How to Win with Chelsea on Football Manager 2005: Team Guide, Transfers & Tactics
Chelsea 2004/05
League: English Premier League
Position Last Season: 2nd
Media Prediction: Title Chasers
Initial Transfer Budget: £41.5m
Total Wage Budget: £1.8m per week
Current Wage Total: £771k per week
Despite a strong showing in the first season of the Roman Abramovich era, Chelsea missed out on winning the 2003/04 Premier League due to Arsenal’s Invincible season. This failure to win the league saw previous manager Claudio Ranieri sacked and replaced by Porto’s Champions League-winning manager, Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho’s arrival saw the Special One joined by several top Portuguese players, chiefly Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho, following the Special One from Porto as direct replacements for the departing Mario Melchiot and Marcel Desailly, plus Tiago and Nuno Morais to strengthen overall squad depth. Other new signings included Petr Cech, Arjen Robben, Mateja Kezman, and Didier Drogba.
The resulting season saw Chelsea win the league for the first time since 1955, the League Cup, and narrowly miss out on reaching the Champions League final.
Can you replicate, or even improve upon, Mourinho’s immediate success at Stamford Bridge?
Chelsea Players on Football Manager 2005 - First Team
Goalkeepers
1. Petr Cech
One of many new signings over the summer, Cech has arrived to provide stiff competition for established first-choice keeper Carlo Cudicini. Cech just about edges ahead and benefits from being a more commanding traditional goalkeeper.
23. Carlo Cudicini
Cudicini has been Chelsea’s starting keeper for the last four seasons. He’s more of a risk taker then Cech, fitting the modern sweeper keeper style. Although he starts the game out with a three month injury that shouldn’t be a problem, as long as Cech stays fit. Ease him back in slowly, starting with easier games and cup competition, then either rotate them or make a decision on which goalie to stick with once Cudicini is back to full fitness.
40. Lenny Pidgeley
A young third-choice keeper but unlikely to make any first-team appearances, unless Cech and Cudicini are both injured or you’re feeling particularly confident against lower league opposition in cup games (and not bothered about keeping Cudicini happy). Pidgeley mirrors Cudicini’s sweeper keeper style, so don’t risk playing him unless you’re confident the defensive line can cover him.
Defenders
26. John Terry
Club captain Terry is easily first-choice centre back due to his absurdly high defensively minded attributes, including being the team’s best tackler. At just 23 years old, Terry could well serve as the foundation of your defence for another decade, just as he did in real life.
13. William Gallas
Now in his fourth season with Chelsea, Gallas can play as a centre back or right back. Although Gallas isn’t the most refined defender, he more than makes up with that through sheer physicality. You could choose to start him alongside Terry or have him provide cover for both positions from the bench. Just make sure he gets game time, or he might not want to sign a new contract; his current deal expires at the end of next season.
6. Ricardo Carvalho
New signing Carvalho is more technically gifted but less physical than Gallas. He’s the club’s best marker so worth utilising against pacey attacking threats. It’s probably best to rotate them for the first few months, so you can determine which player you prefer to start alongside Terry.
18. Wayne Bridge
Bridge had a solid if unspectacular first season with Chelsea and remains first-choice going into his second season. More of a wing back than a full back in style, Bridge’s Crossing and Free Kick attributes mean he should rack up quite a few assists as the season progresses.
20. Paulo Ferreira
The first signing under Mourinho, Ferreira overtakes Glen Johnson as the obvious starting right back. Ferreira is a solid all rounder who can carry the ball forward and even whip it into the box from time to time.
2. Glen Johnson
Johnson was the first outfield signing of the Roman Abramovich era but the arrival of Ferreira sees him reduced to backup right back due to his lack of physical prowess, albeit still holding high future potential. It’s worth rotating Johnson with Gallas on the bench as both can cover right back and centre back. Start Johnson at right back in cup games to help him develop.
29. Robert Huth
Despite being the least developed first-team defender on Chelsea’s books, Huth does have high enough Heading and Tackling to be a solid defensive rotation option. While he isn’t likely to play many minutes across the season, try to include Huth in cup games to avoid stunting his development. Huth’s contract expires at the end of the season, so either re-sign him promptly or transfer list him to boost your transfer kitty.
3. Celestine Babayaro
A clear second fiddle since Bridge arrived last season but Babayaro is actually better defensively, so worth playing when you’re against tough opposition or trying to defend a lead. Babayaro is still a solid backup option, but isn’t likely to sign a new contract unless you give him plenty of playing time. It might be worth trying to sell up while you can still make some money from him.
Midfielders
8. Frank Lamaprd
Arguably the first name on your teamsheet, Lampard is the engine that helps Chelsea perform so effectively. Lampard’s high attributes mean he’ll contribute goals, assists, and pretty much dictate your team’s attacking play. Although Lampard isn’t the best Free Kick or Penalty taker in the squad, he is the most likely to be on the pitch at any given time.
16. Arjen Robben
Although Robben just edges ahead of the pack on mental attributes, he doesn’t have the technical attributes Duff or Cole offer. But it’s important to give Robben plenty of game time due to his much higher long term potential. Start Robben in cup games and rotate him with Cole as one of your bench options, their shared position familiarity means there’s not much value in including both in your lineup, unless one is starting.
Damien Duff
Duff is your strongest left sided midfield option and should start whenever possible. Ironically, his Strength is his biggest weakness but his speed and Crossing mean your striker(s) will get plenty of opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net. He may even find the net himself a few times over the course of the season. Give Duff the number 11 shirt for an extra bit of realism.
10. Joe Cole
A high quality central attacking midfielder who can also provide solid back up as a left midfielder/winger. He’s the most technically gifted midfielder but lacks the mental or physical aptitude of other options. Despite being right footed, Cole CANNOT play on the right-hand side. Seriously, if you play him on the right wing his ratings will be terrible. FM05 doesn’t explain position familiarity very clearly…
4. Claude Makélélé
A player so good they named a position after him! Makélélé arrives at Stamford Bridge after three years with Real Madrid, immediately raising the bar for Chelsea’s midfield options. While Makélélé’s overall technical abilities aren’t particularly high, his ball winning and passing capabilities are what matter. Play Makélélé alongside Lampard in a two-man midfield, or behind as a defensive midfielder in a three-man midfield.
30. Tiago
Another member of the newly signed Portuguese contingent, Tiago is probably your weakest first-team midfielder besides Alexei Smertin. Try to rotate him onto the bench occasionally and make sure Tiago at least features in cup games, otherwise he simply won’t have the match fitness to perform if needed in an emergency. Tiago’s good Finishing and First Touch make him a more natural cover option for Lampard.
20. Scott Parker
A good rotation option but, unless you’re focused on a solid team structure, Parker isn’t likely to start games often without other players getting injured. His attributes are generally better than Tiago’s, especially if you’re playing without a defensive midfielder and Makélélé needs a rest. Parker’s technical and physical attributes make him the perfect cover for Makélélé in such a scenario.
14. Geremi
Geremi is currently the only realistic right midfielder/winger unless you plan on signing another. That isn’t to say he’s a bad option, Geremi has incredible Physical attributes and workhorse-like Mental attributes too. Just keep an eye on his condition; while his Natural Fitness and Stamina are almost perfect, overplaying Geremi is a potential concern unless you bring somebody in to cover or compete for the position, or switch to a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 formation on occasion.
5. Alexei Smertin
A clear fifth choice in your central midfield pecking order and transfer listed from day one, Smertin only really has a place as backup to Makélélé in the Defensive Midfielder position. But even that position has better options readily available on the transfer market. It’s important to note that Smertin’s contract expires in June 2005, so you need to make a decision on whether to keep or sell him fairly quickly, and offer him out to clubs if choosing the latter, otherwise you might lose him for nothing.
27. Alexis Nicolas
The London-born Cypriot made his Chelsea debut last season but doesn’t really have much to offer, and even starts the game transfer listed. It’s probably best to cash in before his contract expires in summer 2006.
Strikers
7. Adrian Mutu
Technically the best all-round forward at Chelsea on FM05, Mutu started the 2003/04 season strong but has largely failed to deliver since. One of his strengths is being the club’s best Corner and Free Kick taker. Just don’t rely on Mutu if you’re playing with one striker, his Finishing and Heading simply aren’t good enough to be considered your primary goalscorer. He’s also by far the highest paid Chelsea forward, so keep that in mind when comparing his performances to the alternatives.
24. Didier Drogba
Drogba is probably your best goalscoring option thanks to his high Finishing and Head, easily making him the best choice to lead a single striker formation. His main downside is only being capable with his right foot, but that shouldn’t stop Drogba from banging in the goals. If you want a more authentic 2004/05 experience, hand Drogba the vacant number 15 shirt.
9. Mateja Kezman
Not the strongest, not the fastest, and not the most technically gifted. But Kezman is something of a safe choice, bringing a little bit of everything to the table where the other strikers tend to favour one area over another. Like Mutu, he probably isn’t the best choice to have as a solo striker, though his salary is less than half compared to Mutu’s!
22. Eidur Gudjohnsen
As the most tenured and experienced Chelsea striker, Eidur Gudjohnsen naturally offers the best Mental attributes AND the added bonus of being the only one equally capable with either foot. His main drawback is a relative lack of speed compared to the other choices. Gudjohnsen is also the lowest paid of Chelsea’s first-team forwards, making him a good backup option even if he isn’t performing.
Chelsea Players on Football Manager 2005 - First Team
Out on Loan
Juan Sebastian Verón
It’s fair to say that Verón has had the best spell playing in England so far, struggling at Man Utd and again with Chelsea last season. FM05 starts with Verón loaned to Inter Milan, arguably more to save paying his salary than a chance to find his old form. His Chelsea contract doesn’t expire until 2007, if you want to give Verón one last chance next season. He’ll be Chelsea’s highest-earning player if you do, so make sure his performances are worth that cost.
Mikael Forssell
Forssell is spending another season on loan with Birmingham City, following a reasonably successful previous year with the Midlands club. But it’s unlikely you’ll ever need the Finnish striker’s services as all four strikers currently at the club are better, and you’ll find plenty more options on the transfer market. It’s probably best to sell up and reinvest the money in weaker areas of the squad.
Carlton Cole
The least well known Cole to play for Chelsea is currently on loan at Aston Villa following a modest season with Charlton Athletic. Carlton has a long way to go before he can be considered Chelsea calibre. His one saving grace is that his contract lasts until 2009, meaning he has a few seasons to develop and impress before you need to decide on his future.
Hernán Crespo
Like compatriot Veron, Crespo didn’t have a great first season at Chelsea and finds himself back in Serie A on loan at AC Milan. But, unlike Veron, his contract expires at the end of the season, and he’s unlikely to be interested in signing a new one. It’s probably best to forget Crespo is even on your squad list…
Youth Prospects
Yves Makabu Ma Kalambay
Ma Kalambay adds another decent young goalkeeper to your ranks. He isn’t anywhere near the level of Cudicini or Cech, but his presence means you can sell Pidgeley if a decent offer comes in.
Michael Modubi
Spending the first season on loan with Belgian side Westerlo, Michael Modubi has surprisingly strong Technical and Mental attributes. Unfortunately, his Physical attributes aren’t up to scratch for playing at the top level. He offers a viable emergency option until you decide to sell or release him though!
Filipe Oliveira
Oliveira simply isn’t good enough to ever play for the Chelsea first team, but he does command a surprisingly high transfer value! List him and offer to clubs for an easy boost to your war chest…
Mikel John Obi
John Obi Mikel is also hiding in the U18s as an attacking midfielder, not the reliable defensive midfielder he became in real life.
5 Players to Sign for Chelsea on Football Manager 2005
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Signing Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich immediately fills the biggest hole in your squad, the need for another right midfielder/winger. Schweinsteiger should immediately provide competition for Geremi as your starting option before quickly developing into the obvious first choice.
Combined with his young age, position versatility, and availability from around £13m, Schweinsteiger offers the best value and long-term squad depth. If you’re looking for a more impactful, but less cost-effective solution, try Betis player Joaquin.
Xabi Alonso
He may have only just arrived at Liverpool, but Xabi Alonso is your best backup/rotation option, and eventually long-term replacement, for Makélélé. Alonso is a much better player than Smertin AND available for a relative bargain due to his £20m release clause, provided you sign him in the first season.
Already transfer listed, Smertin is already one of your weakest players, but buying Alonso makes the Russian surplus to requirements and worth offering out to recoup some of the money spent on Alonso. Were you too late to sign Alonso before Liverpool offered him a contract without a release clause? Consider River Plate wonderkid Javier Mascherano instead.
Michael Ballack
Central midfield isn’t exactly one of your weak spots, but Bayern Munich’s Michael Ballack is still an upgrade, adding even more firepower as a reliable goalscoring threat. Be quick though, Real Madrid often come hunting for the German playmaker!
If you manage to sign Ballack, then either Tiago or Parker will probably see even less playing time, so it’s worth considering selling one of them to offset the high transfer fee (around £30m) Ballack commands. Plus, you get to sign a real-life future Chelsea player while he’s still playing at his peak!
Vincent Kompany
Grab one of the best Football Manager 2005 wonderkids and a bona fide future star in Vincent Kompany. Signing Kompany future proofs your defensive options as he provides extra depth at centre back and as a defensive midfielder.
Your best option is to confirm the transfer early but let Kompany spend the first season at Anderlecht, giving him more time to develop before he comes to Stamford Bridge. This also gives you more time to decide whether Robert Huth is worth keeping; they fulfil a similar purpose, with Kompany’s ceiling being much higher and offering more position versatility.
Philipp Lahm
Another FM05 wonderkid, Lahm offers much stiffer competition for Paulo Ferreira at right back and can also provide cover on the left. You could let Lahm finish his season-long loan with Stuttgart before attempting to sign him, just expect to pay a higher transfer fee than signing him in your first transfer window.
Signing Lahm from Bayern Munich means you can shift Celestine Babayaro for some extra cash but it does limit Glen Johnson’s room for growth. If you’re looking to find a replacement for Babyaro without jeopardising Johnson’s development, consider Real Madrid player Raúl Bravo instead.
Best Tactics for Chelsea in Football Manager 2005
4-5-1 / 4-3-3
Follow Mourinho’s real-life path by implementing a revolutionary 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 formation with Makelele as the defensive core of your midfield trio and wingers providing chance creation on the wings. It might be worth adding a forward-moving arrow to one of your central midfield slots to make Lampard as goal-hungry as in reality, even more so if you sign Ballack too!
One drawback is that you’re limited to just one striker, making frequent rotation necessary to satisfy all four players’ desire for game time. Regardless of whether you succeed in rotating fairly, consider selling the worst performer in the January transfer window to keep the other three happier despite limited game time.
4-4-2 / 4-2-4
This is probably the most balanced formation option based on your starting squad. It’s also the easiest to find new players who fit the system; FM05 still sees most teams set up to play using this traditional formation – it was Mourinho’s revolutionary tactics with Chelsea that actually ended 4-4-2’s domination of English football!
Avoid the striker dilemma by playing a traditional 4-4-2, or an aggressive 4-2-4 to take full advantage of your wingers’ attacking threat. With two strikers upfront, you can easily rotate to find your most effective pairing and stand a better chance of keeping all four happy. Your midfield is in a similar position where all first-team players can comfortably be rotated (presuming you sign a new right midfielder).
4-1-2-1-2 Narrow / Diamond
A potential middle ground option that gives you Makelele in his strongest position AND two strikers up front.
However, both variations limit your ability to use certain players; Duff becomes completely redundant using the narrow formation, whereas the wider format fails to make use of squad depth in central midfield, limiting your midfield rotation options by freezing out Tiago and Parker.
But the narrow variation does have potential if Duff isn’t available, so don’t rule it out! Set your full backs to make forward runs, and they’ll provide plenty of crossed opportunities from out wide.
Best Set Piece Takers for Chelsea in Football Manager 2005
Corners
Right Footed
Adrian Mutu (17), Paulo Ferreira (14), Frank Lampard (12)
Left Footed
Damien Duff (14), Arjen Robben (13), Celestine Babayaro (10)
Throw Ins
Right Sided
Ricardo Carvalho (12), Paulo Ferreira (11), Claude Makelele (11)
Left Sided
Wayne Bridge (12), Ricardo Carvalho (12), Claude Makelele (11)
Free Kicks
Right Footed
Adrian Mutu (18), Geremi (17), Frank Lampard (16), Didier Drogba (15) Joe Cole (15)
Left Footed
Wayne Bridge (16), Damien Duff (12), Celestine Babyaro (12)
Penalties
Didier Drogba (18), Mateja Kezman (18), Frank Lampard (17), Adrian Mutu (17), Paulo Ferreira (14), Scott Parker (14)
Coaches & Backroom Staff at Chelsea in Football Manager 2005
Assistant Manager
Chelsea are quite unusual in starting with TWO assistant managers. Club icon Steve Clarke was recently promoted to the position after a spell overseeing the youth setup; Baltemar Brito joined recently as part of Jose Mourinho’s Portuguese-speaking backroom team.
Both assistant managers are quite capable so don’t worry if you find yourself unable to re-sign either one to a new contract, or lose one to a managerial position at another club.
Coaches
The club begins the 2004/05 season with eight coaches, future Liverpool and Celtic manager Brendan Rogers and longtime José Mourinho collaborator Rui Faria being the most effective. If you were looking to bring in new coaches, but find the board/Roman Abramovich won’t let you hire any more, consider releasing Damien Matthew or former player Eddie Newton to open up a space.
Scouts
Chelsea have a good starting roster of scouts, including IRL future manager André Villas-Boas! You don’t really need to worry about strengthening the scouting department immediately, but your huge budget means it wouldn’t hurt either.
Physios
The physio team is so strong at Chelsea that you don’t even need to consider hiring more.
Post Comment