Last man standing: A tribute to Gary Cahill

He had turned away before his penalty hit the back of the Bayern net – so sure was Didier Drogba that he had secured immortality. Chelsea's hero of that night in 2012, when they became the only team in London with a European Cup, left in the best possible way – by scoring the penalty he should have been on the pitch to take four years earlier in Moscow.

History has been kind to Drogba – naming him a legend, beyond others who did more. He returned for a short while, but is now cruising the globe: making more comebacks than Sinatra.

The exodus began almost as soon as the trophy was lifted. Jose Bosingwa knew his days were numbered – that's why he pulled that stunt to jump up when JT and Lamps lifted the thing.

He earned even greater legendary status by laughing his way through QPR's relegation, but will forever be the iffy full-back who played a blinder on Chelsea's greatest ever night.

Next was Saloman Kalou. Adored for those two goals against Liverpool. Derided for putting it over the bar from three yards in a cup final. He was Bosingwa's partner in snapshot-spoiling crime. Now back in Germany, with Hertha Berlin.

After the initial purge it was a while. Roberto De Matteo, who managed the team to achieve beyond their wildest dreams, was deposed: and it was his permanent replacement who did most to dismantle the Champions League-winning side.

Juan Mata, adored for the man he was more than possibly any player since Pat Nevin, was surplus to requirements. He went for a fine fee to Manchester United – where happenstance eventually reunited him with a boss he once knew...

The money on offer gave Chelsea no choice. For a defender, notorious for his lapses, PSG's offer for David Luiz could not be refused. He, of course, would return: older, wiser, more capable. But his character and commitment were much missed in the interim.

The summer 2014 clearout was the biggest reshaping of the side in years, with Mourinho purging the squad for the coming season's successful title push. Just weeks after Luiz, Ashley Cole followed him out of the club – for an unsuccessful stint at Roma. One of the key men of that night, and of that Champions League campaign: the greatest left-back of his generation was considered by his club to be past his best.

It could easily have happened a year earlier, without that goalscoring record being broken at Villa Park.

Having shown he could still win matches, in becoming Chelsea's record all time goalscorer Frank Lampard earned himself another 12 months at the home he professes to love. Then time really ran out for the legend: to New York, via Manchester – and that goal against his old side. He'll be back, he keeps telling us...

The releasing of Ryan Bertrand to Southampton for £10m was all about shocking timing. Coming so soon after Cole was sent packing, it left Chelsea without a well-regarded homegrown player, and in the market for a new left-back.

The arrival, and just-as-soon departure, of Filipe Luis and then Baba Rahman – for a combined fee of three times that yielded by Bertrand, were grave errors. Of all the stars of that team to depart, Bertrand was the one whose timing was probably the biggest own goal...

…until Arsenal came a-knocking. Petr Cech owed Chelsea no favours: he had fought hard, and almost died on the pitch for Chelsea. Of the legends of May 19, 2012, his antics in front of penalties – in normal time and in the shootout – were probably more vital than anyone else's.

But his close links to Roman Abramovich saw him released from the tedium of being Thibaut Courtois' back-up against the wishes of Mourinho. We were told by John Terry he was with 15 points a season. Arsenal finished the next campaign 21 ahead of Blues.

Few in the recent history of the club have shown more staying power than the man finally shipped out of the club last week. Mikel John Obi played, over 10 years, under eight different managers (two of them twice). But he was surplus to requirements under Antonio Conte. China called, and he will now become very rich playing for Tianjin Teda.

Derided by some, almost since he arrived, Gary Cahill remains; the only constant, the one survivor of Chelsea's greatest ever triumph. Now captain, he has won it all and, sitting pretty at the top of the league, is battling to win it all again.