WHY SACKING AVB WILL MAKE ABRAMOVICH LOOK LIKE A DORK

YES. Chelsea have been disappointing. YES. Andre Vilas Boas has lost control of his squad and he is going gaga making strange comments about his players to the press (the most recent being about FERNANDO TORRES). They are conceding soft goals and been attacking at a pedestrian pace. But Andre Vilas Boas should not be fired. He is not doing a very good job at the helm currently, but he certainly doesn’t deserve the criticism he has been receiving the entire season. He should just be left alone for now.

If this wasn’t enough for the Chelsea manager, he also has to deal with this mean Russian owner of his who is like a cross between Simon Covell and Henri VIII. Roman Abramovich has already made two huge mistakes in sacking Mourinho and Ancelotti. He does not know what to do with managers. He is just a hothead guy with lots of money who has no clue about football. I personally hope he never wins the Champions League because he is an absolute cock.

Napoli 3-1 Chelsea: Chelsea's side of the story

The expressions tell you that the scoreline isn't in their favour

As the whistle sounded at the end of 90 + 4 minutes AVB must have been wondering as to how easy it was winning the Europa League and the Portuguese league with Porto 9 months ago. 6 draws and 2 losses in the last 11 premier league games, a replay against Championship side Birmingham in the FA cup, losing your captain for a couple of months, talks of Benitez being linked to Chelsea and AVB to Inter and now a 3-1 1st leg defeat to Napoli added the icing on a cake, a cake of problems for the Portuguese 'magician' whose side would have had to conceede the Champions league for yet another year if not for Mata's early goal at the San Paolo, a goal which could still count for nothing if Chelsea do not fasten their belts and get on the pitch with a winning attitude when Napoli travel to London.

AVB not starting with Lampard or Essien in what is considered one of the most hostile atmospheres in Europe seemed more criminal at the end of the game than at the beginning. Indeed , the cacophonous Napoli fans, swirling wind and driving rain gave the whole occasion an almost apocalyptic feel.

Napoli 3-1 Chelsea: Napoli's side of the story

In Naples, you can find a pizza named after Edinson Cavani. But if you happened to go there after their 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League, you will be able to find many more of the smallest things possible with Napoli colors on it, particularly Cavani, such as a cookie tin (in the pic above). That's what Napoli, the club, means to the people of Naples. Therefore it was hardly a surprise for Chelsea to find such an intimidating atmosphere in the San Paolo stadium on Tuesday night. A sold out (well, almost) crowd displaying banners, extraordinary choreography and crackers were a sight to behold, something which makes the Champions League so special.

It isn't difficult to predict Napoli's starting eleven for the big games, so was on Tuesday. Walter Mazzarri's 3-4-1-2 has come under a lot of criticism recently in Italy, not because it wasn't successful but for the fact that Napoli struggled to beat smaller teams in the league, or in other words, lack of a plan B. In fact, everybody in Italy seems to have noticed the success Napoli and Udinese had with the three men defence last season that at one point SerieA had eleven of the twenty teams lining up with a back three in a week.

IS JOHN TERRY BEING VICTIMIZED?

John Terry has been stripped of the England captaincy for the second time in his career.  In a short meeting at the FA headquarters Terry was informed of the decision that he was being stripped from the topmost honor for an English footballer.

Never one to stay in the background, Terry has always courted controversies that have ranged in the extremes. Right from when his father was caught in the possession of drugs to the extra marital affair of sleeping with his mate’s girlfriend, controversy have accompanied Terry in one way or another.

REALLY, RED NEV??

I had been waiting all week if there would be a decent article this week from someone who really talks sense to come up with some sort of an convincing explanation about the demise of Manchester United in the UEFA Champions league. I had been waiting for a Gary Neville column or even some comments by Paul Scholes saying something that made sense about the demise, but out came nothing. These so called Red lads are Fergie worshipers and love their manager more than they do Manchester United, otherwise there would not have been a mum on their lips when the club crashed out of the UCL in midweek.

EPL 2011/12 : Chelsea all set to get the ball rolling

A new season, a new manager. This has been the story for Chelsea for quite sometime now and you wouldn't be surprised if you see a new manager as quickly as next season. However I personally believe that Andrés Villas Boas is here to stay, to build a team which the opposition will envy and drive away the question as to what if Roman Abramovich were to quit. The answer might just start with Andrés Villas Boas.

With a poor last season, the sacking of Carlo Ancelloti and the arrival of AVB induced more interest in the fans, a hope that Roman would splurge money and AVB quick to cash in, having the brightest stars at his disposal.  But with only 3 buys at the moment which include Oriol Romeu, Thibaut Courtios and Romelu Lukaku, AVB has dashed Chelsea fans' hopes of having a high profile player at the Bridge this season. The hunt for Modric still seems to be on with Pastore having snubbed the Blues for a chance to play at PSG. But will this move even materialize is a question on everyones minds, especially with Tottenham's stubborn approach with regard to Modric.

The 3 new arrivals though are young, bright stars, they lack the big game experience. The timing of the move though points to be an investment for the future than the present, giving the youngsters more time to gel and adapt to life at Stamford Bridge. AVB has surely identified Courtios to be Petr Cech's successor and his immediate loan stint at Athletico Madrid will do him a world good playing against some of the best attackers in the world. Oriol would be used to identify his place in the squad and Lukaku who is dubbed 'The new Drogba' will have time to learn to step in the shoes of the big man. However the immediate question is 'Has AVB done enough to build a successful team, his predecessor couldn't , a team which failed miserably in all competitions even when they finished 2nd in the league behind champions Manchester United.'? The answer to that would be, AVB is threading the safe path. His belief that a team cannot be built only by fitting players into an incomplete puzzle is driven by the fact that he was successful at even relegated threatened Portuguese side Académica de Coimbra and then at eventual Portuguese and Europa League champions Porto. 6 friendly games may not be enough to judge how good the team is, but without a doubt AVB has inherited players who can make life easy for any manager if each one of them play to their potential.

With many players on the wrong side of 30 and also injury striking some of them at the wrong time, it would be interesting to see how AVB handles his men. A young manager, new to the PL, and handling big egos is always a challenge. But AVB would consider these secondary to the challenges he will have in selecting his match day 11, a headache but a good one. Without any major signings Chelsea are no less a threat. They are a well settled unit and seemed to get more fiercer with each game in the friendlies(However friendlies are no measure as they are more for game time and practise). With the core group still around and the right balance of youth and experience Chelsea are definitely one of the the contenders for a title and just because there haven't been wholesale changes in the same squad from last season, to dismiss them would be foolish.

With the core team still available, January signings Torres and Luiz now settled in the side and the meaningful signings of 3 youngsters, all seems good for the Chelsea squad. With Drobga and Anelka still showing the hunger for success, Torres coming out of his injury which he last sustained just before he moved to Chelsea and Sturridge coming of age after a successful loan spell at Bolton, the omens are good for the team. The midfield might be missing Essien for a long spell after his injury in training, but this might be a boon for Mikel and Josh McEachren to fill up the gap and increase their chances of a regular starting spot. This would especially be a great opportunity for young Josh who is touted to be the next 'true' star in an England squad which has a lot of self proclaimed stars. The defence looks settled with Luiz and Terry holding the backbone while Cole and Ivanovic have always threatened. Bosingwa and Alex are quality defenders who can keep up the pressure even with one of them missing.



If I were Andrés Villas Boas

 A missing piece in the puzzle is the playmaker. Chelsea have of late struggled in this department and have looked out to acquire the services of many of them most recently being Pastore who snubbed Chelsea to join PSG. What are the options for Chelsea at the moment? Their pursuit of Modric doesn't seem to yield any pressure on the Spurs higher ups and with United giving up on their pursuit of Sneijder, it cannot come better than this to sign one of the world's best players who is available for transfer. If AVB could pull a bunny out of the hat in this regard, there would be no reason why Chelsea shouldn't win the competitions they play in especially the ever elusive Champions League.

3 youngsters in Romeu, Courtious and Lukaku is a perfect sign that AVB is here to stay. His ideology of mixing a little old and a lot of young is certainly the first in the Roman Era. The likes of Josh, Bertrand , Van Aanholt, Chalobah are certain to have more games under their belt with AVB at helm as he prepares the dawn of a new era. If Jose started building a puzzle with his own ideas, AVB will enhance it which would be a challenge for the opposition to decode. The burning desire for titles certainly will push every fan to extend their support to AVB. Will he end up being a Chelsea legend? 2012 might just answer that.

Football, Money & Financial Fairplay : A Match in the Making..

Money, money, money must be funny in a rich man's world. Money, money, money must be sunny in a rich man's world. And these certainly have become the words of the present footballing scenario. Be it the Russian tycoon or the Qatari Sheik or the American businessman , the game is no longer safe in terms of a financial meltdown. The question is can money buy you a trophy? Certainly not. But money can certainly take you sliding down from where a team can only remain in memories.

The most recent team to be bought by a foreign investor who pumps in huge money is not Manchester City but  Malaga. An unknowingly quiet team bought by a Qatari, Sheikh Abdullah, has suddenly stepped up to sign big names like Ruud Van Nistleroy, Toulalan, Mathijsen, promising big wages and projecting an ambitious project. But unlike Sheikh Mansour at Manchester City, Sheik Abdullah has been careful and smart in the spending of his money. However at Manchester City Sheik Mansour has brought about a revolution,a philospohy which certainly involves buying the biggest of stars to build a team, to guide a project which if doesn't turn successful will push the club into grave misery. Is this buying a club and splashing money on new players and their wages so very dangerous? Certainly it is, if the going gets wrong.

The biggest example of the financial mess is none other than the "biggest" league, the English Premier League. The sunnier side of that apparently hopeless picture is that the English top flight made much more money from television and other commercial income than its rivals, €122m on average; the next wealthiest was the German Bundesliga, whose clubs made an average €79m. Yet despite that commercial advantage, the English clubs were hugely more reliant on borrowed money from banks and club owners than the 714 other clubs combined. English clubs contain on their balance sheets an estimated 56% of Europe-wide commercial debt which is a very worrying sign.According to a report across Europe in 2007-08, overall income rose 11%, but "the huge increase" in wages exceeded it, at 18%. In a bumper time for football, 47% of clubs across Europe lost money, with 22% reporting "significant losses" equivalent to more than a fifth of their income. A huge chunk of the money football clubs make is spent on ever-inflating players' wages which is totally absurd.

Now here comes to picture the 'UEFA Financial Fair Play'. Though I was personally against the concept which amounted to violation of personal spending, the meltdown at Portsmouth, which followed the standard Premier League practice of borrowing from an owner and banks to pay high wages for otherwise unaffordable players, seriously shook the credibility of the English league's model bringing out the harsh reality after some of thier beautiful years in the premier league, made me feel that the rule is for the good of the game. There might be pros and cons associated with it. However the overall good this program will bring forth will benefit the club, players and it's fans.

A look at the Financial Fair play suggests that clubs will be required to break even from 2012-13 , spend no more than the money they make, and not borrow, or have a rich owner putting money in, to scoop up losses and overspending. In the words of Uefa's general secretary, Gianni Infantino "The problem is that all clubs try to compete, a few of the biggest can afford it, but the vast majority cannot. They bid for players they cannot afford, then borrow or receive money from owners, but this is not sustainable because only a few can win." The argument that being financially supported by a single owner is not sustainable because it inflates players' wages generally, then if the backer runs out of money, the club is plunged instantly into crisis is a point which definitely is worth pondering and evaluating. The key thing is sustainability and the The idea of preventing what the likes of Dave Whelan [at Wigan], Jack Walker [Blackburn], Steve Gibson [Middlesbrough], Roman Abramovich [Chelsea] and Sheikh Mansour [Manchester City] have done to take their clubs on is not something UEFA will be looking forward to.

Overall, though, the English Premier League is a great deal quieter about this than it would probably have been two or three years ago, when, with revenues booming, the risks of clubs relying on borrowing or owners had not been messily exposed by Portsmouth and West Ham. UEFA has moved impressively, from initial statements of concern by Platini, who talked of clubs borrowing to buy success as "financial doping" to a workable, practical proposal aimed at helping Europe's clubs live within their prodigious means. By opposing that, and arguing that clubs should still be allowed to be bought and pumped up by owners, the Premier League is swimming against a tide of logic.

Allegations that the Financial fair play is to stifle the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea are totally unwarranted. The mess at Portsmouth and West Ham are enough evidence that going round the globe to bridge the gap between the top teams will eventually pull you down. Manchester City's £400million, 10-year sponsorship arrangement with Etihad Airways including stadium naming is to be investigated to see if financial fair play rules have been contravened which will certainly seem dictatorial but over a period of time it will be considered a wise move. However It might be said that if clubs have to live within their income, the rich clubs will surely dominate, but that is a separate argument, for  - how to make the sport more competitive again. At present, the rich clubs dominate anyway; the top four clubs in each league make on average four times the money of every other club in their league. Attempting to bridge that gap the English way, by relying on a "benefactor" to put money in, now requires just two words to point out its flaws: Fratton Park.

Andrés Villas Boas to Succeed in The Quest for the Holy Grail ?

Chelsea was like an army without it's king post the sacking of Ancelloti, and this added to the worries of it's people(say fans). The anxiety had started to increase as several names began doing the rounds and when it seemed the old war horse Guus Hiddink would relinquish his post as Turkey's national manager to lead Chelsea back to glory, in steps Abramovich with his magic wand..Kaboom.. And Chelsea get a new manager in Andrés Villas Boas. (I like Abramovich's magic. He always keeps you flabbergasted. You never know who comes and who goes.)

A young manager in Andrés Villas Boas might just be the tonic Chelsea need at the moment. After having the tried and tested men at the Bridge, Abramovich certainly has surprised everyone by choosing the underdog to lead a team desperate to claim the Holy Grail. Jose Mourinho delivered it with 2 teams and Carlo Ancelloti has secured it twice. But at Chelsea everyone has stumbled and fell right on their face while chasing the coveted dream. Will AVB be another of Roman's victim's or will he make Stamford Bridge all of his own? Let's see.



Old AV of 2005 & New Villa-Boas of 2011

Andrés Villas Boas or AVB or Villas Boas as he is refered to is no stranger to the Bridge or the players who currently are at the Bridge previously having played under Jose Mourinho. His transition from being Robson's protege to Mourinho's spy is something worth mentioning. Under Mourinho his role as an opposition scout was praised as his in depth analysis, detailed dossiers and a collection of DVD's on the opposition helped Jose and the players a great deal. AVB starting his career all the way down in the organizational chart and reaching a stage where he has the whole team looking upto him is something which will connect him very well with the team including the backroom staff.

Since his appointment as Chelsea manager everyone has an astonishing look on their face with a question on their lips. Is this the next 'Mourinho'? This is something everyone needs to understand and avoid. AVB has built his own stature and reputation and trying to compare his achievements with the 'The Special One' is disrespect to both the men. When you never hear someone say that Mourinho can do a Fergie or maybe comparison's between Ancelloti and Capello being carried out, then why do fans put needless pressure on a man who has his own inviduality. Saying this I would like to point out that he could go on to be one of the best in the job. Starting so early, so young, certainly gives you an advantage over others.

AVB certainly hasn't had a game on the sidelines at the Bridge yet but surely is making his impact felt off the pitch after he cancelled Chelsea's friendly with Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem citing reasons that the training woudn't be good enough for the senior players to get in shape. Such serious commitment to training might certainly be of help to the squad on match day. He is also in the process of shaping his backroom staff  having released the assistant first-team coach Paul Clement, the fitness coach Glen Driscoll and the club doctor Bryan English . For a guy who started his career working a lot of time behind the scenes, he surely knows how important it is for him to get his support staff right. One shouldn't doubt him and Abramovich would like AVB's no nonsense attitude which is why he would have been bought in the first place in addition to his impressive managerial display at Porto.

A lot of players still hanging around have been there from the time AVB was in the role of opposition scout. And without a doubt many have reached a age from where the performance on the pitch is only gonna get slow and weary. It will take a huge task for AVB to not only rebuild the team for season 2012 but also the long term future. Roman will be ever ready to splurge money for new players but AVB might realize that in the benefit of the club it would be right to promote the club's youngsters, some of whom have moved on to other clubs for lack of opputunities at Chelsea. It's time to start preparing for the 'UEFA Financial Fair Play' which dictates that you spend only how much you earn. And if additional money is used to buy new players Chelsea might be in a spot of bother when the rule is implemented.



Chelsea's present

 AVB has always been a follower of 4-3-3 and if he decides to go with the available squad then for sure he will have the 4-3-3 in place as Chelsea have always been comfortable playing in this formation. The kind of manager AVB is he will give Cole and Ivanovic full freedom to attack down the flanks which Cole especially has always been wanting and something which he likes. Essien as a holding midfielder has always been crucial in moving the ball to attack while also defending when the ball gets in his half. The midfield isn't a problem but the attacking 3 is always a confusion. Preferred Sturridge and Malouda to support the player in a striking position, a role on the pitch which is certainly gonna give AVB a big headache as his predecessor. Drogba was always better off playing with Anelka as a striker out of position. With Torres included it's tough to have both of them on the field as Torres likes someone to play him the ball whereas Drogba is an all in out striker which surely is a tough ask on him.

Chelsea's hopeful future

On the new players front Chelsea haven't signed anyone yet, but they would do good on buying Aguero, Moutinho and Thiago Alcantara. 3 young guys are surely going to increase the pace and agility of a Chelsea squad which has most of it's players on the upper side of 30. These 3 choices are made considering the present squad in mind. An overhaul of the entire squad is impossible and highly inadvisable. They will fit into the current system which is why I have selected the 3 to be the men Chelsea want. Aguero is a perfect fit considering he can play as a striker who can support Torres. He can play the ball on his own , attack deep into the opposition's defence and also provide to the hungry striker lurking close to goal. Both of them having played together at Atletico Madrid can only help matters to get better. However with him appearing to be closing in on Juve, Chelsea have to perform a trick to bring him to Stamford Bridge. AVB's preference for Falcao might also not support this cause. Moutinho might be a surprising choice for many of you but surely he is an apt choice. He isn't a youngster but has bloomed into a central midfielder who can play in any midfield position, including the flanks and as an attacking or holding midfielder .Perfect to Chelsea because of the fact that at Chelsea there isn't a real midfield tactician. His box-to-box dynamism is impressive and he could be a wonderful midfielder at the Bridge. Thiago Alcantara needs no introduction after his freekick in the final of the U21Euro 2011 sealed Spain's win. A look at the free kick and surely you would want this kid to be on your side. Currently at Barca this lad plays in a CM position. Chelsea needs someone who can make the CM position his own. And Thiago matches what Chelsea is looking out for. With Chelsea's freekick specialist Lampard and Drogba , both no younger than 33 Thiago could fit into that role as well. At 19 he could be the youngster Chelsea have been missing. An increase in his buyout clause from ₤30million to ₤90million could be AVB's reason to forgo the young lad.

In bringing AVB to Stamford Bridge Roman Abramovich has made a gamble, but a calculated gamble. A man who had the education of a Bobby Robson, has learnt things from Jose Mourinho is definitely a good man to be at the helm of Chelsea. Is this a 3-4 year programme against the one where he has to win something in the 1st year is something we don't know yet. Will AVB manage to impress the Chelsea fans and the owner? It's a tough ask, a tough challenge, something the Chelsea faithful wish and hope he can live upto.

Carlo Ancelotti..Strike 2..You are Out!!!

West Ham relegated, Avram Grant sacked...Chelsea finished 2nd behind champions Manchester United..Carlo Ancellotti sacked quicker than Grant.

The above statement will scare the hell out of you but yes, this is the harsh reality of teams which demand quick results. Result, 2nd is not good enough.

Ancelotti Out.. Whose Next Roman?

With the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea's present has been put into the dark till they can find a replacement for him. But why was he sacked? Was this really needed when the team came back and finished 2nd after a disastrous mid season during which Chelsea threatened to finish outside the top four. Certainly there are things to ponder about..

Carlo Ancelotti was brought to Chelsea at a time when the team needed to build after having stop gap managers (or yeah long term managers who were made to look like stop gap ones) the tactics of who were temporary and didn't yield long term results. Roman Abramovich chose Carlo Ancelotti over others for his results in Europe which yielded two trophies at Milan. Roman's obsession with the Champions League was the most important criteria for Ancelotti landing at Stamford Bridge. And it was a dream season for the manager, first time in England winning the the Community Shield and the double(League+FA Cup) thus halting Manchester United's hatrick of league titles. There was no complaints in the first season except that Chelsea couldn't progress beyond the quarters of the Champions league where they lost to eventual champions Inter Milan. A successful first season promised greater glory for Ancelotti and Chelsea. But fate wouldn't let that happen. After a brilliant start to Ancelotti's 2nd season where Chelsea threatened to run away with the title a mid season dip cost them not only the premier league title but also the league cup, the Fa cup and most importantly the Champions League. Chelsea seemed to have been transported back to the dark age and a final day defeat to Everton  was the final nail in the coffin for a man who was destined to resurrect Chelsea's success.

Did he deserve the way he was treated?

The sacking of Ancelotti set new standards of ruthlessness.However if observed this has been the way Chelsea has been going about their business since the takeover by Roman Abramovich and it was no different with Ancelotti. Raneiri, Mourinho, Grant, Scholari, Ancelotti and this list will grow on as long as Abramovich is up there. And the fuel which added to the sacking was Chelsea's dismal season, trophyless for the first time in the "Roman" era. This raises the question once again, does one poor season deserve a sacking. According to Roman, it is a big yes. He must have made his up mind the day Chelsea lost against Manchester United in the Champions League without a fight.. He has equated football success to 'fast food' which if undelivered is gonna drive you out of Stamford Bridge. And this is exactly what Ancelotti got, his marching orders immediately after the game at Goodison park , the result of the game certainly summing it all up.

I have still have not answered if Carlo Ancelotti deserved the way he treatment he was meted out. Popular opinion is against Abramovich's decision and I do agree with that. Failure in not able to add silverware in one season  was not a good enough decision to sack him but the owner thought otherwise. Jose Mourinho would better understand what Carlo Ancelotti might be going through as he too suffered a similar fate back in 2007. Ancelloti was brought to the club to fulfill Abramovich's obsession with the Champions League and 2 years of poor showing is the sure reason for Ancelotti's exit. And without doubt he is not gonna be the last one.

A new man is soon gonna take charge at Stamford Bridge and he surely has to come with the knowing that failure to deliver success is going to point him to the door. There cannot be two ways about it till Chelsea has Abramovich at helm. Will this thought drive away the best managers from taking up a job at Chelsea or will they view this as a challenge which not if enhancing their resume will surely add to their personal satisfaction. It certainly is a cat and mouse game for the new manager. Hopefully he would remember to bring "success" along with him .. ;)

BREAKING DAWN

It’s been a poor season for Chelsea. The lowest return on points since Abramovich bought the club in 2003. No trophy has been added to the cabinet. A season that began on such a positive note in rampaging form finished as a damp squib, they flattered to deceive in the final two months when they were said to be in rampant form with a return of 22 pts out of 24, which provided a mere smokescreen to the fact that they never played a competitive team away from home in that run at all, and when they were pitted against one like Stoke at the Britannia they could only draw or when faced a Tottenham at home, they needed the help of a linesman to beat them. Trounced at home to a spirited Everton side in the FA cup, embarrassing defeats at their Stamford Bridge fortress at the hands of Sunderland, Liverpool, Man United, which was once their pride has done a lot of damage to the ego of the squad who quite frankly used to beat teams at home in the tunnel before the game itself, such was the buccaneering reputation of the team at home that sides never stood a chance even to win a point there let alone three. Champions league ended in disappointment yet again, even the 50mn pound addition of Fernando Torres could not salvage a team that got outplayed, outthought and outfought by a superior Man United side over the two legs in the quarter finals. This is in a nut shell the Chelsea season, a disastrous one which brings us onto the most intriguing topic of all, the performance and fate of manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Failure to land a trophy at the bridge has cost every manager his job in the Abramovich era and it is widely being tipped that Ancelotti could be shown the door come the end of May when he is to meet the club officials for a review of the season. A thorough gentleman and universally adored by his peers, fans and the media alike, he deserves all our sympathies for the problems that he has had to contend with this season. A meddling owner who in trying to make a statement that he is the big daddy of them all, as he sacked his assistant manager the highly influential Ray Wilkins, for reasons best known to him. A decision that quite possibly exposed Ancelotti’s lack of although blossoming, knowledge of the British game. Come the second problem, the signing of Fernando Torres, a brilliant striker who is in the worst form of his life at the moment, his signing in February shook the entire setup of a team who had just started picking up the shambles of their disgraceful run and getting their act together again. The highly expensive prize Ancelotti paid in making his players play a formation so alien to them in order to integrate a 50 mn pound present journeyman albeit great striker cost the club their champions league dream, his decision to start with Torres in the quarter final at Old Trafford was widely criticized. Ancelotti learnt it the hard way that the team could only play in their characteristic 4-3-3 that brought the side their best run of from in the season, a run that made Man United nervous and made everyone feel that there was a danger that the Blues could catch up but it was all but a false dawn.

The season has highlighted many a glaring errors that Ancelotti and the club made right from the time in July when he boldly proclaimed that his side was fit and competitive enough to reclaim the title they so emphatically won. His failure to find a replacement for the dynamo called Ballack or the artistic Deco proved his undoing as his side cried for creativity in their mid season loss of form when Lampard went missing in early winter. A vulnerable back four was the last thing he needed as he first sold Carvalho and then Alex went missing through injury, Bosingwa’s defensive frailties were brutally exposed. His faith in the youngsters faltered as he could not trust them enough to revive a team that was in its worst run of form from mid October until Christmas, a point where the serious lack of depth in his squad was brutally highlighted.

The core of the team is now in their thirties, have been carrying along a few journeymen with them. Drogba’s best days are behind him and the idea of expecting him to score 30+ again would be foolhardy and that’s why the inquisition of currently out of sorts though incredible Torres makes sense. David Luiz looks a great signing but is defensively raw and will need a good pre-season under his belt which looks unlikely with the Copa America looming on the horizon. Ramires has started finding his feet in the team, McEachran in two years time could be worthy of the no.8 shirt. But the squad needs a serious rebuild. A team has to be built around Torres, a team that would cater to his needs, a team that would enable him to reach the heights that we all know he can, similar to a team that Mourinho built around Drogba during his tenure at the Bridge.

The big question though remains whether the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge still trusts in Ancelotti to allow him to build his team, a team that they believe would dominate the next decade, similar to these current core of players who have dominated the scene since 2004, remains to be answered. A big decision awaits Abramovich in the summer, a decision that could well shape the direction the club will take into the next decade of this century. Ancelotti already knows his fate and if the media is to believed then he is set to be sacked come the end of May. But the prospective list of candidates that could take over from him just doesn’t match the pedigree that Ancelotti boasts of. Homecoming approaches as the dream of coaching Roma looms on the horizon. He has a decision to make.

But the big decision has to be made by Abramovich. Accept that the club needs stability and show patience and keep Ancelotti could be a upturn from the ruthless Roman we know, the one who fires managers who fail to add silverware to the trophy cabinet. Wisdom says Roman needs to act sensibly, show patience and persist with his man but whether he chooses to do so remains the most intriguing bit of announcement that will come out of Stamford Bridge this month end.

Arsenal score against ManU keeping Chelsea's title hopes alive..

If there was one match most watched last weekend in the English Premier League it was Arsenal vs Manchester United ,not only for the old rivalry but also because this game would have decided if the title would go to Old Trafford for the 19th time or would it go down the wire possibly giving Chelsea a chance to fight for it and probably Arsenal to end their silverware drought. And it surely didn't disappoint fans of ManU's foes as Arsenal scored a lone goal to keep everyone's hopes alive.

Before the game ManU were brimming with confidence of an away win at Schalke in the Champions League and a win at the Emirates would have made their life easy for the rest of the season. However Arsene Wenger did have other plans. Despite Fabregas missing out due to injury Arsenal had a very good half despite not having anything to show on the scoresheet. A clear case of handball by Vidic in the box was missed by the referee which otherwise would have been a penalty and a big chance to mount pressure on the Red Devils. And they didn't have to wait for long in the 2nd half as an edge of the box finish from Aaron Ramsey ensured that Arsenal were up front and it stayed so thus ensuring that ManU wouldn't run away with the title. However close to the end a penalty appeal was turned down by referee Chris Foy as Owen went down after slight contact from Clichy. The ref would have surely not given this one to make up for the one he missed in the first half. A penalty at this stage to Manchester United would have caused a furore and further repurcussions were avoided except for the blabbering SAF who always will take on referees when results go against his side.

Besides Arsenal and ManU why was this game so important to Chelsea? What did they expect from Arsenal? Well, Chelsea after enduring a disastrous mid season found their way back claiming 25 points from the last 27, the most by any premier league team and for them to be in the title hunt it was important that Arsenal beat Manchester United so as to reach the peak of a mountain they had created for themselves. Arsenal did the job for them and tomorrow they need to continue the good work they have been doing since beating ManU on March 1st. It's not gonna be easy as ManU come off a wonderful mid week win over Schalke in the Champions League and also importantly having most of their players rested for that game. Though the game should be decided by the nature of play by 22 players on the pitch recently there have been accusations of games being decided due to desicions made by referees which certainly shouldn't be how a season should be remembered. Chelsea had their share of luck in the game against Tottenham where thier goals have been credited to errors by referees prompting Sir Alex to say that Chelsea title hopes are rested To negate all these the FA has appointed 39 yr old Howard Webb who officaiated the final of the world cup who is considered the best among english refs. He does have his share of controversies though which include not sending off Nigel de Jong for a Karate style tackle on Xabi Alonso in the final of the world cup and also a controversial penalty awarded to ManU against Liverpool in the 3rd round of the FA cup which ultimately was the only goal of the game. Irrespective of all this hoping to witness a cracker of a game and personally praying for a chelsea win. The wait does seem long, doesn't it... ;)

SQUEAKY BLUE TIME

Chelsea visit Old Trafford this Sunday and will provide a much sterner test than the one posed by Schalke last night, who were quite frankly made to look every bit the 10th best team in Bundesliga by a rampaging Man Utd side, who have been nothing short of sensational in Europe this season.

Promised land beckons for the team that emerges victorious this weekend at Old Trafford with a draw doing no good to Chelsea's renewed title credentials. Its Chelsea's stunning form of late since last March, when they turned a 1-0 deficit at half time against United into a 2-1 win by the final whistle that has rather made what would have been a casual stroll to the title into a nervy one. A run of results that have made the Red Devils look nervously over their shoulders since the last few weeks. The relentless march of the Blues went largely unnoticed as very few considered them a serious threat to United, as they had been swept aside with consummate ease over the two legs in the CL quarters over a month ago. But that tells only half the story as Chelsea who have been raking up wins, United on the other hand kept on drawing or loosing games at crucial stages to leave the door open, annihilation at Anfield, failure to score at St.James Park, allowed Chelsea to creep back into the reckoning, and not to mention the spiritless performance at Emirates last weekend when United sprang into life only in the final ten minutes by the time it was too late.

The outcome of the game will go a long way in deciding whether the title heads north to Old Trafford or stays in West London for another year. An unbeaten streak is at stake , a run that began 13 months ago when this very same Chelsea side took the title to London by the virtue of an offside Drogba winner. Chelsea will be much better equipped to damage United with David Luiz back into the line-up, a noticeable absentee the last time these two sides met.

A fitting titanic battle to decide who wears the premiership crown between the two best teams in England. Dont go expecting for some playacting, petty fouls, dives and bust-ups on the field and the chances are you will come back entertained.

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AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT,

Gooners might be a happy lot this week, a change in ownership has not bought about a change in working of the club which was the very thing they had been dreading when Stan Kroenke bought the Club last month. Wenger still thinks he has a title winning squad at his disposal and is ready to sign new kids this summer and yes like always to beat the competition from fellow rivals Arsenal have decided to hike ticket prices again to make them the most expensive team to watch in the entire Britain.

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What a job King Kenny has been doing at Anfield since January. He has breathed new life into the players, Dirk Kuyt has started scoring again rather than whipping crosses from outside the box, Lucas has started to look a cross of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano and has been the engine of the team. Suarez has been one of the signings of the season, Carragher inspirational and he should be the next in line to take over the reigns when Kenny leaves the dugout, but that discussion is for a different age altogether. The Reds have started playing beautiful football again which was not seen for the best part of the last decade. All hail King Kenny for making Anfield a happy place to be, two to three astute signings and they could be challenging for the title rightly so next season, a summer of optimism awaits. Good Times ahead.

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Roman Abramovich would be a fool to sack Ancelotti in the summer after this brilliant run of form. It clearly shows that the team is united, right behind their manager and ready to work their socks off for him. Enough of meddling Roman, be patient and you could well be buying a ticket for the showdown in Munich this time next May, Don't forget to sign some cheques this summer though.

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Chelsea vs Tottenham - Luck favours the brave..

Did the ball completely cross over the line or not? It did not..

At the end of 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge Harry Redknapp's statement that he was "amazed" by the lack of technology surely wouldn't come as surprise as Tottenham lost to Chelsea by 2 controversial goals after going one up in the earlier part of the game , courtesy a stunning strike by Sandro. Full time 2-1 and a happy ending for Terry on his 500th game for Chelsea.

Chelsea and Tottenham both came into this game knowing that only a win would fulfill their ambition of being in the title race and the Champions league 4th spot respectively. But it was Chelsea who started brightly with more shots on target than Spurs. Drogba's freekick rattled the crossbar which did make Harry Redknapp's men nervous but they eased their nerves with a unstoppable strike from Sandro into the top left of Chelsea's net. What a moment it was for this young man who scored his first goal and what great timing, when his team needed it the most. Carlo Ancelloti needed his men to fire all cylinders post this goal and Chelsea kept attacking although Drogba did look out of place playing wide on the flanks. And indeed they got one just before half time, although controversial when Frank Lampard had a crack from a range which went to Gomes but as it is with him, he spilled it right between his legs, but seemed to have done enough by clawing it away from the line, and the referee Andre Marriner rightly didn't give the goal the first time but the linesman Mike Cairns "guessed" it was a goal when he was in no position to even see it and the referee was left with no choice but to give it to Chelsea. There were protests from the Spurs players but the goal stood and Chelsea would have taken it however it came.

Second half was as interesting as the first one. Chelsea had their chances as did Spurs with Redknapp and Ancelloti making changes but the ball did not seem to find the net. There was a penalty shout for Chelsea when Kaboul seemd to take down Malouda but the referee might have wanted to level things for the mistake in the 1st half. And the scoreline stood at 1-1 till it was 2 minutes of regular play as Lampard spun the ball to Drogba whose shot was completely off target. Luckily for Chelsea Kalou was in the right postion to put the ball in the back of the net and also go into double digit league goals in a season for Chelsea for the first time.  For all the excitement , super-sub Kalou was shade offside and it did add up to the controversy at fulltime compounding Tottenham's misery which might cost them a place in the Champions league next season.

Time and again the use of 'goal-line technology' has been debated and the man whose strike once again brought up this topic would have have felt a sense of relief to be on the happier side of the controversy. Frank Lampard was denied a goal when his wonder-strike went miles over the line in the game between England vs Germany at the pre quarters stage at World Cup 2010 in South Africa, This time though the goal was credited to him and did help Chelsea's cause in being on Manchester United's tail for the premier league title. The highly contentious goal wouldn't have arised if not from a howler from Gomes who has done this time and again, most recently against Real Madrid in the 2nd leg of the Champions League Quarters. For all the good work he does , he is recognised for the mistakes he commits and Tottenham surely would need to get rid of Gomes' mistakes or Gomes' himself if they have to compete for the top spot. A howler by Gomes and total blunder by the linesman Mike Cairns helped Chelsea equalize and another mistake by linesman Martin Yerby helped Chelsea earn 3 points from a game which they largely dominated. A bad day for the referee the credit of which should go to both his assistants.

Ancelloti admitted that his side enjoyed two huge strokes of good fortune and has said "Title is our destiny". And with Arsenal doing Chelsea a huge favour by beating Manchester United, it's upto Chelsea to do themselves some good when they travel to Old Trafford next week. It would surely be the most awaited game as 3 points to Chelsea would pip them to the top , a scene unimaginable 2 months ago and 3 points to ManU would seal a record 19th premier league title for them. May 8th is when most of the questions would be answered. Till then it's a long wait!!!

And also I need to pat my back for getting yesterday's prediction right, which I do most of the time.. ;)

Chelsea vs Tottenham - Battle draws closer to an end...

If this game was played 2 months back Chelsea wouldn't have been given a chance to win with their distratous run and Tottenham would surely have been favourites to win this London derby with their fiery performances. But right now Chelsea are in hot form and on Manchester United's trail for the premier league title with 5 wins and 1 draw in their last 6 PL games. It's interesting to see who gains advantage as this derby could decide the fate of not only Chelsea and Tottenham but also ManU when they play Arsenal tomorrow as a win will get them closer to the title and virtually not give either Chelsea or Arsenal a sniff unless there will be some late drama.

Tottenham will be desperate for a win as dropped points will surely not help their cause for a fouth place finish and the lucrative Champions League qualifying spot. Dumped out of Champions league by Real Madrid, just 8 points from the available 18, surely point to the fact that Tottenham have to pull the rabbit out of the hat to win at Stamford Bridge. Ancelotti might start with Drogba and Torres upfront and with the later breaking his goal scoring duck against West Ham last week one can expect more to come from him.

 Will the Blues go a step ahead in achieving the impossible or will Spurs fulfill their dreams of playing one more Champions League. Ancelotti vs Redknapp - Who will have the last laugh ? To be decided in sometime.

Chelsea vs Tottenham: My Prediction : 2-1

Can Chelsea get rid of their Blues??

21 May 2008 somewhere around 22:00 BST : Terry line's up to take a penalty against Edwin van der Sar. The moment all Chelsea fans were praying a long time. The time when the European Championship was only one kick away from Stamford Bridge. Terry lost his footing when planting his standing foot by the ball, and, even though Edwin van der Sar was sent the wrong way, Terry's mis-hit effort hit the outside of the right post and went wide, sending the trophy from London to Manchester.

12 April 2011 at 19:45 BST : Chelsea are in no better position. The earlier one was a finale and this is a two leg affair and Chelsea are already one step behind courtesy Wayne Rooney ' The Wonder Kid'. And it's no easy job for Chelsea to go to Old Trafford and not only erase the deficit but also go one step ahead and win it if they are to fulfill their dream of winning an European Championship.

 

My Chelsea team for tomorrow's game

Chelsea, after having a horrendous mid season are looking like they are getting back on track. But to be fair and honest they are no where near the lightning form they showed at the beginning of the season. They struggled to find the back of the net in the 1st leg at Stamford Bridge and they need to work real hard if they are to score a goal against the likes of Vidic, Ferdianand and Evra. They have already done that by winning against Manchester United after going a goal down in the first half in the Premier League. And doing it would be sweet revenge for that loss in Moscow 3 years ago only if Chelsea can go ahead and win the final.

One step at a time though, it's a $50million question for Carlo Ancelloti. Should he start with Fernando Torres? And the answer should be NO. Torres hasn't been even close to the form he was when he left Liverpool and playing him would be no less than ending your dreams. Drogba's physical presence should be there right throughout the game as it lifts's the whole team and also gives the opposition jitters of having to stand against him. The rest of the squad select themselves, unless Carlo Ancelloti decides to surprise everyone.

This seemingly is the only game  among others where the final result is not yet decided. Can this game live up to the built up expectations? Can Chelsea go a step ahead in fulfilling their dream or will it be another sour season? Will we see Carlo Ancelloti as Chelsea's manager next season or will it be a new man incharge? Tomorrow's game might answer most of the unanswered questions.

Shaktar Donetsk have been the surprise package in Europe but surely their dream has to end here. Barcelona massacred them at Nou Camp by scoring 5 on the night and the lone 'away goal' may not be of any help to Shaktar. Barcelona have 90 minutes to ease their way in to the semis while Shaktar have 90 minutes to overcome a 5-1 deficit the chances of which are 'very small'. Guardiola must have been trying to be very modest when he said "the tie is not already won". It's a David vs Goliath situation but Barca are in no mood to do any favours to 'David'. How many more will Barcelona score or do we have a twist in the tale? I don't believe so. It's time waiting to proclaim the winners. Till then ENJOY RESPONSIBLY...

Chelsea's Goliath and Bison key to success...

Dubbed as a game between the strongest attack and the meanest defence of the season the game between Manchester United and Chelsea showed why Chelsea still have it in them to finish the season on a high despite the drubbing they have received from the opposition both on and off the field in recent times. To ignore Chelsea could be a mistake and that’s what the club would want at the moment. This is not a post match analysis of the game but a Chelsea fan’s appreciation of the club’s performance and to prove a fact as to why fans never give up on their clubs even at worst times.

Since the arrival of Fernando Torres at Stamford Bridge the talk has been of his form and predictions of failure in forming an alliance with Didier Drogba who has been an ever improving player since his arrival in 2004. Also rumours that Drogba would be on his way out have been an advantage to Chelsea keeping the opposition distracted. Torres, Drogba and Anelka are wonderful strikers and having all three in the starting line up would be a dream for any manager. This could be a good headache for Ancelloti considering that there would be competition for spots keeping the players at their best. Torres hasn’t sent the ball into the net in the games he has played for Chelsea but he has been improving since his nightmare debut against Liverpool, the team he left to join Chelsea. Back to the game against ManU, Anelka and Torres were preferred to Drogba and it might have been for the best as the fury built within him for being dropped to the bench was unleashed in the last 30 minutes when he literally had the United defense dancing to his footsteps, resulting in Vidic being sent off who was frustrated by Drogba’s play drawing him to commit a foul on Ramires.

15 points behind and in 5^th position was enough warning for Carlo Ancelotti’s men to step up to the occasion and when you are playing Manchester United you have no reason to let yourselves down. It would have been every non United fans prayer to see Chelsea win and the final result would have been relief for everyone except Sir Alex Ferguson who has got in to trouble with the FA for his rant against referee Mark Atkinson. First 10 minutes lit up my spirits when I saw Chelsea play sparklingly, but as the clock slowly ticked to reach 1^st half my joy was short lived as Chelsea were not able to stamp their authority going a goal down at half time. It looked like Chelsea fans had to contend with the fact that Chelsea would be 18 points behind ManU at 90 mins but it didn’t have to be. And on display was a show which showed everyone as to why Chelsea still have their morale up, why Drogba is still a tormentor for the opposition and why Lampard still can score penalties.

Bison and Goliath

One person I haven’t yet mentioned about is David Luiz. He was bought to the squad to fix a slightly leaky defence but he would have inspired any striker with his well timed strike. He was the Goliath of the team taking down the opposition at will with some well timed tackles. Honestly speaking he was lucky to be on the pitch when he brought down Rooney, but hey hey…It’s Rooney you are talking about, the guy who caught Wigan’s McCarthy with an elbow in Manchester United’s precious game. If Sir Alex had no problems with that then he should not be around throwing tantrums for this. When you play well, you make your day and that is what Luiz did. He had an awesome day on the pitch and I hope he has a wonderful time playing at Chelsea.

I would certainly like to shower special praise on the Bison for putting up a splendid performance. For people who may not know who I am referring to its Michael Essien. The hard working guy was at all places at all times. Defending when it needed the most and pushing forward keeping the United defence on their toes. He has been magnificent and at times single handedly controlled the way the game has been played in midfield. You would have watched the game and hardly missed Essien at any moment. He may not have put the ball in the back of the net but his attacking play combined with some smart defending might have just put Chelsea’s season back on track.

90 minutes and it was Luiz and Lampard‘s name on the score sheet but it was a team win. Each of the Chelsea players who played a part in the game deserved it and I could hardly see the selfishness Chelsea players are accused of in front of goal. Top 4 finish might just be an understatement and I would be overjoyed if they can do well in the Champions League and accomplish something they haven’t yet achieved. Hoping that by end of May the ghosts of this season are wiped out. Cheers to a Wonderful team!!