2004–05 Chelsea F.C. season

The 2004–05 season was Chelsea Football Club's 91st competitive season, 13th consecutive season in the Premier League and 99th year as a club. Managed by José Mourinho during his first season at the club, Chelsea won the Premier League title (their first league title in 50 years) and the League Cup.

The season was historic for the vast number of Premier League records set during the season. The list of achievements included; most points won in a season (95), most away wins in a season (15), most clean sheets kept in a season (25), fewest goals conceded away in a season (9), most wins in a season (29) and fewest goals conceded in a season (15). As of 2025, this Chelsea side still holds the defensive records for most clean sheets and fewest goals conceded in a Premier League season.

After missing out on the league title to the unbeaten Arsenal in the previous season, Chelsea continued spending large sums of money in order to build a squad capable of challenging for honours. They were in their second season under the ownership of Roman Abramovich, enabling them to sign five players for more than £10 million each, including Ivorian striker Didier Drogba from Marseille and defender Ricardo Carvalho from Mourinho's former club, Porto. Portuguese defender Paulo Ferreira also followed Mourinho to Chelsea from Porto.

In the Champions League, Chelsea aimed to improve upon their semi-final placing the previous year, but in the end only matched their achievement after losing to Liverpool. They also exited the FA Cup in the fifth round to eventual semi-finalists Newcastle United.

Kits

The team kit was produced by Umbro. The shirt sponsor was the airline Emirates; 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.

Management

Players

First team squad

Squad at end of season

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

Left club during season

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

Reserve squad

The following players did not appear for the first-team this season.

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

Under-18s

The following players spent most of the season playing for the under-18s, but may have appeared for the reserve team.

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

Transfers

In

Out

Overall transfer activity

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.

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 controlled, outside-the-box effort by Tiago were enough to ensure a 0–2 win and maintain Chelsea's 100 per cent start. Chelsea concluded August with a 2–1 home win over Southampton. James Beattie gave the visitors a shock lead after 12 seconds (the fastest Premier League goal of the season and Chelsea's first conceded); Beattie subsequently scored an own goal at the other end 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 later 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 end of September 2004, 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 and only 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. Manager Jose Mourinho maintained his optimism regarding his side's performances despite the media bemoaning Chelsea's lack of goals and style of play, particularly in contrast to the verve of unbeaten league leaders Arsenal.

Nonetheless, Chelsea recorded one of their most emphatic victories of the season a week later, winning 4–0 at home against Blackburn Rovers, an 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 4–1 away triumph at Fulham. Despite a 2–2 home draw to Bolton, they maintained their table-topping lead after Arsenal could only manage a 1–1 draw themselves to West Brom at home on the same day; Chelsea rounded off November 2004 with a 4–0 thumping of Charlton at The Valley with Duff, Terry twice and Gudjohnsen all on the scoresheet to see Chelsea move 5 points clear at the top as Arsenal suffered their second defeat of the season at Liverpool the next day.

Chelsea began the new month as they ended the last, with a 4–0 victory, this time at home against Newcastle. In their next outing, they visited rivals Arsenal and despite going behind twice, notched twice to earn a 2–2 draw at Highbury and preserve their lead at the top of the Premier League. Chelsea won the rest of their December fixtures without conceding: 4–0 vs Norwich, 1–0 vs Aston Villa, and 2–0 away to Portsmouth - as they closed 2004 sitting top of the league, five points clear of second-placed reigning champions Arsenal.

January–February

2005 began with a trip to Anfield on New Year's Day, Joe Cole once again proved the difference between the two sides, finding the back of the net five minutes after coming on as a substitute to earn a now-routine 1–0 victory for the visitors. They went on to win all their remaining games in January to nil (2–0 vs Middlesbrough, 2–0 away at Tottenham Hotspur and 3–0 against Portsmouth), extending their commanding lead to 10 points, as rivals Arsenal continued to flounder.