• April 11, 2022
• Tyrone Codner

Chelsea won the league title in the 2004-05 and the 2016-17 seasons in emphatic fashion, but which was the superior side? First and foremost, it is important to note that both Premier League campaigns were exciting, not only for long-time fans but also for many neutral spectators who saw the fluidity showed by the players on the pitch. Deciding which Chelsea team was the superior one would not be easy as both teams were from different decades and generations, so many may disagree with the decision.

Chelsea was managed by Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho in the 2004-05 season and by Italian manager Antonio Conte in the 2016-17 season. Both managers are strategic geniuses, but their management styles are very different. Mourinho’s Chelsea were known for their gritty, defensively-excellent performances, often churning out 1–0 victories. Conte’s Chelsea possessed a touch of Italian class.

There are similarities between the two teams, but there are also very important differences that are worth noting. Here are some of the similarities between the two teams:

• Both were title-winning teams
• Both teams break records on their way to winning the title. The 2004-05 team broke the record of winning the most ever points at the time (95) and conceded the fewest goals (15) – testament to Mourinho’s defensive prowess). The team also broke the record of the most wins by a team in a single Premier League season (29). Similarly, The Chelsea 16/17 title in style by breaking the record for the longest winning streak at the time (13) games, and breaking the record for the most wins in a single Premier League season (30) at  the time.

Other than the obvious differences in personnel, there are some other key differences between the two teams. Some of them include playing style and formation:

As mentioned earlier, the 2004-05 side of Chelsea won the title thanks to some excellent defensive performances throughout the season. Additionally, Mourinho implemented, at that time, a game-changing 4–3–3 formation. As most other English teams were using the traditional 4–4–2 formation, Chelsea always had an extra man in midfield ensuring their dominance in midfield battles.

“Look, if I have a triangle in midfield – Claude Makelele behind and two others just in front – I will always have an advantage against a pure 4-4-2 where the central midfielders are side by side. That’s because I will always have an extra man. It starts with Makelele, who is between the lines. If nobody comes to him he can see the whole pitch and has time. If he gets closed down it means one of the two other central midfielders is open. If they are closed down and the other team’s wingers come inside to help, it means there is space now for us on the flank, either for our own wingers or for our full-backs. There is nothing a pure 4-4-2 can do to stop things,” – Jose Mourinho about using 4-3-3 in his first Chelsea stint

This style saw Mourinho’s side master the skill of controlling the space the opponent had to work with, enabling them to grind out results and rely on direct counter-attacks and long balls for goals. That Chelsea team – dubbed boring, dull, and unattractive – did the one thing that mattered: won the title.

The 2016-17 team entertained their way to the title. After switching to a 3–4–3, the team dominated top opponents and scored a lot of goals. Conte had finally introduced entertaining football to Stamford Bridge. In the Premier League, the 3–4–3 was once thought to be fiction. Previous managers like Louis van Gaal had tried the three-man defense previously, with mixed results.

Conte, on the other hand, is a master of this craft. He made effective use of the wingbacks, who were fullbacks in defensive situations and as wingers when the team advanced. This meant that Chelsea could defend with an extra player on the defensive side, and creative forwards like Eden Hazard could inflict more attacking damage on the offensive side.

Conte, being a tactical genius, was also capable of adjusting defensive strategies as needed. This was reflected in Chelsea having the most clean sheets (16) that season. As a result, this Chelsea team was exceptionally well-balanced defensively and offensively, winning the title very handily in the end, according to some.

Chelsea did not compete in the Champions League in 2016/17 (but they did in 2004/05), leading some analysts to claim that they had it easier in the title chase. It’s important to remember that the Premier League is becoming more competitive as time goes on. This is due to the Premier League becoming more financially stable each year, meaning more teams will be able to fight against traditional powerhouses such as Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool among others.