We are about to enter the busy and potentially season-altering Christmas fixtures period, almost mid way through the season.
Chelsea sits at the top of the tree with Manchester City trailing them by 3 points and things look very encouraging for the Blues as they’ve won titles on each occasion that they topped the table at this stage.
Throw in the fact that Jose Mourinho is the kind of manager who knows how to maintain the lead at the top, we might say that it is almost certain that Chelsea will emerge the Champions this season.
The Blues have played some fine football all round the season in the country, if not Europe, dominating games and rarely giving their opponents any hope of getting something out of the game.
They have been compared to the Invincibles all through the season, at least till their perennial Waterloo, St.James Park.
Even though they’ve finally lost a game, this Chelsea squad is as close to perfection as a team can be: watertight at the back, dominant in the midfield, and deadly upfront.
So in a series of Polls by us, we compare each and every position from this Chelsea squad to that of the great Invincibles’ squad, culminating in a definitive SUPER-INVINCIBLE squad (as chosen by our readers).
After the keepers, now it’s time for the battle of the left-backs.
Ashley Cole:
Erm…Yes.
It’s good ole Ashley Cole who was the left-back for the Invincibles.
Yep.
You’ve seen it right.
Ashley Cole was the primary left-back of the Invincibles.
Remembered better for his spell at the Stamford Bridge rather than the one with Arsenal, Cole played 32 games in the 2003-2004 season for Arsenal.
He formed a fearsome partnership with another Gunner’s favorite Robert Pires on the left-hand side and the Gunners were virtually unplayable on that side throw in the fact that Thierry Henry at times drifted on to the wing.
His forays into the opposition half to either support Pires or have a go himself was a treat to watch.
He also possessed amazing pace to recover in time to shuttle back from the opposition half once the ball was lost to perform his defensive duties.
He won 3 FA Cups with the Gunners and the Golden Premier League trophy.
He left the club in 2006 under acrimonious circumstances for city rivals Chelsea.
He played out his best years for the Blues winning almost everything there is to win, all the while being one of the finest left-backs the world has ever seen.
Cesar Azpilicueta
Dave has kept out one of the best left-backs in the world this season.
Cesar Azpilicueta, fondly called Dave by the Blues faithful has been one of the biggest revelations in world football in recent times as he went from virtually being an anonymous nobody to one of the best defenders in the league, if not the world.
Signed from Olympique Marseille for a reported 7 million, he has proven to be one of the biggest bargains in recent times, in the times of inflated prices.
I remember that the odd was huge that he would come, back in the day when I was learning how to bet in sportbook.
Naturally a right-back, he initially struggled to break into the Chelsea squad.
He gradually found his feet under Rafa Benitez as the Spaniard favored Ivanovic at center-back over Terry.
After Mourinho took over, he initially struggled to feature but eventually forced his way into the squad again, displacing none other than Ashley Cole.
He is a complete full-back but is a much better defense than going forward.
He is a strong runner as well.
He rarely loses anyone on one and is strong in the tackle.
As Gary Neville and Carragher pointed out, he is one of the best defenders in the league.
Note: This poll is to compare the players in the respective seasons, ie 2003-04 for the Arsenal players and the ongoing season for the Chelsea players.
Please vote accordingly.
Which of these two would you pick as a left-back for your dream team?
Think there are other left-backs who could do even better them?
Leave their names in the comments!
