Ranking the 5 worst Chelsea attackers of the Abramovich era

Ranking Chelsea's 5 worst strikers under Abramovich era
Ranking Chelsea's 5 worst strikers under Abramovich era

#3 Alvaro Morata

Chelsea FC v Southampton FC - Premier League
Chelsea FC v Southampton FC - Premier League

Morata arrived at the club in 2017 on the back of Antonio Conte's harsh decision to expel the outstanding Diego Costa, after having just won a Premier League trophy. Chelsea were directed to approach Alvaro Morata, a similar yet more mobile lanky target man who shone for Real Madrid before a complicated time for Juventus.

Chelsea forked out £60 Million for a signing they assumed would be a pillar for the next decade. Having started well, many had hoped that he would excel.

Sadly, instead what they got was a weak and underconfident figure who seemed far out of his depth as a focal point for the pressure of Chelsea. He scored just 24 times before being shipped out on loan to Atletico Madrid, never to return.


#2 Andriy Shevchenko

Shevchenko at Chelsea celebrating a rare goal
Shevchenko at Chelsea celebrating a rare goal

On paper, Andriy Shevchenko's signing in 2006 was the perfect marquee transfer. It added one of Europe's best players at the time to an increasingly ambitious Chelsea team, out to build a legacy under Jose Mourinho.

The former Ballon D'or winning Ukrainian legend was 29 at the time. He had scored 173 goals in 296 games for AC Milan, establishing himself as one of Europe's most formidable talents.

What was even more appealing was that Shevchenko was a personal favorite of Abramovich. He was signed without consulting Jose Mourinho, creating a strained relationship between owner and manager. This reflected in poor results on the pitch as well.

Perhaps it all started to fall apart even before he arrived, as Mourinho was vocal about not getting a say in the £30 million transfer.

Shevchenko's poor form on the pitch didn't help either, as the striker looked a shadow of the legendary player at Dynamo Kyiv and AC Milan. He scored just 22 goals in his two years at the club.


#1 Fernando Torres

SL Benfica v Chelsea FC - UEFA Europa League Final
SL Benfica v Chelsea FC - UEFA Europa League Final

It is hard to categorize a player who won the Europa League and Champions League as a flop. But his ability and influence on the pitch was very clearly weakened by sensational misses, a lack of confidence and fragile forward play.

Despite the accolades, the general consensus is that Torres was a huge disappointment at Chelsea. It was a poorly timed transfer for a player past his prime.

He was bought for a jaw-dropping 50 million pounds in January 2011. But Torres looked a pale shadow of the clinical and stylish striker who played for Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. Struggling for form and fitness, his four-year sojourn at Chelsea saw him lose confidence and question his own ability.

Many Chelsea fans saw him as a liability, wasting clear cut chances that his predecessor Didier Drogba thrived on. The hefty price tag also put pressure on managers to select him in the team. This was a time when the alternative options on the bench seemed better placed.

Quick Links

Edited by Aditya Singh
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications