The English Premier league boasts a number of revered and respected football teams. Although some may beg to differ, two such teams are Chelsea and Liverpool. It is also no secret that many good players have left one team to pursue and possibly enhance their careers on another team, and vice versa. Over the decades, certain players left their mark on both teams, possibly for different reasons. Here are five players who in the past two decades have exuded nothing but talent and showcased it while playing for Chelsea and Liverpool.
Fernando Torres
As a formidable striker, Torres had a lot on his shoulders to prove to his new team when he joined Chelsea after leaving Liverpool in 2011. During his time at Liverpool, he scored 81 goals in 142 games, a commendable achievement to say the least, and one that would have him crowned the world’s best striker at the time. His injuries withstanding, he is not as good as he used to be, after leaving Liverpool and joining Chelsea. The player scored half the same amount of goals as he did at Liverpool, albeit in approximately the same number of appearances. Though he was one at one time a highly sought after
player, his injuries are leaving fans with little hope for the future of the Spaniard, whether his decline in performance is due to aging as well, remains debatable.
Nikolas Anelka
From Liverpool to Chelsea, he had a mediocre performance during his earlier years at Anfield. The Frenchman only scored a handful of goals and didn’t quite get to shine as some would have expected, or as some later got to witness, when he joined Chelsea and played for them from 2008 – 2012. The player was a force to be reckoned with and when combined with the likes of Didier Drogba, the two were unstoppable. This was evidenced when Anelka gave the team enough leverage to win the Championship in 2010. Although Anelka has played for almost ten different clubs during his football career, his stint at Chelsea may perhaps be the most illustrious to date.
Glen Johnson
Certain players are underrated, to say the least and this may just be one of those players. Glen Johnson was an exceptional and young right-back while playing with Chelsea. He transferred to a few teams thereafter, including West Ham, before joining Liverpool in 2007. His natural talent did not go unnoticed and he became one of Liverpool’s first sign-ups under Abramovich, where he never disappointed. During his time playing for Jose Murinho he was often a second pick next to Paulo Ferreira. In 2009, Liverpool signed him for a reported 17.5 million pounds. He remained a strong right-back and secured his place as England’s number one choice as far as that position was concerned.
Daniel Sturridge
Another goal-scoring machine to have stints on both teams is Sturridge. His spell at Chelsea led had him be a part of winning two FA CUPS, the Champions League and a Premier League Title. He left Chelsea at some point, on loan to Wanderers and later returned to Chelsea, only for his final exit to Liverpool. He and Suarez had a glamorous career at Liverpool, which gave the team hope towards their first possible winning of the European Championship. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Sturridge scored 24 goals although his performance was wanting due to multiple injuries that he sustained while playing for Chelsea.
Boudewijn Zenden
Definitely an underrated and understated player, Zenden had a boisterous career playing for both Liverpool and Chelsea. He played for Chelsea for two years and later moved to Liverpool in 2005. However, it is important to note that he did in fact play for Holland and Barcelona, both of which probably set the stage quite well for him prior to joining Liverpool.
Once singed to Liverpool, he was on the starting lineup when they faced AC Milan for the Champions League final in 2005. His performance was noticeable although not much was done to appreciate him at them time. He remains one of Liverpool’s most influential players to date, but one of whom little is known about when compared to the likes of Anelka and more recently, Mohamed Salah.
