signed for Lyon in an $8 million deal having rejected PSG’s contract offer and having been enticed by the prospect of Champions League football.

Essien lasted only two seasons at the omnipotent champions of France where he instantly secured a first-team berth as the holding midfielder, allowing the more creative Juninho and Florent Malouda (!) to blossom. Essien’s status as one of Europe’s rising stars was now complete and like most of Lyon’s superstars he soon looked abroad to the headier heights of the Premier League.

What followed in the summer of 2005 was probably the most drawn out transfer in Chelsea’s history. Lyon President Jean-Michel Aulas decided to turn the transfer saga into a circus in an attempt to inflate Essien’s price. First, he said there was no way Essien would leave. However, after Essien himself demanded to go Aulas set about telling the press how almost every major European club were interested in him. Daily updates on which club seemed the most likely were forthcoming. Newly-crowned champions Chelsea had a total of five bids rejected; the first a somewhat optimistic £10 million offer. In the midst of the ongoing saga Aulas commented “Forty-five million euros (£31m). That’s the figure. We’ll sell Michael for the price of Steven Gerrard. They’re going to pay up or my name’s not Aulas.” Intriguingly Chelsea only came in for Essien after they failed to acquire Liverpool’s Gerrard – I think all Chelsea fans will look back now and be thoroughly relieved at the way it turned out. An attempt to include Tiago in the package was also turned down (although the Portuguese midfielder did join Lyon soon after) before a club record fee (at the time) was agreed: £24.4 million.

Essien joined a team that had just won the league and the league cup, and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Some fans asked why we needed to spend so much money on a new midfielder when our midfield and our squad in general appeared complete. Manager Jose Mourinho rubbished this view, saying that, “I wanted him because I was looking for a player to finish what is a very strong squad in every position. We believe he is the best we can get for his position and he can play anywhere in midfield”, adding, “He’s young, has a lot of ambition and he has the profile of the player we want.”

Essien debuted for his new side against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, coming on for Eidur Gudjohnsen. He started his first game three days later against West Brom at the Bridge, and appeared in 34 more league games as Chelsea cantered to the title. However Essien didn’t truly stamp his authority in his first season with the Blues, taking some time to adapt to the pacy Premiership. He did, though, notoriously stamp his authority on Liverpool’s Dietmar Hamann in the Champions League, dangerously lunging into the player. After Sky Sports and other media outlets continued to play and replay the incident UEFA got involved and banned him for 2 games, meaning he missed the two games against Barcelona which saw Chelsea knocked out in the Second Round. Essien scored two goals in his first season, against Tottenham and Everton respectively.

At the 2006 World Cup Essien was the fulcrum of the Ghana team that reached the second round – he was again extremely unfortunate to be suspended for their 3-0 defeat to Brazil. But Essien, like fellow African Didier Drogba, really shone at the finals and gave Chelsea fans renewed hope that he could thrive at Stamford Bridge.

And thrive he did. By the end of the 2006/07 Essien won the Chelsea Player of the Year and the Chelsea Goal of the Season, for his late wonder strike against Arsenal. He contributed all over the pitch, producing an imperious performance in the FA Cup Final at centre back alongside John Terry. From right back he scored in the last minute in the second leg of the Champions League Quarter Final in Valencia to ensure Chelsea’s dramatic process. He was the first (and so far the only) Chelsea player to score at Arsenal’s new ground, the Emirates. At times he kept an injury-plagued squad bound together with his versatility key to Chelsea’s success that season.

Essien picked up where he left off the following season with the winning goal in the opening game of the season against Birmingham City. The 2007/08 represented Essien’s most successful season in front of goal for Chelsea, netting 6 league goals for the Blues. He also guided Ghana to the semi finals of the African Nations Cup from a deep-lying playmaker role. Essien played the full 120 minutes of the Champions League Final in Moscow (at right-back), but didn’t take a penalty in the shootout, saying his mother had had a heart attack when he missed one for Lyon in the Champions League.

The current season looked like it had ended before it had even begun for Essien when he damaged cruciate ligaments playing for Ghana in early September. However, it is testament to his hard work ethic that he recovered so quickly, in time to mark his first start with a crucial away goal in Turin against Juventus and the winner against Manchester City the following weekend.

Chelsea’s season has flattered to deceive so far and there is no doubt that Essien’s absence has had a negative impact on the team. Now, though, with the stocky midfielder fit and well here’s hoping he can help lead the team once more and stay at Chelsea for years to come. There’s a strong chance we will never see another player quite like the brilliant Michael Essien in Chelsea blue.

But somehow, for us at least, all his flaws can be airbrushed in an instant with the swing of a boot, a powerful header, or a precisely struck free-kick, followed by a typically charismatic and elaborate goal celebration. Ladies and gentleman, meet Didier Drogba.

Born in March 1978, the Abidjan, Ivory Coast-born Drogba had to wait another 21 years before he finally put pen to paper on his first professional contract. Having spent a large part of his early life in France, Drogba began his footballing career in the North-West of the country with Le Mans.

Reportedly struggling to cope with the demands of professional football, Drogba’s time at Le Mans was hampered by injuries, although he did manage over 60 games in his four years at the club, scoring 12 goals in the process. The fledgling Drogba was then allowed to move on from Le Mans, with Guingamp signing the striker for a fee of around £80,000 in 2002.

It was here where Drogba’s potential began to show, with 45 appearances for the club producing 20 goals, almost a record of a goal every other game. It was at Guingamp where Drogba was introduced to, and flourished with, the winger Florent Malouda, with the two players becoming friends. Drogba was no doubt eager to link up again with the Frenchman in the future, and we all know how that turned out don’t we?

Although it may have been down to Malouda’s crosses, it was Drogba’s goals which were grabbing the headlines and attracting the plaudits. It wasn’t long before he was on the move again, with French giants Marseille sealing a £3.3m deal for the striker at the beginning of the 2003/04 season.

Despite the fact that he only stayed at l’OM for a solitary season, Drogba firmly established himself as a fans’ favourite at the club. A highly successful season for the Ivorian culminated in him winning the Player of the Year award in France, while bagging 19 goals in only 35 games. He particularly caught the eye in Marseille’s UEFA Cup run, in which the French side made it to the final of the competition before bowing out against Valencia in Gothenburg.

Meanwhile, Chelsea had just completed their first season in the megabucks world of Roman Abramovich, finishing 2nd in the Premier League and reaching the 5th round, quarter-finals and semi-finals of the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions’ League respectively. Having disposed of amiable manager Claudio Ranieri, the club replaced him with the ruthlessly effective José Mourinho. The Portuguese maestro in turn disposed of strikers Mikael Forsell, Carlton Cole, Hernán Crespo and the prolific Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink as he looked to shape his own squad.

Needing a new forward to spear an attack which already boasted the talents of Eidur Gudjohnsen and Mateja Kezman, Mourinho turned to Drogba, completing a £23.8m move on the 20th of July 2004.

The scattergun approach to signings in Abramovich’s first season had been calmed somewhat, with a quality over quantity policy implemented for the 2004/05 season. Drogba was seen as overpriced at the time, especially as his first campaign only brought ten league goals as he again struggled with injuries.

However, his link-up play and involvement in many of the side’s team goals proved his talent, and he and the club were rewarded with the Premier League title and the League Cup, with Drogba scoring a memorable – albeit scrappy – goal in the final against Liverpool.

As Chelsea continued their assault on English football in the 2005/06 season, Drogba continued where he left off from his debut campaign. The Community Shield was won against Arsenal, with Drogba’s strength a key component to the win as he easily shrugged off Gunners’ defender Phillipe Senderos to bag a brace.

Chelsea cantered to the league title again, and Drogba managed another 15 goals in total during the season, with 11 assists in the Premier League alone also under his belt.

However, the relative harmony at Stamford Bridge was disrupted somewhat in the build-up to the 2006/07 season. Drogba was linked with a move back to Marseille, a transfer which he seemed to welcome before doubling back on his comments and pledging his future to Chelsea. Also, despite a settled, successful system, Michael Ballack and striker Andriy Shevchenko were brought in as expensive luxuries.

Drogba went from being the star attraction up front for the Blues to sharing equal billing with the hard-working but goal-shy Shevchenko. But although the Ukrainian didn’t set the world alight, Drogba enjoyed his best season at the club to date, scoring an impressive 33 goals in a long season which featured successful cup runs in both the FA Cup and the League Cup, with Drogba scoring the winner against Manchester United in the former, and a key double against Arsenal in the latter.

During this season, Drogba also added some personal awards to an ever-growing trophy cabinet. In January 2007, he won the Ivorian player of the year, and followed up that award in March with the African Player of the Year trophy. His club achievements didn’t go unnoticed either, as he finished second in the PFA Player of the Year award.

But after the highs come the lows, and for Drogba the 2007/08 campaign was to be the lowest of the low. The 15 goals spread over the season are unfortunately not the main talking point.

Following an average start to the season, and after a reported breakdown in the relationship of Mourinho and Abramovich, the club’s most successful manager left the club by mutual consent in September 2007. Drogba was devastated, resulting in the infamous quote: “I want to leave Chelsea. Something is broken with Chelsea, The damage is big in the dressing room,” which was printed in the equally infamous France Football Magazine.

Drogba looked a different player from then on, although his appearances were limited compared to previous seasons due to a knee operation and international duty with Ivory Coast in the 2008 African Cup of Nations tournament.

Despite the increase in mood swings and – at times – noticeably withdrawn body language, Drogba did provide a hugely memorable moment in the Champions League semi-final second leg win over Liverpool. Taunted pre-match by Reds boss Rafa Benitez, who called into question Drogba’s diving antics, the Ivorian hit back on the pitch with a vital brace, sliding on his knees in the direction of Benitez after the powerfully-struck first goal.

However, Drogba let himself and the Chelsea fans down in the Champions League final, needlessly slapping Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic with just minutes left of extra-time and picking up a red card. Chelsea lost on penalties with crucial misses from John Terry and Nicolas Anelka proving costly. Drogba, goalscorer supreme, would surely have been on the list of penalty takers had he stayed on the pitch.

2008/09 brought a new period of upheaval to the club, with Luis Felipe Scolari taking the reins at Chelsea. Drogba’s future was again up in the air, and injuries combined with a lack of fitness kept him off the pitch for the beginning of the season. Anelka spearheaded the attack and raced into an early lead as the Premier League’s top goalscorer while Drogba kicked his heels on the sidelines.

Although he managed to make an goal-scoring appearance against Burnley in the League Cup penalty defeat, Drogba threw a coin into the away fans’ section following his strike and picked up mass criticism and a three-match ban. Drogba also seemed to reach a new low against Manchester United in a league game at Old Trafford, where Chelsea were trounced 0-3. Drogba barely got in the game and displayed body language which seemed to suggest a complete lack of effort or desire.

Anelka remained the main striker until Scolari’s time at Chelsea came to a premature end. Guus Hiddink was brought in and it was as if a dark cloud was no longer hanging over the club. Drogba performed another u-turn and began to look like his old self again, and his mini-renaissance under the Dutchman brought key goals against Juventus (in both games), Portsmouth, and Coventry City.

However, just seven goals in 30 games so far this season for the 30 year old Drogba has cast some doubt over his future at Chelsea. Constantly linked with a move away, with Mourinho’s Inter Milan a likely destination, it remains to be seen whether or not the Ivorian will be at Stamford Bridge next season. An upheaval has been promised by the club’s hierarchy, and Drogba could well be a victim of the Chelsea cull.

But if he does go, how will he be remembered by the fans? A diving, play-acting prima donna? An enigma? The man who seemed to look for a move away from the club at every given opportunity?

Or a proven goalscorer and a vital cog in our recent success?

Didier Drogba: forever a mystery. But for the time being, he’s our mystery.

“I think that’s the best we’ve actually done in years,” the Reading-born teenager remarks when asked if he has been keeping up with the competition. “We’ve got a good team, a good squad, and hopefully they’ll go all the way and win it.”

Bridcutt joined Yeovil on a short-term deal back in February and started to cement a place in the starting line-up before illness kept him out of recent games. Russell Slade-manager of the Somerset outfit-described Bridcutt as: “A Michael Essien-style midfielder,” after announcing the signing, and the dynamic youngster is grateful for the move and how it came about.

“I had a call from my agent [from Yeovil],” Bridcutt begins. “I came down for a weeks training just to get to know the boys and have a look around. I liked the boys, the facilities and the manager so I ended up signing.

“I get on well with most of the boys, there’s no-one that I don’t get on with and I think they’ve all taken to me.”

With first-team squad member Scott Sinclair currently on loan at Charlton Athletic, while as many as twelve other Chelsea players are being borrowed by other clubs this season, Bridcutt-who signed a pro contract with the club in Summer 2007-appreciates the need to perhaps take one step backwards in order to take two forward in the future.

“Loans are all about getting experience and getting games under your belt. You learn your trade really,” he explains.

“I’m only young, still learning the game, and I’ve had the luck to come down to Yeovil, a decent club, and they’ve given me the opportunity to show what I can do really.”

Despite the constantly rising standard of youth football, Bridcutt-who has successfully made the step up to reserve football at the Blues-also understands the differences between second-string sides and league clubs.

He says: “You’ve come from the youth team or reserves and it’s a big step up to play in league football. It’s a lot more physical, a lot quicker and I’d recommend it to any young boy coming through [the ranks].”

However, he still appreciates the ability shown by Chelsea’s youth side in their impressive run to the Semi-Finals of the FA Youth Cup. Bridcutt has praise for the whole side, but picks out a few names in particular as potential stars.

“A few of the foreign boys that have come over from Spain like Sergio [Tejera] and the Portuguese boys have had to learn the language, adapt to English football and the weather,” he explains, “And I think they’ve done that brilliantly.

“One of the boys called Shaun Cummings I’ve known for a few years now, and I’ve grown up with him and come through the youth system with him. This year and last year he’s improved tremendously really.”

He also mentioned Gael Kakuta, the lively French attacking midfielder and potential tie-winner on Wednesday night against Aston Villa with the scores level at 1-1 following the first leg at Stamford Bridge on March 7^th.

“When he first came [to Chelsea] some of the skills he would do in training and in games…” he pauses, lost for words like many fans have been this season while watching Kakuta’s silky style of play.

“Usually you see people do skills in training and they don’t do that in games, but he’s got that confidence and he’s a quality player. A really good player.”

With the Semi-Final tie poised on a knife-edge, and a two-legged final against Manchester City’s youth side waiting for either Chelsea or Aston Villa, Bridcutt will be keeping tabs on his team-mates at Villa Park on Wednesday evening. While he won’t be taking the field himself, he believes the squad the Blues put out on the night is strong enough to succeed.

And with the calibre of players Chelsea are producing this season, Bridcutt included, there is no reason why they can’t.