THE CURSE OF THE CHELSEA No.9

by FOUR FOUR TWO, December 2017

Morata may have hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge, but the Blues’ No.9 shirt has not brought its wearer a great deal of success since the days of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

MATEJA KEZMAN 2004-05

Four dynamite campaigns with PSV – including a 35-goal 2002-03 – meant the Serbianwas one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, and Mourinho must have thought he had found the perfect Hasselbaink replacement. But he never got going, scoring only four goals for the Blues.

HERNAN CRESPO 2003-06

The Argentina legend found the net wherever he went, from River Plate to Parma and Lazio to both Milan clubs. And while he can’t be deemed a complete flop – he played 49 games and scored 20 – once Didier Drogba had really established himself, poor Hernan was considered expendable by Mourinho.

KHALID BOULAHROUZ 2006-07

Not your regular No.9: the Dutchman was a defender, but the digit just happened to be going spare after Crespo left. It didn't magically bring him goals and he soon slipped down the defensive pecking order too, playing just 13 times in the league for the Londoners.

STEVE SIDWELL 2007-08

After impressing while at Reading (and being voted FourFourTwo’s best player outside of the top flight) Sidwell (right) signed for Mourinho, insisting that he wasn’t there just “to make up the numbers”. But make up the numbers he did, posting 15 Premier League outings in a year before being flogged to Villa.

FRANCO DI SANTO 2008-09

Nicknamed ‘Crespito’ after the other Argentine centre-forward, Di Santo switched to Stamford Bridge having caught the eye with Chilean side Audax Italiano. He struggled even more than Big Crespo and was sent packing to Blackburn.

FERNANDO TORRES 2011 14

Chelsea fans cackled with glee when they nabbed the Spanish goal machine and Kop favourite from Liverpool for £50m. But despite putting in the occasional ace performance and lifting some silverware - including the Champions League in 2012 – the Blues never saw the best of him.

RADAMEL FALCAO 2015-16

falcao's lived up to his ‘El Tigre’ nickname at almost every club he's played for – River Plate, Porto, Atlético Madrid and Monaco – as well as being a big cat for Colombia, too. Yet he somehow lost his teeth during his time in the Premier League and exited the capital after an injury-hit campaign with one league strike.