Chelsea - European Giants

[catch325]

After my Aston Villa save was corrupted, I jumped back into an old save. In this save, my goal was to turn Chelsea (the team I support) into a powerhouse.

Now, this may not seem like a difficult task, but I wanted to do something most Chelsea manager's have struggled to do in the past. I wanted to nurture and develop the youth teams, bring young players into the club, and bring them through into the first team. I also set myself the goal of ensuring my net spend was as low as possible.

It's now the year 2021, and I'm still with Chelsea. I've also taken the reigns of the England national team, after Roberto Martinez was sacked.

Anyone interested in the story so far?

 

[MrWisdoman]

As a Chelsea fan myself, I will stay tuned to the story

 

[catch325]

Career stats so far...

 

[catch325]

Chelsea - Five Years of Clark

We take a look at the reign of current Chelsea manager James Clark.

The fortunes of Chelsea Football Club are well known across the footballing world. A team that struggled for stability and struggled financially for a number of years, and found moderate success under the guidance of Ken Bates. That is, until a helicopter ride changed everything.

The story goes that, in 2003, a Russian businessman was being flown across London to see White Heart Lane, with the view of buying Tottenham Hotspur. During this flight, Abramovich glanced out of his window and spotted another stadium, this located in South West London. One look was all it took. Abramovich bought Chelsea, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Abramovich has now owned the club for eighteen years. Under his stewardship, the club has undergone the most successful period in their history. They have also seen twelve different managers in that period. Abramovich has earned himself a reputation as being trigger happy. In fact, the longest serving manager under Abramovic was José Mourinho, who steered the club for nearly five seasons across two managerial stints. That was until Mourinho was axed, and Abramovic told the bold step in hiring a 27 year old former England international, much to the dismay of many fans.

James Clark, a Woking-born defender whose own professional career was brought to an end after a series of knee injuries, was given the post on an initial one year contract. The life-long Chelsea fan was delighted. Many expected the inexperienced manager to be out of Stamford Bridge within six months. Clark has held the position for six years. In fact, only three men have managed the club for longer than Clark, who has led the team into 355 games. By the end of the season, should he still be in charge, Clark will have overtaken Dave Sexton as the third longest serving Chelsea manager, and will be hot on the heels of Ted Drake and his 426 games in charge. Will Clark ever overtake the impressive record of David Calderhead, and his 966 games in charge? Time will tell.

 

[catch325]

First Team - Information

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Player[/TD]
[TD]Position[/TD]
[TD]Age[/TD]
[TD]Nationality[/TD]
[TD]Value[/TD]
[TD]Previous Club[/TD]
[TD]Joined[/TD]
[TD]Fee Paid[/TD]
[TD]Homegrown?[/TD]
[TD]Regen?[/TD]
[TD]League Games[/TD]
[TD]League Goals[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Thibaut Courtois[/TD]
[TD]GK[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]Belgium[/TD]
[TD]£30.5m[/TD]
[TD]KRC Genk[/TD]
[TD]2011/12[/TD]
[TD]£7.75m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]244[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Brad Carter[/TD]
[TD]GK[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]England[/TD]
[TD]£6.75m[/TD]
[TD]CFC Academy[/TD]
[TD]2015/16[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Miguel Cardoso[/TD]
[TD]RB[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Portugal[/TD]
[TD]£18.75m[/TD]
[TD]Leiria/Sheffield Wednesday[/TD]
[TD]2018/19[/TD]
[TD]£3.5m[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]34[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Felipe Arriola[/TD]
[TD]RB/CB/LB[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Chile[/TD]
[TD]£20.5m[/TD]
[TD]Deportes La Serena[/TD]
[TD]2018/19[/TD]
[TD]£525k[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gabriel Diaz[/TD]
[TD]CB/RB[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Argentina[/TD]
[TD]£16m[/TD]
[TD]Atletico Tucuman[/TD]
[TD]2020/21[/TD]
[TD]£3.8m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Andreas Christensen[/TD]
[TD]CB/RB/DM[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]Denmark[/TD]
[TD]£23m[/TD]
[TD]Brondby[/TD]
[TD]2012/13[/TD]
[TD]Free[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]64[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daniele Rugani[/TD]
[TD]CB[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]Italy[/TD]
[TD]£43m[/TD]
[TD]Juventus[/TD]
[TD]2016/17[/TD]
[TD]£30m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]136[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kurt Zouma[/TD]
[TD]CB/RB[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]French[/TD]
[TD]£34.5m[/TD]
[TD]St-Etienne[/TD]
[TD]2013/14[/TD]
[TD]£12m[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]160[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Zdenek Filip[/TD]
[TD]RB/RWB[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Czech Republic[/TD]
[TD]£31m[/TD]
[TD]Mlada Boleslav[/TD]
[TD]2016/17[/TD]
[TD]£3m[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]69[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jorge[/TD]
[TD]LB/LWB[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]Brazil[/TD]
[TD]£24.5m[/TD]
[TD]Flamengo[/TD]
[TD]2016/17[/TD]
[TD]£16m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]95[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucas Borg[/TD]
[TD]LB/LWB/DM[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Sweden[/TD]
[TD]£8.5m[/TD]
[TD]Elfsborg[/TD]
[TD]2017/18[/TD]
[TD]£2.2m[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ruben Loftus-Cheek[/TD]
[TD]CM/DM/AM[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]England[/TD]
[TD]£37m[/TD]
[TD]CFC Academy[/TD]
[TD]2010/11[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]136[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Youri Tielemans[/TD]
[TD]CM/DM[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]Belgium[/TD]
[TD]£49m[/TD]
[TD]Anderlecht[/TD]
[TD]2016/17[/TD]
[TD]£18.25m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]120[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Paul Pogba[/TD]
[TD]CM/DM[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]France[/TD]
[TD]£57m[/TD]
[TD]Juventus[/TD]
[TD]2018/19[/TD]
[TD]£95m[/TD]
[TD]Trained in Nation[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]75[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sotiris Pavlidis[/TD]
[TD]CM/AM[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Germany[/TD]
[TD]£30.5m[/TD]
[TD]Stuttgart[/TD]
[TD]2019/20[/TD]
[TD]£35.5m[/TD]
[TD](Not Yet)[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Luis Garcia[/TD]
[TD]RM/RW[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Portugal[/TD]
[TD]£16.25m[/TD]
[TD]Sporting Lisbon[/TD]
[TD]2021/22[/TD]
[TD]£28m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Pedro Martin[/TD]
[TD]RM/CM/RW/AM[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Spain[/TD]
[TD]£12.75m[/TD]
[TD]Real Madrid[/TD]
[TD]2021/22[/TD]
[TD]£20m[/TD]
[TD](Not Yet)[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Andy Cohen[/TD]
[TD]LM/CM/LW/AM[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]America[/TD]
[TD]£27m[/TD]
[TD]DC United[/TD]
[TD]2017/18[/TD]
[TD]£5m[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]65[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Robson[/TD]
[TD]CM/AM/ST[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Brazil[/TD]
[TD]£43m[/TD]
[TD]Sao Paulo[/TD]
[TD]2018/19[/TD]
[TD]£15.25m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]80[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Facundo Hernandez[/TD]
[TD]LM/LW[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Argentina[/TD]
[TD]£30.5m[/TD]
[TD]Colon[/TD]
[TD]2019/20[/TD]
[TD]£5m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Eden Hazard[/TD]
[TD]LM/CM/RM/LW/AM/RW[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]Belgium[/TD]
[TD]£49m[/TD]
[TD]Lille[/TD]
[TD]2012/13[/TD]
[TD]£29m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]285[/TD]
[TD]116[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Romelu Lukaku[/TD]
[TD]ST[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]Belgium[/TD]
[TD]£35.5m[/TD]
[TD]Everton[/TD]
[TD]2017/18[/TD]
[TD]£31.5m[/TD]
[TD]Trained in Nation[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]90[/TD]
[TD]57[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sergey Fedotov[/TD]
[TD]ST[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Russia[/TD]
[TD]£31m[/TD]
[TD]CSKA[/TD]
[TD]2021/22[/TD]
[TD]£30.5m[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marco Bukowski[/TD]
[TD]ST[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Germany[/TD]
[TD]£9m[/TD]
[TD]Karlsruhe[/TD]
[TD]2017/18[/TD]
[TD]£2.7m[/TD]
[TD]Club Grown[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Arner Iribarren[/TD]
[TD]ST[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Peru[/TD]
[TD]£675k[/TD]
[TD]Aceros Arequipa[/TD]
[TD]2020/21[/TD]
[TD]£29k[/TD]
[TD](Not Yet)[/TD]
[TD]Yes[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Bold dictates a player/transfer that predated my appointment.
Italicised dictates a player promoted in recent games (Lukaku ruled out for 8 months with ligament damage).
Stats are just league games, not all competitions (so someone like Fedetov has 6 goals and 3 assists in 10 games).
Blue names are players who are considered 'club grown'.

 

[catch325]

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Season[/TD]
[TD]Position[/TD]
[TD]W[/TD]
[TD]D[/TD]
[TD]L[/TD]
[TD]G/D[/TD]
[TD]FA Cup[/TD]
[TD]Capital One Cup[/TD]
[TD]Champions League[/TD]
[TD]Community Shield[/TD]
[TD]Super Cup[/TD]
[TD]Club World Cup[/TD]
[TD]Spent[/TD]
[TD]Received[/TD]
[TD]Net Spend[/TD]
[TD]Most Expensive Purchase[/TD]
[TD]Most Expensive Sale[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2015/16[/TD]
[TD]4th[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]+39[/TD]
[TD]3rd Round[/TD]
[TD]3rd Round[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]£30.35m[/TD]
[TD]£30.5m[/TD]
[TD]-£0.15m[/TD]
[TD]Gabriel Barbosa (£14.75m - Santos)[/TD]
[TD]John Obi Mikel (£13.25m - PSG)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2016/17[/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]+44[/TD]
[TD]5th Round[/TD]
[TD]4th Round[/TD]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]£91.67m[/TD]
[TD]£146m[/TD]
[TD]-£54.33m[/TD]
[TD]Daniel Rugani (£30m - Juventus)[/TD]
[TD]Willian (£57m - City)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2017/18[/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]+67[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]3rd Round[/TD]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]£96.05m[/TD]
[TD]£104m[/TD]
[TD]-£7.95m[/TD]
[TD]Romelu Lukaku (£31.5m - Everton)[/TD]
[TD]Pedro (£30m - Juventus)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2018/19[/TD]
[TD]2nd[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]+47[/TD]
[TD]3rd Round[/TD]
[TD]4th Round[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]Lost[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]£127m[/TD]
[TD]£187m[/TD]
[TD]-£60m[/TD]
[TD]Paul Pogba (£95m - Juventus)[/TD]
[TD]Nemanja Matic (£51m - Barcelona)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2019/20[/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]+63[/TD]
[TD]3rd Round[/TD]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]1st Knockout[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]£90.37m[/TD]
[TD]£110m[/TD]
[TD]-£19.63m[/TD]
[TD]Kingsley Coman (£42m - Juventus)[/TD]
[TD]Gabriel Barbosa (£47m - City)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2020/21[/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD]30[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]+69[/TD]
[TD]6th Round[/TD]
[TD]Quarter Final[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]Lost[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]N/A[/TD]
[TD]£7.92m[/TD]
[TD]£181m[/TD]
[TD]-£173.08m[/TD]
[TD]Gabriel Diaz (£3.8m - Tucaman)[/TD]
[TD]Ante Coric (£25.5m - AC Milan)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2021/22[/TD]
[TD]1st[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]+19[/TD]
[TD]Unknown[/TD]
[TD]3rd Round[/TD]
[TD]Group G Winner[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]Winner[/TD]
[TD]Unknown[/TD]
[TD]£85.2m[/TD]
[TD]£169m[/TD]
[TD]-£83.8m[/TD]
[TD]Sergey Fedetov (£30.5m - CSKA)[/TD]
[TD]Kingsley Coman (£50m - PSG)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[catch325]

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Team v @ManUtd: Courtois; Cardoso, Rugani, Zouma (C), Jorge; Pogba, Loftus-Cheek; Garcia, Cohen, Hernández; Bukowski. #BPL

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Subs v @ManUtd: Carter, Arriola, Díaz, Martín, Hazard, Iribarren, Fedotov.

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CHELSEA GOAL! Bukowski heads Chelsea into the lead! Cohen releases Hernández down the left, and his cross is met by Buko. 1-0 #CFCvMUFC

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CHELSEA GOAL! Cohen with the corner, met at the far post by Rugani. His header rebounds off the crossbar, hits Aboubakar, and goes in! #OwnGoal #CFCvMUFC

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AND THAT MAKES THREE! Cardoso finds the feet of Martín, who spins away from his man. He gets space, and whips the ball low into the box, where Cohen meets it. He deserves that goal! #CFCvMUFC #CohenShow

---

FULL TIME: Chelsea 3 - 0 @ManUtd #CFCvMUFC

 

[MrWisdoman]

A win against man united always puts a smile on my face

 

[catch325]

---

Team v @s04: Carter; Cardoso, Arriola, Zouma (C), Borg; Pogba, Pavlidis; Hazard, Róbson, Hernández; Iribarren #UCL #Unbeaten

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Subs v @s04: Courtois, Rugani, Díaz, Martín, Loftus-Cheek, Bukowski, Fedotov.

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PENALTY! Geis trips Pogba in the area, and the referee points to the spot...surely a Hazard special? #UCL #CFCvS04

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GOAL! Hazard dispatches the penalty with ease! 1-0 Chelsea. 6 minutes gone #UCL #CFCvS04

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STUNNING STRIKE! 41 minutes gone, and Pavlidis shows the world what a talent he is! 25 yards out, collects a cleared header, and he thunders his strike into the top corner! No saving that! Flashbacks to the great Frank Lampard there! #UCL #CFCvS04

---

HALF TIME: 2-0 to Chelsea, and there is movement on the bench. Róbson off, Bukowski on, and Clark is changing things up. Chelsea going 4-2-2-2 and pushing for more goals #UCL #CFCvS04

 

[catch325]

GOAL! Bukowski, with his back to goal, finds Hazard running into space on the right. He charges into the area, the only Schalke defender was Matip who closes him down, and Hazard sweeps across a ball to the unmarked Iribarren. Cool as you like, two touches, and he beats the keeper! #UCL #CFCvS04

 

[catch325]

FULL TIME: And that makes it 5 wins from 5 in the #UCL this season. An incredible 17 goals along the way. Atlético and Schake dispatched with, Dinamo up next. A wonder strike from Pavlidis, and Iribarren's second goal of the season see us continue our European march.