2004–05 Chelsea F.C. season

Team kit

The team kit was produced by Umbro. The shirt sponsor was Emirates Airline; the kit bore the "Fly Emirates" logo. Chelsea's home kit, all blue with a white collar, was retained from the previous season. Their new away kit was black with grey shorts and accents. Chelsea retained last season's away kit (all white with black and blue stripes down the center) as the third kit for this season.

First team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Premier League

A total of 20 teams competed in the Premier League in the 2004–05 season. Each team played 38 matches; two against every other team and one match at each club's stadium. Three points were awarded for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. At the end of the season the top two teams qualified for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League; teams in third and fourth needed to play a qualifier.[16]

The provisional fixture list was released on 24 June 2004, but was subject to change in the event of clashes with other competitions, international football, inclement weather, or matches being selected for television coverage.

August–October

Chelsea opened their Premier League campaign at home against a depleted Manchester United side on 15 August 2004. Eiður Guðjohnsen's 14th-minute goal was enough to separate the two sides, 1–0. The result was followed by another 1–0 win a weekend later, this time away at Birmingham City thanks to a strike by substitute Joe Cole. A few days later, Chelsea journeyed across London to Selhurst Park to face newly promoted Crystal Palace. A Didier Drogba debut goal for his new club (a header from a Celestine Babayaro cross) and a crisp, 18-yard drive by Tiago were enough to ensure a 0–2 win and maintain Chelsea's 100 percent start. Chelsea concluded August with a 2–1 home win over Southampton. James Beattie gave the visitors a shock lead after 12 seconds (Chelsea's first goal conceded in the season), though Beattie later scored an own goal following a Chelsea corner, and a Frank Lampard penalty four minutes short of half-time set Chelsea on their way to all three points, leaving them in second place (behind fellow 100 percenters Arsenal on goal difference).

Due to the international fixtures, Chelsea did not play again until 11 September, dropping their first points of the season in a 0–0 draw at Aston Villa, but both sides were not without their chances to break the deadlock, Drogba having a penalty claim turned down and being booked for diving in the process. A second successive 0–0 draw, at home to Tottenham Hotspur, meant they lost ground on defending champions and leaders Arsenal, falling two points behind. Chelsea claimed their first win of the month courtesy of a free-kick routine finished by Drogba nine minutes from time away at Middlesbrough one week later to give them a vital 0–1 win. At the cessation of September, Chelsea were still occupying second place, two points behind Arsenal.

Chelsea began October with yet another 1–0 win, this time against Liverpool, a Joe Cole flick from an inswinging Lampard free kick maintained their unbeaten league start. The run, however, ended after they suffered their first defeat of the season away at Manchester City, with Nicolas Anelka stroking home a penalty in the 11th minute that he won himself after being felled in the box by Paulo Ferreira. The result cast Chelsea further behind pace-setters Arsenal, the margin now at five points.

Chelsea recorded one of their most emphatic victories of the season a week later, winning 4–0 at home against Blackburn Rovers, a Eiður Guðjohnsen hat-trick set them on their way to the win. The result was significant in that it closed the gap to two points, as Arsenal lost their unbeaten record in controversial fashion a day later at Old Trafford, losing 2–0 to Manchester United. Another irrefutable result, a 1–4 win away at West Bromwich Albion, pulled Chelsea level with Arsenal (but behind on goal difference) at the end of October, as the reigning champions were showing signs of faltering, narrowly earning a 2–2 draw that day.

November–December

A 1–0 home win against Everton at Stamford Bridge coupled with another draw for Arsenal allowed Chelsea to top the table for the first time in the season. A week later, they retained their two-point lead at the top thanks to a thumping 1–4 away triumph at Fulham.

Results by round

Last updated: 8 March 2011.
Source: Matches
Ground: A = Away; H = Home. Result: D = Draw; L = Loss; W = Win; P = Postponed.

Appearances and goals

Statistics source. Squad details and shirt numbers from [3].