Chelsea Team of the Decade

It kinda just hit me it’s late 2019 now and we’re going into a new decade. So naturally, it’s time for one of many ‘team of the decade’ articles

Goal posted on their Instagram their own Chelsea team of the decade yesterday:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ozBQunw9I/

What would be yours? Goal have a lot of definite Chelsea legends but, actually, a lot of them started declining in the 1-2 seasons after 09/10. Thought i’d go through each position, with who Goal has any my thoughts. I don’t think some positions are as obvious as you’d originally think..

GK: Cech is the obvious candidate, which Goal has. Courtois is a worthy second. Still, Cech did start to decline in his last season as starter for us (13-14), but was probably stronger than Courtois in the preceding seasons..or perhaps he was just more likable

RB: Goal have Ivanovic..I would go with Azpilicueta. Ivanovic's best season for us as a RB probably came in 09/10. In ensuing seasons he was great defensively and a good leader, a scorer of important goals, but going forward looked increasingly more like a CB at RB. By the end of his career with us even defensively he had declined. Azpilicueta has definitely overall had a stronger decade, arriving in 2012 he has been starting ever since, and two world class level seasons - 14/15 at LB and 16/17 at RCB.
CBs: Goal went with Terry and Cahill, which is a fair choice. Two of the three captains for us this decade. Terry only left us in 2017 (more recently than I thought), while Cahill of course joined in January to immediately become integral to our CL success. With Cahill's importance in both our 14/15 and 16/17 season, he perhaps had an even more successful decade than Terry. Luiz would be third option, and while he too had a successful time with us over the last 10 years, it is for me on a level below Terry + Cahill.
LB: Goal went with Cole here. I think this is a 'default' choice. He, of course, is a legend for us at LB, but for me started declining sharply after the 09/10 season. He put some strong defensive performances in big games in 11/12 CL campaign but also lowkey struggled in a few PL games that season, from what I remember thinking. But then, who else is there to consider? Certain man will know it will pain me to say this, but Alonso has a good argument to be in this team, which probably points to our struggle to get a good LB in since Cole.

CMs: Goal have Kante and Lampard here, which are fair choices. Kante is probably first name on teamsheet. Although Lampard had maybe his best season in 09/10, and had many good moments in the seasons after, his influence slowly but surely waned by 13/14. There is no one else really to consider however, the closest would be Matic and Mikel.
AM: Goal went with Mata here. A fan favourite and still I think people forget how good he was in our 12/13 season, overshadowed by a weird season for us in general, Suarez, Bale and RVP also having insane seasons in general + he probably in his career here. No one else to really consider, although also a nature of this formation.

RW: Goal went with Willian here. A lot of people not happy with that, but really I can't really argue against it. A frustrating player at times but can't deny his influence and talent. Only Pedro could rival him. Pedro has also had a successful career with us this decade but Willian, arriving two years before, gets the edge.
LW: Easiest one in the team, Hazard.
ST: Goal went for Drogba here. Like some other players on the list..maybe his best season for us in 09/10, and then things started going awry. Some great (one in particular..) moments in the 11/12 season but he still spent that season rotating with Torres, and 5 goals in 23 league appearances. He came back in 14/15 with a similar record, not ignoring the dressing room influence he undoubtedly gave. I think Diego Costa is a more worthy ST in this team. Two world class seasons for us in 14/15 and 16/17. And in between in 15/16, perhaps unlike Drogba, when he wasn't at his best he still managed a respectable goal tally.

Manager: Goal didn't do this but would be interesting if they did. This could perhaps have the most varied answers. I think the manager I most appreciated and liked, despite his flaws, is Conte. I think he had me rooting for the team in a way Jose didn't and so I enjoyed our title win more. And in analysis I think he did this with a weaker squad that tbh had no right challenging for the title. In his second season I believe things went downhill because he himself lost motivation and so the team reverted almost to where it *should* be in the league.

The decade has been hugely successful and yet turbulent at the same time. A lot of players have had 2-3 good seasons with us in that time which adds to the difficulty in some positions. Long article but its international break 🤷🏿 What would your team be?