We take a close look at Chelsea's top 10 Premier League goalscorers since the competition's initiation in 1992, with some true Blues legends amongst them...
Frank Lampard
Only 10 players have netted more Premier League goals than the Blues’ head coach managed during his time as a Blue, as he scored 147 times – and the list whittles down to three when you include his strikes for West Ham and Man City.
Before Super Frank stepped up, a respectable seasonal tally for a midfielder was hitting double figures; in his pomp, Lamps regularly hit 20 goals in all competitions. His best campaign was in 2009/10 when he netted 22 times in the top flight, but most Blues fans will agree on his most memorable goals: the double strike against Bolton which clinched the 2004/05 Premier League title.
Didier Drogba
Four years on from his second departure from Chelsea, Drogba remains the only African player to hit treble figures for Premier League goals, having netted 104 times in the competition.
Our legendary No.11 twice won the Golden Boot and he was capable of scoring just about every type of goal imaginable. Although his efforts in the Champions League were perhaps more memorable, the Ivorian’s wonder strike against Liverpool in 2006 served notice to the rest of the Premier League of his eye for the spectacular and it is a toss-up between that and his equally audacious half-volley against Everton later that year for his most eye-catching Blues strike.
Eden Hazard
He might have been known more for his ability as a creator, but those twinkle toes of Hazard proved to be just as potent when it came to finding the back of the net. His seven years as a Blue yielded an impressive 85 goals in the Premier League – and 110 overall, which is the ninth highest tally in our history.
His devastating hat-trick performance against Newcastle United, sealing the 2015 Premier League triumph by heading in the rebound from his saved penalty against Crystal Palace, his dramatic equaliser against Tottenham to deny them the following season’s title and majestic solo strikes against Liverpool and Arsenal are just a few of his magical memories.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Powerful, aggressive and clinical, Hasselbaink was Chelsea’s snarling assassin and the 20-goal-a-season striker Blues supporters had been crying out for since Kerry Dixon.
He won the Premier League Golden Boot in his first season at the club with a collection of opportunistic efforts and blockbuster strikes – indeed, rarely had such a powerful shot been seen at Stamford Bridge.
His ‘perfect’ hat-trick against Spurs and regular tormenting of our north London rivals added to his enduring popularity in west London and he scored 69 times in just four Premier League campaigns.
Gianfranco Zola
It was all about quality, rather than quantity, when it came to Zola, who holds the rare distinction in modern football of being universally loved. He is a true gentleman who was capable of moments of magic which defied belief.
Blues fans have been spoiled in recent times by the constant stream of classy players, but back in 1996 we had never been blessed with a talent quite like the Italian maestro. From the stunning free-kick against Blackburn Rovers to open his account all the way through to his final goal, a breathtaking lob which caught out Everton, Stamford Bridge was a brighter place for the presence of Zola.
Eidur Gudjohnsen
As a cool, composed finisher, the Icelandic forward was a dream for sub-editors and those who love a cliché. More than that, however, he was the ideal strike partner for Hasselbaink, with the pair combining for 37 Premier League goals in the 2001/02 campaign.
Gudjohnsen’s deft touch and eye for a pass meant he eventually moved into midfield under Jose Mourinho, who labelled him ‘The Blond Maradona’, but not before scoring one of our all-time great goals: a magnificent bicycle-kick against our old rivals Leeds United. The finishing touch he put on a wonderful team move against Southampton in the title-winning 2004/05 campaign was another highlight.
Diego Costa
The first part of Hasselbaink’s write-up could have applied to Diego Costa as well; the type of forward you could love if he was on your side, but you’d loathe him if he was up against you.
The Brazilian-born striker wasted little time making his mark at the Bridge, firing in the goals early doors to put us on course for the title in 2014/15, and he was the spearhead of another Premier League triumph two years later. In fact, he finished as our top scorer in each of his three seasons at the club and finished with 52 goals in the Premier League, which puts him 95th on the all-time list.
John Terry
Owing as much to his longevity as his prowess in front of goal, JT sneaks onto the list from centre-back after netting 41 times in the top flight. Unsurprisingly, due to his position on the field, set-pieces provided his best route to goal and thanks largely due to his aerial prowess, JT was able to surpass Peter Sillett as our all-time highest-scoring defender.
Indeed, by the time he left the Blues he had almost doubled that tally. His greatest hits in all competitions included a stunning volley against Wigan, a League Cup final clincher versus Spurs and the winner against Barcelona on an unforgettable Champions League night.
Nicolas Anelka
Although the Frenchman made a slow start to life as a Blue following his arrival in the winter transfer window of the 2007/08 season, he marked his first full campaign at the club by finishing as the Premier League’s top scorer, becoming just the third Chelsea player to win the Golden Boot.
His partnership with Didier Drogba was crucial to our Double success of 2009/10 and the following season he once again finished as our leading goalscorer, helping him to a tally of 38 top-flight goals as a Blue. His overall Premier League goal tally was 125, which is second to only Thierry Henry among French players.
Salomon Kalou/Gus Poyet /John Spencer
Completing the list should be Spencer, the little Scottish forward who netted 36 goals in fewer matches than the two listed alongside him. However, to focus solely on a player who formed a potent, and ahead of its time, 'little and little' partnership would be doing a disservice to two cult heroes.
Poyet arrived in 1997 as a Uruguayan with little known about him; we quickly discovered he knew where the back of the net was, most famously with an emphatic volley against Sunderland and, away from the Premier League, two goals in an FA Cup semi-final.
Then there’s Kalou, who proved to be something of a ‘super-sub’, injecting pace and energy into the frontline. He also provided an understated contribution to our Double in 2009/10.
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