2014-15 Chelsea FC Season Preview

Season
2014-15 Chelsea FC
Preview
TACTICAL PREVIEW | MIDFIELD MATTERS | PLAYER PROFILES
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS | FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY | RIVALS IN FOCUS
ACADEMY OVERVIEW, PROFILES AND KEY ISSUES
THREE ITALIANS | AWAY DAYS | THE FORGOTTEN YEARS
Plains of Almeria 2
Introduction
Welcome to the second instalment of the Plains of Almera Season Preview download. We hope that you
enjoy the time and efort that has gone into producing this. The majority of contributors have done so
while maintaining full-time work or study, so we greatly appreciate their endeavour. This season the
download will be free, but we hope that many of you will give what you can to the below:
https://www.justgiving.com/plainsofalmeria
We have chosen to ask for donations, no matter how small, to help Chelseas Oficial Charity partner for
2014/15. The charity is called Help a Capital Child and supports children and young people afected by
abuse, homelessness and poverty. It would be fantastic to contribute to a cause that the club is supporting
and any donations would be hugely appreciated.
The Download will be split into two parts. The first part will preview the season and looks to cover every
angle possible. We have individual player profiles, tactical pieces, stats analysis and some expert insight
into what we can hope to expect. There is a look at the extremely exciting Chelsea academy as we preview
this years crop of youngsters. Lastly, an extensive look at the commercial picture surrounding the club and
how financial fair play is shaping the future of our club.
In the second half of the Preview we have a series of articles and pieces from a host of writers. Spanning
the attachment to Stamford Bridge and the surrounding area to giving Frank Lampard a send-of worthy of
one of your greatest players.
Mostly we hope that this is an enjoyable read and again if you can spare any money at all, we would
massively appreciate the donations. Here is to another rollercoaster season: we can only hope that this
time we end the season with the Premier League trophy returning to Stamford Bridge.

Carefree,
Joe Tweeds (@JoeTweeds)
2014/15 Season Preview
Contents
Part One

6
An Opportunity
Missed
by Joe Tweeds

9
Tactical Preview
by Tim Palmer

12
Midfeld Matters
by Sebastien Chapuis

17
Is The Squad Creative
Enough?
by Oscar Puente - Chelsea
Index

21
Player Profles
22 Overview
23 Petr Cech
24 Mark Schwarzer
25 Thibaut Courtois
26 Branislav Ivanovic
27 Filipe Luis
29 Kurt Zouma
30 Nathan Ake
31 Gary Cahill
32 John Terry
33 Cesar Azpilicueta
34 Cesc Fabregas
35 Ramires
36 Oscar
38 Eden Hazard
40 John Obi Mikel
41 Andre Schurrle
42 Marco Van Ginkel
43 Mohammed Salah
44 Nemanja Matic
45 Willian
47 Fernando Torres
48 Didier Drogba
17 Diego Costa

53
Academy Preview
by ChelseaYouth

56
Academy Profles
by Ollie Glanvill and Joe
Tweeds

61
Financial Fair Play
by Jake Cohen

66
Rivals In Focus
Arsenal, Manchester City and
Manchester United
by Oliver Todd

Part Two

70
Thanks Frank
by Trizia F

72
The Foundations
by Chelseadaft

5
Home Is Where The
Heart Is
by David Chidgey

78
Three Italians
by Phil Lythell

82
The Penalty
by Joe Tweeds

85
The Forgotten Years
by Tim Rolls

89
Away Games Preview
by Walter Otton

5
A Lifetime Of Chelsea
Notes
by Clayton Beerman

5
Faith, Hope And
Insanity
by Chris M
Plains of Almeria 3
22
41
Contributors
Joe Tweeds
(@JoeTweeds)
The editor of Plains of Almera
and a Chelsea season ticket
holder.

Tim Palmer
(@timhpal)
Tim is a football writer and coach
working in Australia. He writes
for FourFourTwo, SB Nation and
Australia Scout amongst other
sites.

Alfe Jones
(@everydaypundit)
A freelance assistant producer in
sport TV, Alfie worked on the
2014 World Cup in Brazil and is a
regular at BT Sport. He's a
Chelsea season ticket holder.

Sebastian Chapuis
(@SeBlueLion)
Seb is a football coach, tactical
analyst and pundit working on
Canal+s The Specialists, the
French equivalent of Match of
the Day for the Premier League.

Jake Cohen
(@jakefcohen)
Jake is a lawyer who can often
be seen writing and speaking
about footballs legal, financial
and economic issues.

Chelsea Youth
(@chelseayouth)
Needs very little introduction.
The preeminent voice of youth
football at Chelsea.

Chelsea Index
(@chelseaindex)
Oscar Puente
(@FootieFromAfar)
Chelsea Index are part of the
EPLIndex team and provide
great content around tactics and
stats throughout the season.
Oscar writes for Chelsea Index
on a regular basis.

Rik Sharma
(@riksharma_)
Rik is a journalist who works for
Sport in Spain. He also freelances
for Mail Sport, Bleacher Report
and various other media outlets.

Jenny Brown
(@cfc_jb)
Jenny works for stats website
WhoScored.com as a social
media guru.

Priya Ramesh
(@Priya8Ramesh)
Priya is a freelance Dutch
football writer.

Oliver Todd
(@oliver_todd)
Oliver is a journalist working for
Mail Sport, formerly of the
Manchester Evening News.

Jack Cox
(@jackCFC96)
Jack is a regular contributor to
the Chelsea fanzine cfcuk.
Casual 5-a-sider.

Charlie Harris
(@HarrisCharle5)
Charlie is a freelance sports
writer, who operates in the
digital and social media space.

Alex Finnis
(@AlexFinnis)
Alex is presently a trainee
reporter at the Mail Online.

Ramon Isaac
(@mowingmeadows)
Editor of the MowingMeadows
blog and general football scribe.

Chris M
(@togaflex)
An obsessive Chelsea fan, writer,
blogger and DJ.

Ollie Glanvill
(@ollie_glanvill)
Ollie is a Chelsea season ticket
holder and writer
Triz F
(@TerrenceTheCat)
The Chair of the Chelsea
Supporters Group and frequent
contributor to national media
outlets.

Chelseadaf
@chelseadaft)
Chelseadaft is the award winning
chelseadaft.org website and is an
oficial Chelsea FC blogger

Stamford Chidge
(@StamfordChidge and
@ChelseaFanCast)
Chidge presents the award
winning Chelsea FanCast TV
show and podcast which can be
seen every Monday at 19.00 on
Chelsea FanCast TV or You Tube
or heard at mixlr.com/chelsea-
fancast/ or downloaded from
ITunes.

Phil Lythell
(@PhilLythell)
Phil is a blogger and writer for
ESPN FC.

Tim Rolls
(@tim_rolls)
Writer for cfcuk, Plains of
Almera and the Chair of the
Chelsea Supporters Trust. Tim
can be found on radio and
television throughout the
season.

Walter Otton
(@WalterOtton)
Walter is an author and
contributor to the cfcuk fanzine.
His works include The Red Hand
Gang and Shorts, both of which
come highly recommended if
you are stuck for reading
material.

Clayton Beerman
(@goalie59)
Clayton is a long-time season
ticket holder and occasional
blogger/podcaster.
Plains of Almeria 4
Part One
Dan Davies | facebook.com/ChelseaYouthPhotos
Plains of Almeria 6
An
Opportunity
Missed
As the season came to its conclusion it was
becoming painfully obvious that Chelsea lacked
the firepower to really pull away in the title race.
For all Mourinhos guile and tactical acumen you
can only hide such salient flaws for a short space
of time. As soon as sides figured out the Chelsea
equation stop Eden Hazard and stop Chelsea
games almost became impossible to win.
The frustration of sitting through games where
teams could heavily load their right hand side to
counter Hazard became a regular sight. While
Manchester City seemed to carry a goal scoring
threat from every area of the pitch, Chelsea had
nowhere near that level of firepower. Liverpools
resurgence was spearheaded by the gifted Luis
Surez and the ability to play their strongest side
every game. Both of these teams scored over
100 goals, 30 more than Chelsea. The
benchmark for what is required to win the
Premier League had been set high and was
measured in goals.
It is too simplistic to boil our issues down to a
lack of goals, but is undoubtedly a good place to
start. It has only been in Lampards advancing
years that you notice the diference in our
fortunes without his goals. Our last successful
league campaign featured Lampard scoring 22
times in the competition and Didier Drogba
netting 29 times. We have never replaced
Drogbas general influence on proceedings or
Lampards rare ability to frequently score crucial
goals.
This is where a huge step up in aggression and
class is needed from the current squad. Top goal
scorers have a unique desire to find the net
when it is most required. It is an innate quality
that turns a loss into a draw or a draw into a
victory. That killer instinct, the inherent belief
Joe Tweeds
Wikimedia Commons
Plains of Almeria 7
that the goal will eventually come, seemed non-
existent when required last season. Without Eden
Hazard performing at full capacity, who else
wanted to step up?
The foundation of Chelseas success over the past
decade or so has been rooted firmly in the concept
of the team. Every area of the pitch contributes in
scoring goals. When we have been at our best we
had midfielders regularly finding double figures,
defenders pitching in with 4-5 goals and forwards
all looking to hit 15+ over the season. There were
focal points, but they were complimented by those
around them. Either through sheer hard work or
additional quality, other players seemingly wanted
to step into the spotlight and takes games over.
Was there was half an eye on the World Cup? Or
were our players simply not ready to assume the
responsibility required to deliver a league title?
Patently we did not click last season. There was
very little in the final third that made opposition
defences genuinely fearful. Juxtapose how you feel
when Agero picks the ball up in space and runs at
our back four with the ball being played into
Torres. If you or I feel such a huge diference can
you imagine what a Premier League centre-back
feels?
Chelsea have enjoyed success with centre
forwards who primarily occupy as many defenders
as possible. Goals are a certain measuring stick,
but purely from a team standpoint we have always
looked more fluid with that type of player leading
the line. Didier Drogba in his peak is often criticised
for not regularly hitting 30 goals a season by those
who do not understand his fuller contribution.
Drogbas role was to cause havoc, link play and
give space to everyone around him. In arguably his
best season, free from injury, we broke the Premier
League goal scoring record.
The Torres experiment may be in the last stages of
its natural life. Unless the Spaniard magically finds
some semblance of form or reinvents himself
entirely into a right winger you have probably seen
the last of him at Chelsea. Sitting for another 2
years on a horrifically overpriced contract might
be well within Torres rights, but it would definitely
sour relations with the fans. In an era where squad
management is becoming even more important,
having an overseas player simply not contributing
is hugely damaging.
Etoo played his part as you would expect, but
being in a situation where your apparent third
choice striker is the best player available was
incredibly worrying. Where his performances were
of a decent standard the side looked far more
dangerous. Demba Ba provided two of the
moments of the season, but ultimately looked like
an average striker struggling to make the
adjustment of playing in a top side. The vast
diference in space and perception did nothing to
complement Bas natural game. Transforming
himself to a striker capable of playing in tighter
areas did not happen. In truth we went into last
season grossly understocked in the striker
department. Without a main focal point or goal
threat we struggled. The fruitless pursuit of
Rooney hindered us immensely.
If our ability to score goals was average, then our
midfield play throughout the season could mostly
be described as mediocre. Without Lampards
goals there seemed to be nothing happening in the
middle of the park. Against top sides we moved
David Luiz into a central role to provide some bite
and attacking impetus. However, against lesser
teams we struggled to move the ball at any sort of
acceptable tempo. The arrival of Nemanja Mati
brought much needed technical quality to the area,
but even that was not enough.
Ramires is many things, but a controlling influence
in midfield is certainly not one of them. Obi Mikel is
an exceptionally useful player against top sides,
but we know his limitations. Lampard was reduced
to a game management role. Marco van Ginkel was
sadly injured very early into proceedings and could
not contribute. Of those regularly available none
had the vision or range of passing to incisively
distribute the ball against defensive sides.
That agonising side-to-side pendulum of endless
passing was never going to break a disciplined side
down. It was a peculiar feeling going into games
against direct title rivals with more confidence
than relegation battling sides. The lack of passing
quality meant our strikers, for all their faults, could
not thrive at all. Similarly there was no chance for
Eden Hazard to influence proceedings receiving
the ball at a pedestrian pace. In such a vital area
the lack of balance and vision almost crippled us
entirely.
Plains of Almeria 8
Mourinho was clearly feeling his way back into the
swing of the Premier League last season. We
began playing an expansive style of football, but
seemed incapable of defending. After a switch to a
more defensive shape goals were hard to come by.
There was no balance. Mourinhos attempts to
create a workable structure proved dificult. We
had a young group of players who did not have
the understanding of what it takes to succeed on a
weekly basis in this league.
There are things that Mourinho needs to look to
rectify from a personal standpoint. Perhaps being
less antagonistic in the media would work in our
favour. We seemed to get a few questionable
decisions from oficials last season stemming from
comments that Mourinho had made. He needs to
play the game this season and make no mistake
about it, he is under significant pressure to deliver.
Taking a step-back from the controversy, saying
things when required and letting his team do the
talking will alleviate matters.
Pre-season is not a great barometer of how the
season proper will pan out. However, the Real
Sociedad game seemed to intimate a shift in the
managers mentality. Everyone seemed more
confident in possession, more aggressive on the
ball and perhaps more importantly our defensive
structure seemed more proactive. If Mourinho has
developed the trust in his side to truly unleash
them, this could prove to be the greatest
development from last season.
All of last seasons problem areas appear to have
been fixed in some capacity. Nevertheless, we may
still require greater depth in the striker
department and being greedy I would love a world
class box-to-box midfielder. This squad has the
potential and now needs to start delivering on that
promise. There will be no international distractions
and the side looks fresh after a well-judged pre-
season campaign. Time will tell but there is cause
for optimism.
Over the course of the next few pages we will be
taking an in depth look about how this summers
work in the transfer market has fed through to
resolve some of these issues. Things are definitely
looking up, but there is still going to be periods
this season where we need more than talent to
pull through in games. Here is hoping that those
bought this summer bring much needed
leadership and fight to blend with our existing flair.
Plains of Almeria 9
Chelseas progression and improvement in the
initial year of Jose Mourinhos second spell as
manager, predicted and unfolding as an inevitable
season of transition, was such that the goal for this
new season is simple - the Premier League title.
That target has been coupled with smart, eficient
work in the transfer market so that the squad is
now firmly set to challenge on all four fronts. The
additions of Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Filipe
Luis and Didier Drogba, although exciting, are also
fairly boring, if only in the fact their roles in
Mourinhos system are immediately obvious.
There should be no tactical surprises this season,
with the new signings fitting seamlessly into the
pre-existing 4-2-3-1. Costa to striker, Fabregas in
midfield, Luis at left-back and Drogba waiting on
the bench. The summer has been all about
upgrading individuals in previous areas of
weakness.
As a collective, however, the key question ahead of
2014-15 is whether Mourinho can improve the
sides most glaring weakness from the last
campaign. Their inability to break down weaker
sides, particularly teams that defended deep, cost
them in late-season defeats to Sunderland, Crystal
Palace and Aston Villa. Mourinho has already
spoken extensively in pre-season about this
challenge, commenting that in certain matches,
when you dont have space and time to play, you
need more quality. We are working in that
direction, to play against teams with low blocks
and who are very compact, to play against teams
with 10 players behind the ball.
Costa, a 32 million pound signing from Atletico
Madrid, is the personification of this quality. He
brings a verticality to the frontline long missing
from Chelseas attack . His constant, aggressive
runs in behind will help stretch the depth of the
pitch, pushing centre-backs back and thus
stretching the compactness of the opposition
defence. That, in turn, should create space
between the lines for Costas supporting attackers.
Eden Hazard, in particular, should be freed up by
Costas presence, as the Spaniard is able to occupy
defenders with his back to goal.
Last season, Etoo had a good relationship with
Hazard because he drifted towards the left of the
pitch and made sharp runs in and around Hazard,
both pulling away defenders and providing a
passing angle for the Belgian to play into, who
often then overlapped and received the return
pass inside the area (most obviously for that
spectacular goal against Newcastle). Costas
struggles at a national level at the most recent
World Cup may suggest otherwise but contrary to
his bullish reputation, he is a refined striker
capable of similar link-up play.
Costa will also have an important impact in the
defensive phase of play. In the first quarter of last
season, Mourinhos plans to implement a high-
pressing system were obvious, with Oscar and
Tactical Preview
Tim Palmer
Wikimedia Commons
Plains of Almeria 10
Willian instrumental in leading the pressure
immediately after turnovers. Costas work ethic
means he will fit seamlessly into this approach,
and combined with a more mobile midfield
pairing, means the side will now be better
equipped to playing a more proactive defensive
game. Simple logic means this will have positive
flow-on efects to the attacking phase - win the ball
higher up the pitch, of course, and youre closer to
your attacking goal.
The energy and work-rate of the front four, helping
to push the ball wide, protects the midfield pivot,
who in turn protect the back four by staying in
position and crucially, taking turns to move
forward and close down so that cover is mixed
with pressure on the ball. That, in part, should
alleviate the general concern over Cesc Fabregass
ability to defend in a midfield pivot. Although not
unfounded, its likely Mourinho will switch to a
4-3-3 against stronger sides, bringing Ramires into
a trio alongside Nemanja Matic to ensure the side
isnt overrun. Furthermore, Fabregas has been
switched between the pivot and a #10 role
throughout pre-season, suggesting Mourinho
wont be averse to moving Oscar to a wide role, or
even to the bench.
Fabregass primary contribution, however, will be
in possession, where he boasts the technical
ability and vision Chelsea have long lacked in a
deep-lying midfielder. In what was a pivotal factor
behind his flopping at Barcelona, hes more direct
with the ball than the Catalans generally prefer,
able to receive passes on the turn and hit longer,
penetrative balls at transitions. This will aid the
quality of Chelseas counter-attacks and improve
the speed of the movement from defence to
attack.
If Fabregas and Costa help stretch the depth of
field in attack, then Filipe Luis is crucial in the
opposition direction - width. Cesar Azpilicueta had
a fine season in an unusual left-back position, but
primarily because of his strength in 1v1s, often
benefitting from the fact opposition wingers
frequently cut inside on the ball - onto Azplicuetas
stronger right foot. The conversing efect of this,
though, was that Azpilicueta was weak going
forward - wary of overlapping for fear of being
exposed on the break, and tentative with his use of
the ball when high up the pitch.
Luis should represent an upgrade, at least going
forward. At Atletico, the Brazilian was excellent at
whipping early crosses in behind the defence for
Costa to attack, and is energetic enough to burst
forward beyond Hazard - thus creating that crucial
of-the-ball movement that pulls defences out of
position, and in turn generates more space for the
Belgian.
An intriguing sub-plot of Luiss arrival is what it
means for the right-hand side, where Azpilicueta
will presumably return to battle against Branislav
Ivanovic for a starting berth. Ivanovic featured
throughout last campaign because he provided
the physical attributes otherwise missing, with his
height particularly useful as an outlet at goal-kicks
kicked long. Costa is decent in the air and will
probably become the primary target of these long
balls, but Ivanovic may continue to feature against
the divisions more physical sides. He also provides
an extra body both attacking and defending set-
pieces.
Tactically, Chelseas approach this season is
obvious. Last season demonstrated Mourinhos
long running love of transitions, with the side
become more and more pronounced in their
counter-attacking approach. Matches against
Atletico Madrid and Liverpool, for example, saw
the entire game plan based almost entirely around
extreme defensiveness, and desperate, one-end-
Costa
Hazard
Oscar
Willian
Fabregas
Matic
Luis
Terry Cahill
Azpilicueta
Courtois/Cech
to-the-other transitions. Even with the new
arrivals, the sides strength remains in this kind of
quick-fire attacking - indeed, Costa and Fabregas
dont revolutionise the style of play, but instead
accentuate the existing approach.
An important question, however, will be in where
these transitions begin - higher up the pitch, in
midfield, or from deep? A pressing approach
encourages the former, while the latter will
probably be evident in big matches, but the
middle might be the most sustainable in the long-
term, with the pivot players sticking tight to their
direct opponents, and transferring the ball quickly
into attack.
The famous 6-0 thrashing of Arsenal, and the 1-0
away at the Etihad, were the most obvious
illustration of this tactic, with Matic and David Luiz
tremendous in their relentless energy up against
the deep-lying players; whether such a approach
can be replicated in light of Luizs transfer to PSG
remains to be seen.
The Brazilians departure also has ramifications on
the sides ability to create from deep. Although
inconsistent with his production, Luiz was always
keen to bring the ball forward from the back, often
looking for long diagonals over the top for
Fernando Torres or Andre Schurrle to chase. While
John Terry is capable of clean, accurate cross-field
passes on his left foot, Gary Cahill is limited in his
passing, and relies on brute force to provide
incisiveness.
Fabregas, of course, partly alleviates these issues,
but the full-backs will probably be asked to play
slightly higher up to compensate. This has been
obvious in pre-season.
Another fascinating aspect of the friendly fixtures
has been Mourinhos constant experimentations
with shape - even if the overwhelming feeling is
that he will stick with the 4-2-3-1. Three at the back
has been a recurring variation, with some unusual
deployments of wing-backs (such as Mohammed
Salah and Victor Moses) as well as bizarre trial
with Marco Van Ginkel as a centre-back. Last
season, of course, was memorable for his drastic
second half changes in order to chase games,
often switching to unorthodox formations in order
to incorporate more attackers, and to throw on
extra strikers. One example is the entertaining use
of Branislav Ivanovic as a centre-forward.
That, in many ways, demonstrates what seems to
be the rather simple logic behind these sort of
changes. Rather than being part of some
intelligent tactical switch, they seem designed
purely to instigate chaos - the efect of which can
be wildly unsettling on opposition players, who
having become comfortably defending deep
against a certain formula, have to adjust to an
unknown, unpredictable attack.
Ultimately, this variation - though perhaps not to
such extreme, Ivanovic-as-striker, measures - will
prove decisive. Premier League titles are not often
won by sides with a single set formula, but instead
by teams able to vary their approach, and adapt to
opposition tactics.
Mourinhos first season was about moulding the
squad to suit this hypothesis - now, with a diverse,
multi-functional group of players, he needs to
prove it.
The midfield area is without a doubt the region of
the field that typifies Jos Mourinhos vision of a
multifunctional team. According to the Portuguese
manager, it is of an absolute necessity for his team
to connect all available areas of the pitch in the
most eficient manner. It translates on the playing
field through a judicious use of space according to
the precise moment of play.
Putting together a functional unit
Chelseas starting formation is typically seen as the
deployment of two central midfielders ahead of a
back four, as well as three attackers supposed to
feed a lone striker. The combination between
arrivals and departures in the past year has led to
the set-up of a squad of players able to execute
what is expected of them in all phases of play.
Thus, every player has been awarded dual
attacking and defensive duties. Mourinhos set-up
relies on taking into consideration the opposing
teams strengths, and therefore playing in a way
that exploits every opportunity in which the
opponent doesnt feel in total control. It is of little
surprise that well-rounded players such as Oscar,
Ramires, Willian and Azpilicueta have been well
considered by the man in charge, considering their
wide range of abilities, which allow them to
implement a host of instructions in various types of
situations or scenarios.
The past season has been dedicated to the re-
implementation of a collective discipline that
commits the ten outfield players. The choice of
personnel has been the outcome of a trial and
error phase of a few months until the teams first
accomplished performance, the home win over
Schalke 04. The team that lined up that night
provided a hint of what was going to be Chelseas
most functional composition in midfield for the
upcoming months.
Midfeld
Matters
Sebastian Chapuis
Wikimedia Commons
As a base of Chelseas play in possession, one of
the two central midfielders has been awarded the
duty to patrol the zone ahead of the two centre
backs as well as recycling possession from left to
right. At the very start, it was the Brazilian Ramires
who was asked to provide a simple passing option
as well as feeding a more adventurous midfielder
in the continuation of what he was already doing
during the 2012/13 seasons run-in. Despite
Ramires boosting his own passing figures (in
terms of volume and accuracy, closing on to sixty
passes - twice as much as he does as a box-to-
box), his goal-record breaking counterpart failed
to perform convincingly enough alongside him.
Mikels inclusion in November meant that Ramires
gradually replaced Lampard in the starting line-up.
Mati made the deepest midfielder role his own
straight away, essentially slotting in alongside
Ramires. The now departed David Luiz was used
sporadically as a midfield enforcer, something
likely to be equalled and replicated by the front
fours work rate for the upcoming season.
For the first time in a decade, Frank Lampard
didnt manage to get to double figures for goals,
only hitting the back of the net in half a dozen
occasions. In spite of the passing of 12JM/Obi
comet last September (a rare and spectacular
occurrence of goal scoring) and Ramires long
range shot against Crystal Palace, the goals from
midfield havent reached a satisfying enough tally,
which is an aspect to be addressed ahead of the
new season.
On the right of midfield, Willian established
himself as a key part of the set-up after a much
needed re-start of his (incredible) athletic engine
after two spells of lesser intensity in eastern
Europe. The Brazilian made an impact amongst
the Chelsea faithful with his impressive turn of
pace and ability to beat his man. Willians well
accomplished game features expert technique as
well as great range of passing. This made him look
like a loosely deployed central midfielder pushed
wide. Willians propensity to ask for the ball into
feet and his natural tendency to tuck inside in
possession proved to be the perfect foil for what
happened on the other side.
Benefiting from a much more coherent structure
ahead of him than the one he played into last
season, Eden Hazard established himself as
Chelseas Player of the Year. The combination of an
ability to beat his man and get in good scoring or
assisting positions meant that he had to shoulder
the responsibility to make the diference in the
final third of the pitch.
Oscar, the vital cog
The cornerstone of the whole system has been
Oscar. His expanded role was correlated with the
ground he has been asked to cover, patrolling in
between the various zones of the field. In fact,
Oscars movement when his team is in possession
of the ball proves to be the trigger of the whole
mechanics of play.
When the centre backs are in possession of the
ball, Oscar usually drops deep in around the centre
circle with a clear aim in mind. Whether the
opposing team has one less body in midfield or if
there is a numerical equality, the Brazilian takes
action in order his team to move the ball forward:
making himself available to receive the ball or
pulling his marker out to allow one of his team-
mates to receive the ball into feet (usually Willian).
During the preparation of an attack, Chelsea duly
move the ball in midfield: a rotation occurs which
means that Oscar now faces the play and that the
second central midfielder (Lampard, then later in
the season Ramires) can now attack the space
Oscar has vacated higher up the field with a run.
During the time the opposition adjusts with that
interchanging, Chelsea move the ball, usually from
right to left with aim to find the match-winning
Belgian in close proximity to the penalty box.
Then, Oscar wears another hat which is more
related to what one could expect at sight of his
passport. Going close to Eden Hazard in tight
spaces, he makes sure to create the appropriate
numerical overload with the ultimate aim to play
Hazard through. If the situation doesnt allows the
opportunity to play a short cut-back cross straight
away, Chelseas patient approach means that the
ball is often played out and the focal point of the
attack switched to the right flank in order to re-
start another attack on the left after having
shufled the opponents defensive focus.
Change of direction at the New Year
Oscar encountered a dip in form after Christmas
for various reasons (from lack of fitness having
played close to 150 games since his participation
in the Olympic Games, to drop of focus with the
World Cup played on Brazilian soil in sight). His
replacement was the ever-running Willian, which
meant that with diferent abilities fielded, the
overall dynamics evolved. Those are elements of
context to explain why Ramires seemed less at
ease because he was playing a more positional
role. Also, it suggests why Eden Hazard seemed a
little bit more isolated during the latter months of
the season in Oscars absence.
Willians directness and willingness to carry the
ball up the field at full speed did match the
requirements of a game plan based more on the
counter-attack at through the New Year. However,
it restricted the aforementioned dynamics found
in the early part of the season. Nemanja Matis
arrival meant that Chelsea was able to transition
the ball quicker from deeper areas to the path of a
runner such as Schrrle, Salah or Demba Ba, with
the Serbian boasting 4 assists in half a season.
However, what proved to be a successful formula
when facing the likes of Southampton, Manchester
City, Fulham or Liverpool who, at times, opened up
half the pitch for Chelsea to run ruthlessly into; put
Chelsea facing a mountain to climb when
opponents simply decided to restrict space in their
defensive third. The dificulties encountered to
move the ball quickly enough and find penetration
has brought to light Gary Cahill, Nemanja Mati,
Willian or Ramires limitations when holding the
responsibility to play penetrative passes that
break through a line or create uncertainty for the
well organised teams of Aston Villa, Sunderland
and Crystal Palace.
The shell-shaped structure
With Jos Mourinho in charge, Chelsea
began a process to play with more
responsibility. With pragmatism as a
guideline when attacking, Chelseas
streaks of possession have developed in
a way that restricts early turnovers. In
addition to this, the instruction to keep at
least five players behind the ball at all times
means that Chelsea is naturally in a position of
defensive overload in the case the ball is lost
(hence, ready to counter-press). The fact that
Oscar and Willian occupy the central areas of
the field when Chelsea attack means that theyre
already set to force the opponent to play the
ball out through wide areas directly after the
turnover of possession.
Chelseas way to recover the control of the ball
commits consecutively a band of four attackers
with the support of one of the central midfielders
as a first wave of pressing. Through occupying the
space and lanes available to play the ball through
the middle, opposing teams are left with the only
option to pass short via the flanks (Cahill and
Terrys aerial dominance coupled with Ramires
timing to get on loose balls allows Chelsea to
recover the ball most of the time is it hoofed).
This is the point where the full backs are involved
to pressurize and burst out from their positions
(instead of tracking back, as it was often the case
under previous managers), enabling Csar
Azpilicueta, Branislav Ivanovi and logically Filipe
Luis to showcase their ability to get stuck in and
win the ball back. In the meantime, both central
midfielders role is to provide cover in case the
opponent is tempted to play the ball back inside. If
he ever manages to do so, this corresponds to
Nemanja Mati or Ramires first actual action in
terms of active defending through intercepting or
closing down.
Thereby, central midfielders arent in the front line
in the set-up when Chelsea tries to recover
possession. Their contribution is part of a process
within which the opponent was compelled to play
with limited resources in terms of options
available, space and time; meaning that
hes more likely to play a predictable
pass into a blue net.
This point is central when
considering Nemanja Matis
contribution as the Serbians sheer
aggressiveness and mobility
doesnt always compensate for his
slight tendency to ball-watch and
open up pockets of space behind
him. In the same way, by securing
the services of Cesc Fbregas who has a
history of being maligned for his
insuficient defensive contribution,
Chelsea hasnt completely added the
piece to the puzzle likely to prove to be a
liability at some point. In both cases, the
cohesive structure enhancing mutual
cover and a balanced sharing of tasks
results in that no player is likely to appear overly
exposed and of the pace at any moment. It
appears to be a natural pairing.
Completing the puzzle over the course of
the summer
The addition of Cesc Fbregas has been described
by Mourinho as a great opportunity to feature a
player with a "diferent" profile, who he describes
as a "player of control". The Chelsea manager sees
in the former Barcelona player a valuable option
"to control the ball and take more initiative in away
games" considering the fact that he can play both
as a number 8 and 10. His superb range of passing
goes from short to long and allows to switch the
point of attack instantly, considering players such
as Ivanovi, Felipe Luis or Willian are suited to
receive the ball and keep hold of it to increase our
territorial advantage.
In pre-season, Fbregas has played equally in the
number 8 and 10 slot, but alongside diferent
types of players; which means that he has adopted
diferent attitudes to accommodate to his role.
On his first appearance against NK Olimpija
Ljubljana as a central midfielder, Fbregas played
the ball with purpose to feed Jrmie Boga who
took the responsibility to take on players in the
final third (a - considering that Willian and even
Hazard can play Bogas role).
Given Nemanja Mati and Marco Van Ginkels more
positional role against Vitesse Arnhem a few days
later, the Spaniards movement were essentially
based on making himself available on the width of
the pitch in pockets of space as a conventional
number 10, before looking to play the ball forward
to play the main striker through, just like on Diego
Costas goal (b).
The short two-legged trip in Turkey, was Fbregas
first occasion to play with Oscar. The Brazilian
inherited his usual number 10 slot. Both players
already showed natural chemistry to interchange
in order to allow Fbregas to move unmarked
higher up the field when Chelsea attacked in a
more positional way. Even though Diego Costas
excellent goal doesnt put credit on anyone but
himself, the moment the striker got past the
remaining two defenders to get in the box was
facilitated by Fbregas unselfish diagonal run to
pull defenders out of Costas way. Spatial insight
behind or ahead of the ball has always been a
crucial part of the former Arsenal mans game, an
aspect emphasised by his experience as a false
nine for the Spanish National Team. His
attendance to Lionel Messis exclusive dribbling
master classes means that the option to get past a
few defenders also exists in Fbregas repertoire.
In addition to that, Eden Hazard, Diego Costa and
Andr Schrrles simultaneous presence on the
field meant that in situations of fast-breaks,
Chelsea looked like playing with three strikers
eager to run in behind and encourage the likes of
Fbregas or Mati to play fast transitional passes
in their path. (c)
Less than an hour later, Chelsea faced the black
eagles of Besiktas. Ramires and Willians inclusion
in the starting eleven meant that Fbregas was
pushed a step ahead. Then it was his turn to
vacate space for a runner, naturally Ramires
whose body angle was suited to receive a pass
from his Spanish team-mate and attack space
ahead of him in the final third. (d)
The bottom line is that Cesc Fbregas successfully
demonstrated he has the tactical versatility
required to play as a number 8 or 10 and fill the
appropriate zones in relation to the players he
plays with. In line with Jos Mourinhos
observation that the Spaniard has already built an
understanding with everybody as a link man,
Fbregas certainly wont need any adaptation time
in a league he already knows like the back of his
hand and in which hes still ranked amongst the
most decisive players.
Furthermore, Ramires, a player valued by Jos
Mourinho and highly spoken of, will need to make
sure to avoid spending time on the side-lines
because of suspensions and bans in the future.
Very few midfielders of his type match the blue
Kenyans industrious work rate and accurate
passing range coupled with the ability to produce
a consistent end product at the end of well-timed
runs. The drive and dynamism that characterises
Ramires play are an asset when Chelsea plays in a
functional set-up (when played wide in important
games), but are also something to take into
consideration to get the best out of him in a set-up
where he can interchange (thus, where he
wouldnt be restricted into a positional role
because no-one vacates him space higher up the
field).
He is a divisive figure, but Mourinhos insistence on
picking him says much about his worth.
With the activation of Diego Costas release clause
and Didier Drogbas not so surprising return, on
the back of his relatively poor goal scoring record,
Fernando Torres doesnt appear to be the main
striker to lead the line. However, Mourinho spoke
about the possibility to feature two strikers at the
same time as something hes working on.
Fernando Torres has always been an
uncharacteristic centre forward (as evidenced by
his movement on crosses), who never really found
in west London the same counter-attacking set-up
in which he flourished at Liverpool.
In spite of a gradual loss in spontaneity, Torres
work rate has always been a consistent aspect of
the Spaniards play. While his (lack of) ability in
tight spaces has never matched his ever-present
willingness to take on defenders, Jos Mourinho
sees in the World Cup winner an option on the
flanks. When given the opportunity, Torres is also a
fantastic crosser of the ball.
From a defensive point of view, Torres has shown
he is capable of being part of a bank of four when
Chelsea defend deeper. But given his tendency to
ask the ball into feet when deployed wide, this
means that a player (paradoxically) more eager to
attack space in

behind on the right has to be fielded to balance
the teams attacking outlet (Schrrle, or Salah).
Nemanja Mati and John Obi Mikel are the two
players listed as holding midfielders on the
whiteboard in Jos Mourinhos ofice. The option
to play both players at the same time exists and
would have for purpose to have a foothold in the
opposing half while the other sits in regard of both
players strength to shield the ball and lay it of.
Cover in the sitting role would consist in Ramires
after the two aforementioned players, as the
Brazilian workhouse showed for one year that he
could do a job in that position if asked so.
Marco van Ginkel is a player that is probably
regarded as cover in the number 8 position.
Having demonstrated that he has a good passing
range, the Dutchman certainly has room for
improvement related to his positioning to receive
the ball in better conditions as well as not being
forced to rush into last-gasp tackles that will
necessarily cause him issues at some point. He has
exhibited a better sense of timing, but putting
himself in a better position allows for him to not be
so hurried into the tackle.
Depending on the requirements of a one-of game
and in relation to specific areas to target, Jos
Mourinho can decide to pick amongst options to
set-up a custom made starting eleven as most his
attackers can play on both wings with diferent
instructions. In regard to midfielders, the formula
put down on paper, whether its 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 is
not very relevant in itself. Its the moment of the
game and the requirements which will decide how
space will be covered in a dynamic process.
The important thing is that Chelsea can meet the
two ends, whether the situation dictates to defend
deep for long periods and play quickly forward
when possession is gained, or counter-press high
up the field and exploit pockets of space in the
final third. This is the main advantage of well-
rounded athletes made tactically astute and
responsible through Jos Mourinhos periodized
training programme.
This season should see Chelseas midfield move
from an area of relative weakness to strength. The
balance of skill and defensive acumen means
Mourinho can finally create an area of the team
that accounts for any potential opposition set-up.
It should be a far cry from last season.
In an attempt to look for answers to that illusive question are Chelsea creative enough? I stumbled across an
excellent website a little earlier this year. Stats can be used for many things and can present some ridiculous
conclusions. However, Chelsea Index seems to be frmly in the camp that uses them sensibly. So I hand over to
Oscar Puente for his take on whether Chelsea are creative or simply profigate in front of goal.

Ive chosen to go about this in the two ways that make the most sense to me: comparing against Chelseas
previous few seasons to see how their performance changed, and comparing against other teams in the
league to see where they stand in the overall context of the Premier League. The data today comes from
the EPL Index OPTA Stats Centre, with a few points taken from Squawka.
Chelseas Growth

The data above shows Chelseas stats for the last four seasons in a few key areas relating to chance
creation and conversion. I was on the fence about including 2009-2010, as that is a long time ago, but also
the last time that Chelsea were anything like lethal in front of goal, but I couldnt find any numbers on
clear-cut chances for that season, so ultimately decided to leave it out.
A few quick notes: the clear-cut chances created number is measured by OPTA, who I inherently trust to be
doing a good job of diferentiating between a clear-cut chance and not. Chance conversion is that ratio of
chances to goals. Shooting accuracy is the ratio of shots to shots on target, and is almost perfectly
correlated with chance conversion (not just for Chelsea, but for most teams in most seasons). Clear-cut
chance conversion is the ratio of clear-cut chances to goals, and does not seem to correlate with anything
else in the data set. Total Chances created includes assists and chances from set pieces. With those quick
notes out of the way, lets jump right in to analyzing the data.
Are
Chelsea
Creative
Enough?
Oscar Puente
and Chelsea Index
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As we can see above, the number of chances
created from open play strongly correlates with total
chances created (which makes sense, because most
chances come from open play, unless youre Stoke.
Surprisingly the common perception of Stoke does
tally up statistically. The good news is that Chelsea
showed a lot of growth in this area and created a lot
more chances last season than they had in the two
previous years, which goes against the popular
narrative that Chelseas creation was bad this year.
The bad news is that they are still not quite back at
the level they were at in the Carlo Ancelotti years,
when we were a truly elite team. And worse yet,
thats about it for the good news.
Interestingly, even though the number of total
chances created and chances created from open
play went up, the number of clear-cut chances last
season went down. I would imagine that little spike
in the 2012-2013 season is what we might call the
Juan Mata Efect, and the fall back down this season
was largely attributable to his diminished minutes /
departure in January. Chelsea were dangerously
close last season to creating only half as many clear-
cut chances as they did in the Carlo Era, and one
would hope that the signing of Cesc Fbregas will
help get the Blues back up to those lofty levels. Now
that weve looked at the rates at which chances were
created, lets have a gander at the numbers for how
well they were put away.
The axis on the left is for chance conversion, and the
axis on the right is for shooting accuracy. We can
really see the correlation between the two statistics
in this visual format, and both show a sharp
decrease from 12-13 into last season. Remember that
this has nothing to do with the rate at which chances
were created, but rather the rates at which shots and
chances were converted into shots on goal and
goals, respectively. This same downward trend is,
predictably, seen in the number of goals Chelsea
scored in the league, if you look at the numbers in
the table above. Chelsea have been pretty poor at
putting chances away in the last few seasons. Where
Fbregas will hopefully help Chelsea create chances
at a higher rate (especially clear-cut ones), we can
equally hope that Costa will help convert those
chances into goals at a higher rate. There was one
tiny ray of hope though, in the surprising form of
clear-cut chance conversion.
I have to admit, Im very surprised by that last graph,
given that Chelsea were trotting out a front line of
Etoo, Torres, and Ba last season. If you had asked me
point blank, without looking at any data, whether I
thought Chelsea had improved in the area of clear-
cut chance conversion last season to a five year
high, I probably would have laughed at you.
Which only further proves that your eyes can be deceiving. Now, I dont know if Chelseas 46% is a good
number compared to other elite teams, or is this just speaks to how truly terrible Chelsea have been at wasting
clear-cut chances in other seasons, but well find that out in a little bit. At the very least, its good that Chelsea
improved in this area, and we can only hope that with Diego Costa on board, Chelsea will continue to show
growth in this area and break the 50% mark.
Chelsea v The Top Four: Putting the Numbers in Context
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The same notes apply as above for these statistics. From the above, we can see that Chelsea actually did really
well in the areas of Chances Created from Open Play, and also Total Chances Created. In fact, Chelsea ranked
second in total chances created, and first in chances created from open play, of all the teams in the Premier
League. Again, it seems that the popular narrative that Chelsea dont create a lot of chances is totally false.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, for all their beautiful passing, were more than 100 behind Chelsea in both of these
categories. Those numbers are pretty enough to warrant a graph of their own.
One negative implication of this graph, since were being
critical, is that Chelsea could do a lot better at creating
chances from set pieces, although the total chances
created number also includes assists, so part of why
Manchester City makes such a bigger jump from the first
category to the second is because they scored a lot more
goals than Chelsea. Neither of those are particularly good
things, though. And looking at the Clear-Cut Chances
created numbers makes for less of a happy story, as
Chelsea were very far behind the other top four teams in
that area.
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Chelsea were also behind the other top teams
in the chance conversion and shooting
accuracy rates. In fact, Chelsea were distinctly
mid-table in those two areas compared to the
rest of the league, which is something that
will definitely need to improve, and drastically,
if they want to be a truly elite team.
Thankfully, Diego Costa is just the man to do
that job. And as a quick note on the above
graph, you would expect the teams that have
Luis Suarez and Sergio Agero to be as good
as Man City and Liverpool were,
but is anyone else surprised by Arsenals numbers? I mean, they employed Olivier Giroud as their primary
striker, and I know Aaron Ramsey had a really good season (when he was healthy), but still. Shocking.
Clear-Cut Chance Conversion
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Finally, we knew from the first section that
Chelseas 46% was a huge improvement in
the clear-cut chance conversion department,
and now we also have some context for it.
Turns out, thats a very respectable number,
and if it goes up at all now that we have an
elite striker up front, theres a very good
chance that it will be good enough for best in
the league.
To sum up, Chelsea were okay at some things,
very good at others, but theres definitely a lot
of room for improvement, and the Fbregas
and Costa signings will hopefully go a long
way towards that goal. This season is going to
be an exciting one, thats for sure! Adding a
striker who definitely borders on excellent/
elite plus a huge dose of creativity should
mean a higher conversion rate and more
chances being created. This may even be
enough to clinch Chelsea the Premier League
title.
Player
Profles
Introducing the Squad
Pre-season is over and with all the top clubs
strengthening, the 2014/15 campaign is shaping up
to be one of the most competitive ever. Its hard to
recall a season where the expectations of the fans
of the top 5 or 6 clubs are so high everyone thinks
they have the manager and the players to do the
business, even with plenty of mileage left in the
summer transfer window.
On the latter, Jos Mourinho has already declared
that Chelseas summer spending is over. He is
delighted that the club managed to acquire his top
three targets and by adding them, plus two or three
U21 players, to the first team group he feels the
squad is complete. Of course, I type that pinching a
fair chunk of salt, but still, assuming for now that
the squad is set give or take a few loan moves it
appears a good time to assess what we should
expect of Chelsea and each individual player in the
coming season.
The Club
On a footballing level, Chelsea must win a trophy
next season; its as simple as that. The
consequences for not doing so remain to be seen
but despite all the rhetoric concerning Mourinho
and the long term project at hand, sadly, I wouldnt
be surprised if a fruitless season resulted in a new
manager come 2015/16.
Away from the football, the board must continue to
successfully negotiate through FFP, particularly
now that UEFA have left the footballing world in no
doubt over their commitment to the policy. One
suspects Chelsea will continue to buy some young
players with the sole aim of selling them on for
profit (what I crudely - call cash cows) but there
must also be renewed incentive to increase the
clubs commercial deals, especially following news
of Manchester Uniteds incredible new Adidas kit
contract.
The Manager
This could be more of a significant season for
Mourinho than some Chelsea fans care to
recognise. As I alluded to above, Chelsea must set
out to win in all competitions and a failure to bag a
trophy will put the manager under big pressure.
There is no more room for talk of little horses or
eggs in need of warmth and paternal care.
That said, one of the big challenges facing
Mourinho this coming season is that of balancing
the necessity to win whilst blooding some of our
best youngsters. With Terry, ech (and now
Drogba) the only remaining survivors of our title-
winning core, the youth policy is as important as
ever. A few of the U21s will feel ready to make the
leap into the first team and the fans expect
improvement on that front.
To achieve what needs to be achieved, Mourinho
will need to foster a happy group and one that is
highly motivated and willing to fight for him. At his
best, The Special One is compelling and successful
in equal measure but there is a valid argument that
at times last season he slipped into something of a
caricature of himself. With Van Gaal likely to take
the press on a merry ride, Mourinho may be best
served staying away from the ridiculous and the
needlessly provocative and return instead to the
cheeky and challenging charm that was such a
breath of fresh air in 2004.
Without further ado lets get into the squad.
Alfe Jones, BT Sport
IntroducingAlfe Jones

Alfie Jones is a Freelance Assistant
Producer at BT Sport and a season
ticket holder at Stamford Bridge. He
gives his opinion on each players
campaign last season, and looks
ahead to what we can expect in 14-15.
Contributors

Joe Tweeds
Rik Sharma
Alex Finnis
Priya Ramesh
Ramon Isaac
Charlie Harris
Jenny Brown
Chris Morgan
Having written this a few days before the decisive
season opener at Burnley it is not known whether
Chelseas greatest ever goalkeeper has kept his
starting berth this season. In his young Belgian
colleague ech faces unquestionably the most
dificult competition of his time at Chelsea. Carlo
Cudicini was a great Premier League goalkeeper, but
Thibaut Courtois is a world class adversary. On the
face of it ech seems like a prime candidate to leave
the club if deposed of his starting role. Yet, there is a
bond between the Czech stopper and the club that
means he might stick around.
Last season saw ech playing behind a stable
defensive line for the first time in a few seasons. The
return of Terry undoubtedly helped solidify the
backline, but ech maintained a consistently high
level throughout the season. It is dificult to truly
envision just how ech loses the starting spot, but his
competition is no ordinary player. Were there signs
last season that ech had just reached his peak and
may potentially be on the other side? It really is too
close to say.
Using statistics as a matrix to judge goalkeepers is a
little too fraught with obvious risks. echs 77% shots-
to-saves ratio compares with Courtois 74% seems a
miniscule diference. Playing in a position where you
generally seem to quantify worth basis how many
rickets you avoid making is certainly a high risk high
reward criterion. Joe Hart, for example, makes a
plethora of high profile mistakes each season. I would
not classify him as a top class goalkeeper, but for
some reason the media will portray him thusly.
ech is not the type of goalkeeper to make high
profile mistakes. His biggest strength has always
been his consistency and focus during the game.
There are therefore a diferent set of rules you have
to apply to ech to determine whether he has
actually deteriorated or whether the young Belgian is
now his equal. Has his positioning and reactions
dwindled? Is he letting in shots you would anticipate
he would have saved? Dificult to quantify as this is a
subjective viewpoint, but try we shall.
It definitely felt like ech was occasionally half a pace
out of position last season. My overriding perception
was of him being beaten too frequently at his near
post for a goalkeeper of his ability. There were

definitely conversations in and around the ground
that expressed murmurs about echs inability to
deal with crosses. Memories of under-committing
and over-committing seem to be fairly strong.
I do think ech is now approaching the other side of
his peak. Uncharacteristic minor blips crept in over
the course of last season and his distribution
remained extremely frustrating. An extremely harsh
judgement, but ech does not have your average
goalkeepers standards. He still is a world class
goalkeeper, but there are a few signs that his
impeccable level might just be decreasing. The
diference is miniscule and subjective, but I felt it was
something I had not seen in ech before.
Mourinho and the club appear to not be harbouring
any goodwill to club legends anymore. Deals were
certainly ofered to Cole and Lampard, but one
assumes at a level of pay that recognised their
reduced role in the squad. Logic would dictate that
ech is potentially the next great to leave the club.
Even if you feel he is better than Courtois, for how
much longer? If he is showing signs of decline is it
worth losing the best young goalkeeper in football
for another year of ech being first choice?
It took Manchester United an absolute age to find an
adequate replacement for Peter Schmeichel. We are
in a fortunate position to have a readymade world
class replacement at the club. Why exacerbate the
situation by prolonging echs stay as first choice,
even if he is marginally better at this point? This may
be the last season we see ech in a Chelsea shirt and
sadly this feels like a bit of a farewell piece on him. If
he remains there is a lot of paper speculation that it
will be as a number two and surely he is still too good
for that.
Then again Mourinho is noted for springing a
surprise or two who would genuinely bet against
ech starting at Burnley? We will know more after
then.
Petr Cech
Joe Tweeds
#1
Last season:
What is there to say that hasnt already been said
throughout his Chelsea career? A superb goalkeeper
who will forever be part of the clubs history. Last year,
he was as steady as ever.

This season:
He wont give up top spot lightly, and nor should he he
is still one of the worlds best. A consummate
professional and one of the old guard, I expect him to
take on Courtois challenge with grace. He also has a
very important role supporting John Terry of the pitch.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
If you looked up textbook back-up in some sort of
sporting dictionary you are quite likely to see Mark
Schwarzers face next to the definition. He was
originally brought to the club with competition in
mind. Being a former first choice goalkeeper he
understood the pressure and requirements of a top
flight number one. Cech was still relatively secure in
his role and Schwarzer filled the role adequately.
The problem came when Schwarzer was required to
fill in for Cech during some high profile games. The
drop of was tangible. In many ways his additional
resigning foreshadows a move for one of Mourinhos
big two. Schwarzer is likely to be our number two at
some point this season.
Confidence in the Australian should he be required to
deputise for long stretches would be a little thin on
the ground. At the very highest level he was found
wanting, but should bring an element of experience
if required. I anticipate the odd cup appearance and
providing something of a veteran presence if
Courtois does indeed takeover as our first choice
keeper.
Mark
Schwarzer
Joe Tweeds
#23
Last season:
He had a few dodgy moments last season when he flled
in for Cech but all-in-all hes about as capable a back-up-
back-up goalkeeper as youll fnd.

This season:
Assuming Courtois stays and fghts it out with Cech for
the number 1 spot, Schwarzer will certainly be 3
rd

choice. He may get the odd cup game but at 41 years old,
hell be content to see out his playing days in relative
comfort.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
To speak about Thibaut Courtois in relation to the
upcoming season is dificult, given Petr ech has
no intention of handing over the No 1 jersey. It is
impossible to guess, at the time of writing, who will
be Chelsea's first choice goalkeeper. Perhaps Jose
Mourinho will take a lead from Carlo Ancelotti and
use one in the Premier League and another in the
cup competitions. The English media are hinting
that it will be Courtois, but until the game kicks-of
we will not truly know.
If that was the case, you'd expect the experienced
ech to play in the high-pressure tournament
games, with Courtois getting used to English
football in the league. But rotation of goalkeepers
doesn't necessarily work, as exemplified by the
decline of Iker Casillas. Sure, Real Madrid won the
Copa del Rey and the Champions League, but it
was Casillas' mistake that almost cost them La
Decima, but for Sergio Ramos' late extra-time
equaliser.
If you had to guess which of the goalkeepers
Mourinho will stick with, Courtois fractionally wins
the battle, because he has many years ahead of
him. And back in 2004, ech replaced much-loved
veteran Carlo Cudicini... thanks to Mourinho. Some
believe that Mourinho will not be able to ditch a
figure that was key to his success the first time
around at Stamford Bridge.
However, the manager was unsentimental with
Ashley Cole last season, dropping him for Csar
Azpilicueta and then allowing him to move to Roma
at the end of the season without much fuss. But
while it is almost impossible to predict with any
certainty what will happen in the Chelsea net this
season, what we can do is look at what Courtois
has achieved. And it is impressive.
Atletico Madrid stunned Spain by winning La Liga
last season and a lot of their success was
dependent on their defensive diligence. Courtois
orchestrated it and made stunning saves when he
was required to, keeping several clean sheets on
their way to victory.
He was also important on the run to the Champions
League final, his commanding presence and
calmness in a crowded area clear qualities of his.
Courtois also has excellent reflexes and is rarely
ever at fault for a goal being conceded. They were
developed, it is said, back home in Belgium, where
his back garden was a beach volleyball court.
People are sometimes amazed at how quickly he
gets down to the ground from a standing position
but thats his volleyball training, said his father. In
the football world theyre not used to seeing tall
people who are quick, but in top-level volleyball,
you see it in people who are 6ft 6in all the time.
Atletico fans grew to love him so much over the
three years he has spent on loan there that they
invented a craze called Thibauting, where they are
pictured in diving poses. The term even was put
forward to become Belgian sports word of the year.
And if he has his way, then Chelsea fans will love
him with the same passion too.
He comes across as a highly confident individual
unwilling to play the role of the deferent
understudy. This may perturb people, particularly
fans concerned about an attitude question
regarding some Belgian players. We are all too
familiar with Romelu Lukakus unwillingness to
actually fight for his place. Courtois, on the
contrary, is merely at one with his ability. He knows
how good he is and will become.
Whoever starts against Burnley is likely to be
Mourinhos number one for the remainder of the
season. Jos has suggested that the team will find
out who is his first choice on Sunday. I would edge
the young Belgian at this point in time. Ultimately if
both goalkeepers are viewed as equal you go with
the one who you can retain for the longest period
of time. Courtois might just have won the race and
if that is the case then we can only hope we see the
very best of him over the coming years.
Thibaut
Courtois
Rik Sharma
#13
Although a favourite of both Jose Mourinho and the
fans, Branislav Ivanovi will probably find himself
playing significantly less football than he has been
used to these past few seasons The signing of Filipe
Luis will allow the excellent Cesar Azpilicueta to
return to his natural right back position next season,
and you imagine it will be these two who start as
Chelseas first choice full backs.
Branislav
Ivanovic
Alex Finnis
#2
However, Ivanovi will still be a vital player next
season, not just in terms of being an extremely able
deputy not just at right back, but at centre back
but also in his role as a senior figure and generally
positive influence on the squad. Ivanovi has been
exploited more often than usual in recent years for a
full back he is not the quickest and is liable to the
occasional lapse in concentration, while his crossing
can be frustrating to say the least.
There will always be an issue with how Ivanovi is
used in an attacking sense and this may be the
greatest evolution we see at the club. His limited end
product, despite ever willingness, has often stunted
our ability to attack down the right flank. He does not
provide an overlapping threat or the type of intricate
ability to link with his wide man consistently.
When physicality is required I can definitely see
Ivanovi being deployed as a full-back. Mourinho
typically likes one of his full-backs to be dominant in
the air, in which case the Serbian more than holds his
own. It is, however, against sides that we struggled
against last season where the lack of width and
additional quality out wide hurt us. With everything
being funnelled down our left we needed width and
creativity out right to stretch play. It never came.
In general though, Ivanovi is still an excellent
defender, and one any Blues fan would be sad to see
leave. He is brutally strong, full of desire and loves a
goal. The big Serbian clearly loves the club too hes
been around for all the big moments, remembers
what it takes to win Premier League titles and
alongside John Terry and Petr ech, provides that
invaluable heart of the old guard at the back.
The amount that Ivanovi has actually put into
wearing the Chelsea shirt cannot be measured. In
terms of bargain buys and efort he has far exceeded
any potential return anyone could calculate. What he
and the other more experienced players must do is
transfer their unyielding winning mentality over to
the new breed.
Expect him to start early and then potentially be
phased out as Luis comes up to speed with
Mourinhos instructions. Nevertheless, his role within
the team over the course of the season is likely to be
significant when called upon. Like many he ofers
both on and of field qualities that cannot be coached
or bought. A real understanding of the club and the
badge.
Last season:
Part of a pretty mean defence last year, Ivanovi was as
solid as ever if not a little frustrating at times when
venturing into the fnal third.

This season:
Filipe Luiss arrival may put an end to Branas life as frst
choice right back as the logical move would be to move
Azpilicueta over to the right. That said, you sense the
big Serb still has a signifcant part to play flling in at
centre back and right back when called upon as well as
acting as a senior member of the squad.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
How good can Filipe Luis be? After all, he didn't
make it into the Brazil World Cup squad and the
Brazil World Cup squad was terrible. Yes, Luis was
the third choice left-back for the defence which got
savaged so brutally by Germany in the semi-final.
However, the fact that he can actually defend
seemed to count against him in Luiz Felipe Scolari's
ranking logic. Or maybe the Brazil manager didn't
want any name-related misunderstandings going
on at the tournament. Either way, whatever reason
he had for not including the Atletico Madrid player
in his squad was clearly not one that stood up to
scrutiny.
Last season:
If Luiss frst interview with Chelsea TV is anything to go
by, the Brazilian lef-back prides himself on his ability to
defend and attack in equal measure and by all accounts
he is a very complete lef-back who enjoyed a superb
season with title-winning Atletico.

This season:
That said, at 29 years of age he wont be aforded time to
settle and he needs to hit the ground running. His
confdent command of English should help him settle
well and theres no reason not to expect good things.
Filipe Luis
Rik Sharma
#3
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Perhaps Scolari had not been paying attention to the
Champions League last season? The tournament
where Atletico had battled their way to the final
thanks to an incredible, tough-as-nails approach to
each game. That would also explain why Scolari also
decided to overlook Luis' compatriot Joao Miranda
from the Brazil team.
But enough about Brazil - in fact, Luis missing the
World Cup should play into Chelsea's hands. It means
he's had the summer of to rest and recover after
what was an incredibly draining season with the
Spanish champions.
The way that Diego Simeone's team play means
there's no room for unfit players and the Atletico
players usually finish every game without anything
left in the tank. Luis is a particularly athletic
performer, frequently bombing up the left to provide
additional width for a team which doesn't have much
on the flanks further forward.
At Chelsea Luis is expected to dovetail with Eden
Hazard and that is a task that the Brazilian will relish.
The Belgian is fond of cutting inside and so to have
someone bombing up the pitch alongside him should
either buy him some more space, or provide a good
option for a pass. Chelsea missed that last season,
with Ashley Cole considerably less dynamic than he
used to be and Csar Azpilicueta unwilling to be too
aggressive on that flank.
Luis' arrival should see the Spaniard rotated back to
his favoured position, fighting for a place at right-back
alongside Branislav Ivanovic, who, in turn, may return
to his favoured position at centre-back. John Terry
had a magnificent season last year but as he turns 34
it wouldn't be a surprise if Jose Mourinho wanted to
rest him occasionally.
So with Luis set to play a key role in the team this
season, what can we expect from him? A high-work
rate, certainly. He has already pledged to run his guts
out for the team and that will get him in Mourinho's
good books for a start. Unlike other full-backs
(cough, Jose Bosingwa, cough) Luis will do his
utmost to get back in position after a failed attack.
While it would be an exaggeration to describe his
relationship with striker Diego Costa as 'telepathic', at
Atletico last season they combined to good efect on
a number of occasions. Luis's crossing is decent and
he frequently got himself into good positions to
deliver for the Spain hitman.
We can't feel too sorry for the Spanish side, even
though Chelsea have ripped out some integral
players, because they're getting top dollar for them.
Luis, who cost roughly 16million is 28 years old, so
realistically the Blues will only get four quality years
from him. But if that's exactly what they do get, then
it is money well spent.
Luis joined Atletico from Deportivo in the summer of
2010, so played three complete seasons with the
Rojiblancos. Last season was undoubtedly the finest
of his career, although that was the case for every
single player in Simeone's squad.
If Luis has one weakness, he's not great in the air. By
no means bad at aerial challenges, you would still
rather have him marking one of the smaller
opponents at set-pieces. Another slight flaw is that he
picks up a fair few yellow cards, seeing eight and one
red last season - but it's nothing to be too concerned
about.
Whatever happens, this transfer probably won't be
heralded by the football world as a brilliant move but
it could be an important piece in the jigsaw of
potential success this season. Filling Cole's boots isn't
easy but there's no better choice to do it than this
man. Luis is an excellent left-back, arguably the finest
in La Liga. And now he is out to show he can be the
finest in the Premier League.
Kurt Zouma is the definition of a project player. It is
all too easy to forget that he is only due to turn 20
years old this season due to his incredibly physical
prowess. Simply put, if you were to handcraft a
Premier League centre-back you would mould him
on Zouma. He has every physical tool one could
hope for in the position. An abundance of pace,
bags of power, a ridiculous leap, superb aerial
prowess and immense aggression are all traits he
has in spades. However, from a technical
perspective he is in need of an immense amount of
work.
From what we have seen during pre-season the
finer points of centre-back play have not begun to
take form in Zoumas game. Such are his physical
talents that he could quite easily cope in Ligue 1 on
pure athletic capacity alone. It is not overselling
Zouma when I say he could develop into the most
physically dominant centre-back in world football.
Nonetheless, many diamonds in the rough never
fully make the transition from superlative teenage
talent to bona fide superstar. It will be Mourinhos
task and the role of the club to ensure that Zouma
develops into the next leader of Chelseas defence. I
see him as the heir to Terrys role in the back four
an organiser, physical and with exceptional
leadership quality he should be the clubs
future.
A tendency to misread the flight of
crosses likely stems from playing in a
league that favours other methods of
attacks over the old English favourite.
The adjustment is one that he should
make this season. He also needs
to adjust to the quicker tempo
of play in England and in time
his sense of positioning should
make a similar correction. His
game on the ball does need work,
but he is likely to find
comfort playing next to a
ball playing centre-half. I
foresee Zouma being the

dominant physical centre-back in a new partnership
at the club. Conversely, his overall use of the ball
does need to improve in general. He has hit some
great passes in pre-season, but a few moments of
lapse play have stilted attacking opportunities.
In John Terry the club already have the perfect
mentor for the young Frenchman. Terry, himself,
was helped along magnificently by the likes of
Marcel Desailly during his early stages and he
should now adopt a similar role to working with
Zouma. Terry is noted internally as someone who
spends a significant amount of time working with
and encouraging youngsters at the club. If you
combined even a portion of Terrys understanding
of centre-back play with Zoumas physical gifts, you
see the potential.
This season Zouma is likely to adopt a role as the
third/fourth choice centre-back at the club.
However, I anticipate that he will play a
decent amount of football this season. I
would let him play in every cup
competition and ease him into playing
some league fixtures. There needs to be a
commitment to developing his game and
ensuring his almost limitless
potential is reached.
Am I concerned if he is dropped i
into regular football at an early
point in the season? Slightly, but I
think there is enough around
him to compensate for any
perceived lack of technical
ability. He is a huge project,
but if he actually develops
then we could not only be
looking at a future centre-
back but a captain as well.
Kurt Zouma
Joe Tweeds
#5
Last season:
Undoubtedly one of the best young defenders in France
who has benefted hugely from being involved in the St
Etienne frst team since August 2011, even if his form did
tail away towards the end of last season.

This season:
Its important to remember Zouma despite being built
like a freight train is only 19 years old. He has plenty of
maturing to do (especially with the ball at his feet) and
he may well have to do that by learning of Terry and
Cahill in training. Its hard to see him leaving on loan
with such little cover in central defence. His chances on
the pitch may come in the domestic cup competitions.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
In the summer of 2011, a 16 year old Ruud Gullit
lookalike landed at Cobham from the waterlogged,
reclaimed shores of the Netherlands. He arrived as a
centre-half but since, Nathan Ak has proved to be
more versatile than he seemed much like the
dreadlocked Dutchman he resembled, but not quite to
that extent proving adept at left back and in a
defensive midfield position.
A very intelligent player, Ak has always seemed to be
performing a bit above his level. Impressing for the
youth side in their FA Youth Cup triumph in 2011-12, Ak
earned himself a promotion up to the Reserves side at
only 17, exhibiting a certain smartness-on-his-feet and
ability to read the game above his years.
In the 2012-13, the Chelsea faithful got to see a lot more
of Ak, used relatively often as a substitute and even
earning himself a few starts under the interim Rafa
Benitez. In all of his involvements for the senior side,
Ak has been used as a defensive midfielder and
though he is not the strongest or fastest, he has shown
a consistent composure on the ball in the centre even
going up against teams like Everton and Rubin Kazan.
Nathan Ake
Priya Ramesh
#6
His increased involvement toward the end of that
season raised hopes for the ex-Feyenoord youngster
but the signing of van Ginkel and return of Michael
Essien saw him more involved in the U21s, being
named captain. He played a crucial role in their
Under-21 Premier League triumph appearing 7
times as centre-back, 7 times as left back and twice
in defensive midfield.
Versatility however, can prove to be a double edged
sword as it is possible to be a jack of all trades,
master of none and this is something Ak has to be
cautious of. Unless he finds himself a set position, it
is hard to see him establishing himself in one
position, starting and excelling for club and country.
At the moment, that position seems to be leaning
towards left back. Having been called up to the
senior squad on a permanent basis in January of
2014 as backup for the left back position, he has
appeared there recently in friendlies. Ak is a regular
at left back for now-Man Utd assistant coach Albert
Stuivenbergs Netherlands U21 team.
As far as the coming season is concerned, there is
equal chance of Ak being loaned and being
retained at Chelsea.
If Jos feels that having only 3 natural fullbacks in
Ivanovi, Azpilicueta and new signing Filipe Luis is
suficient to get him through the season, Ake will
probably be loaned to get himself some first team
action and the chance to pit himself against
opposition that are definitely a few steps above the
U21 level be it in the Premier League or in the
Eredivisie. There was talk of him being part of the
latest batch sent to Vitesse but it does not make a
huge deal of sense, given Vitesse have a very steady
centre-back partnership in Kasha and van der
Heijden and a consistent starter in defensive
midfielder Vejinovic. The Arnhem-based club have
also been looking forward and anticipating the non-
return of Patrick van Aanholt, already found a
replacement back in January in ex-PEC man, Rochdi
Achenteh.
However, we do not look like signing another left
back, and given it was in this exact predicament
having 3 fullbacks that Jose called up Ak to the
senior squad, it is likely that he will be retained to act
not only as a backup to Luis, but also in midfield if
the need ever arises. It is quite hard to say whether
Ake who now qualifies as homegrown will be
loaned or not, but certainly it would be encouraging
to see him mature some more as a player and grow
this season.
Last season:
Ake has been at the forefront of Chelseas youth teams
for a few seasons now and was rewarded in January
2014 with a permanent place in the frst team squad
under Mourinho.

This season:
Capable at centre-back and lef-back as well as in
midfeld, the Dutchman is very highly regarded at the
club. He has time on his side to learn from Luis but
should look to take advantage of any cup chances he
gets.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Gary Cahill
Alex Finnis
#24
Since moving from Bolton back in 2012, Gary Cahill
has turned himself into one of the best centre backs in
the Premier League. Despite David Luiz costing more
than three times the 7m we paid for Cahill, he
comfortably kept the Brazilian out of the side last
season. In essence, he is the reason why Chelsea have
been able to sell Luiz, a man who has captained Brazil
and was wanted by the likes of Barcelona and Bayern
Munich, for a huge 50m to PSG.
Cahill proved himself to be better foil for club captain
and stalwart John Terry. His partnership with Terry
has quickly become the most solid in the country, and
to recognise his consistency, he was named in the PFA
Team of the Year. Now, he will be key to Chelseas
chances of ending a five-year wait for the title.
Our success in Mourinhos first spell at the club was
always built upon a strong back four, and last season
proved that his philosophy has not changed.
Mourinho clearly trusts Cahill, not just as an able
partner to Terry, but going forward, as our main
central defender and maybe even captain. Cahill led
the side into the pre-season friendly at Olimpija
Ljubljana, and with Terry potentially in his last season
with the club, this could be a sign of things to come.
Cahills biggest strength comes in his awareness and
eye for the game he has become somewhat of a
specialist in the art of the last-ditch block, while it is
very rare to see him make a mistake. He is also very
good with the ball at his feet he likes to make the
occasional venture into the opposition half and is
good for a goal too, whether that be at close range
with his head or of the White Hart Lane screamer
variety.
When Chelsea defend with depth there is a level of
comfort in watching Cahill play. He perfectly
understands the concept of defending space or his
man and allows a solid foundation for those ahead of
him. Now we have to see improvement from him in
playing a slightly higher line. We need Cahill to
emerge as a leader.
Cahills only weakness stems from his reactive style as
a defender. It is something that means playing an
aggressive pressing game is more risky than it needs
to be.
Last season:
Cahill enjoyed his best season in a Chelsea shirt last
season but there is no doubt that he is a far better player
when John Terry is by his side (take a World Cup
without him as a case in point).

This season:
He will be hoping that Terry stays ft and that they enjoy
another season as one of the best centre-back pairings
out there at the moment. He must not get complacent
due to the lack of really signifcant competition (see
Zouma) and could also come out of his shell and adopt
more of a captains role within the frst team.
With Terry adjusting to playing the role of the
sweeping centre-back, Cahill must find more
confidence in how he attacks the ball. He backs
away time and time again, allowing strikers to get
shots on target. If he is going to potentially captain
the club in the long-term a lot more ownership
needs to be taken around his work.
The club has lost a lot of leadership and experience
over the course of this summer. Cahill has been a
pillar in both European finals and is emerging as a
face within the squad. His next step is to continue to
work on his craft and assume more responsibility.
He seems to be the logical choice for a future
potential captain out of our existing squad.
Cahill has come a long way from the player that we
signed from Bolton. He is the end product of an
immense work ethic that has seen him establish
himself at the heart of Chelseas defence. Sure, there
are definitely things he still needs to improve upon,
but they are achievable. He is a defender, first and
foremost, and it is this mentality that saw him get
the nod over the recently departed David Luiz.
This could be a huge season for Cahill as the heir to
Terrys captaincy is likely to come to the fore over
the course of this year. He is at the perfect age and
with the right level of experience to be considered
as Terrys eventual successor. Mourinho seems to
trust him and ultimately that is all that counts.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
John Terry
Alex Finnis
#26
What more is there to say about Terrys Chelsea
career? Having appeared destined for the door after
his treatment at the hands of Rafael Benitez, Terry has
reinvented himself wonderfully. Last season was one
that saw Terry re-establish himself as the best centre-
half in the country. The politicking behind his non-
inclusion in the PFA team of the year was ridiculous.
However, Terry himself has often said the only
adulation he cares about is that received from his own
fans.
Terrys reinvention has been one of the most
overlooked things in the past few years of the Premier
League. Terry, in his early days, always looked
phenomenal when paired with a defender sweeping
behind him. He could aggressively attack the ball and
dominate while the likes of Gallas and Carvalho
marshalled the space in behind him adeptly.
Last season:
One of his best seasons in a Chelsea shirt, forming a
formidable partnership with Gary Cahill. There was no
fuss, no headlines; just defensive performances of the
highest calibre.

This season:
Expect another world-class season from John Terry.
With a one-year contract up for review at the end of the
season, hes fghting to stay on at the club he loves. Of
the pitch, with Lampard and Cole no longer around, his
job as Chelsea captain takes on even more signifcance.
He is the soul of the club and must be at the forefront of
this period of signifcant regeneration.
However, the past few seasons have seen the
accumulation of injuries take their toll physically on
the Chelsea skipper. He was never blessed with a
turn of pace, so it was more a sense of readjusting
his game to his capabilities. Terry has seamlessly
moved into the role of the sweeper. Instead of using
blistering recovery speed to sweep up, his years of
experience and unparalleled positional sense have
actually seen a phenomenal resurgence in his
performance levels.
Terry is the consummate centre-half and it could be
argued that last season was up there with his very
best at the club. Defying the odds that age seem to
immeasurably stack against players, he produced
scintillating performances on a weekly basis. His
partnership with Gary Cahill should have gone to
the World Cup to solidify the foundations of
England.
Terrys role on the pitch has evolved to the point that
he could feasibly play at this level for another two
seasons. His reliance on positioning, knowledge and
defensive acumen over physical gifts mean what
pace he might lose is not going to impact his style or
level too greatly. His average position over the
course of the season was consistently deeper than
his defensive partner, and you feel that is likely to
continue this season.
I fully expect a triumvirate of Cahill, Terry and Matic
to emerge this season. A robust and positionally
sound trio, they should provide a foundation upon
which Chelsea can construct their game this season.
Terry, in particular, appeared to strike up a great
rapport with the Serbian midfielder and was covered
regularly by his presence. This is where Terry comes
into his own as a player. You are unlikely to witness a
player communicate as much information to his
teammates as Terry does on a regular basis.
Of course Terrys on-field ability is known by all
Chelsea fans. He is arguably the most committed
player the club has had during the Roman era. Yet,
his job perhaps more so than ever is going to
become even tougher as club captain. Terry has
often leant upon the experience of others within the
squad to keep everything in harmony. With the
departures of Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole he is
now almost by himself in terms of leadership.
The return of Didier Drogba has certainly helped
shoulder some of the burden. Nevertheless, the
onus will be firmly on Terrys shoulders to ensure
the squad are kept focused and together. He has a
key role in developing some of our brightest
prospects, particularly those at centre-back.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Azpilicueta could prove to be one of Chelseas
greatest bargain signings if he continues to
develop as he has done the past two years. His
work ethic and attitude should be held up to any
player trying to break into Chelseas starting team.
Quiet, humble and with a desire to prove himself he
stands at odds with expectant players like Romelu
Lukaku. Azpilicueta had nothing handed to him on
a plate, took his single opportunity and then never
let go.
There are few players in world football who could
depose a club icon. This is even more impressive
when you consider that Azpilicueta was doing so in
an unnatural position. Such was his desire and
determination to play for the club he was more
than happy to play as a left-back. Ashley Cole,
Chelseas greatest ever full-back, could do nothing
to win his place back. The Spaniard was the picture
of consistency and it was no surprise when his
fellow players voted him their Player of the Year.
His versatility and confidence meant that we could
switch him to either flank comfortably and there
would be little diference in his performance levels.
His defensive ability is really something to admire
and it was a rare occasion to see Azpilicueta beaten
outright by a winger. That knack of being superb
defensively in 1-on-1 situations really helped
cement himself as Chelseas first choice full-back.
Like Terry, it was a rather dubious selection to pick
Luke Shaw ahead of him in the team of the season.
Shaw, whose toughest opponent was Victor Moses,
did not stack up favourably in any metric you wish
to assess full-backs by. A man who largely kept
every winger he faced in check versus someone
who considers Moses his toughest opponent did
seem a little bit of a no brainer.
Defensively there are little, if any, questions
surrounding Azpilicuetas contribution. However,
due to him operating on his unnatural side his
ability to help in attack was greatly hindered. With
Eden Hazard invariably playing ahead of him
Chelsea had two right footed players operating on

our left flank. Hazard, as we all know, enjoys cutting
inside on his right foot to attack. Not having a
natural left footer bombing down the wing outside
him meant that we became predictable when the
ball came to Azpilicueta.
The Premier League is a league characterised by
the immense tempo that the game is played at.
Taking even two seconds to switch the ball back to
your right foot to cross is more than enough time
for a team to reorganise. Likewise, having to
consistently come back inside or check back
allowed teams to ignore the area between the 18-
yard box and the touchline. A dangerous full-back
could overlap Hazard and swing a cross or cutback
in with his left foot. We did not have that luxury.
So where is Azpilicueta going to play this season?
Left-back? Right-back? Defensive winger? Currently
it is hard to stand. Filipe Luis has likely been bought
to start. You do not pay that sort of money for
someone of Luis age to sit him on the bench.
Considering Luis natural game will eventually
compliment Hazards perfectly, you could see
Ivanovic and Azpilicueta competing to the berth on
the right hand side.
With that being said I would not be surprised if
Azpilicueta does start this season at left-back as
Luis finds his feet in the league. However, I really do
want to see the Spaniard make the right-back slot
his own. He can provide the defensive stability and
the attacking play from that area to help the team. I
see shades of Lahm in Azpilicueta, especially at this
point in their careers. Azpilicueta has that fluidity to
his game and intelligence that makes him a top full-
back on either flank. He now needs to develop his
all-round game and contribute in the opponents
half on a more regular basis. If he does that then
the money we paid for him will increasingly look
like we used a 50% voucher to get him.
Last season:
Azpilicueta was a revelation out of position at lef-back
last season. A tireless worker and a genuinely good
character, he has become a frm favourite amongst the
fans as well as the players who awarded him the
Players Player of the Year for 2013/14.

This season:
His challenge is continuing his incredible form from last
season. He will be pleased to switch back to his
preferred right side but the general consensus seems to
be that he could get a little bit more involved further up
the pitch when the game allows.
Cesar
Azpilicueta
Alex Finnis
#28
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Cesc Fbregass career at Barcelona was efectively
ended in April last season. The Spain midfielder had
been selected as the focal point of the attack against
domestic rivals Atletico Madrid during their
Champions League second-leg clash. Fbregas was
substituted after an hour after a dismal, thoroughly
inefective showing, one of many in a Blaugrana shirt.
Lionel Messi had been shunted to the right to try a
diferent tactic against Diego Simeone's hard-to-beat
Rojiblancos. Barcelona supporters had reached the
end of their tether with Fbregas, who had failed to
find a home in the team. He played at central midfield,
on the wing, up front and anywhere in between.
While you could look at that and praise him for his
versatility, the fact of the matter was that in none of
those posi ti ons di d he ever make hi msel f
comfortable. Cules had been flustered with Alexis
Sanchez, but last season he stopped being the
scapegoat for poor performances and that became
Fbregass role. The central trio of Sergio Busquets,
Andres Iniesta and Xavi was not one Fbregas could
crack, even though he had the technical attributes to
eventually replace the eldest.
Fbregas' game had become less patient by his
return to Spain, probably thanks to his Premier
League education with Arsenal. A poll in Marca
during the season indicated that more than 50
percent of voters believed Barcelona should get rid of
their former La Masia graduate. But just because
there was no role for Fbregas at Barcelona, it doesn't
mean he belongs in the faulty goods pile.
In fact, as several of his team-mates have testified
after his departure, all he needs is a bit of love and
afection and somewhere to hang his hat. The latter
could be aforded to him alongside Serbian brick wall
Nemanja Mati.
Playing a deep role in midfield would gain Chelsea far
more in attacking cutting edge than they would lose
in defensive stability. Fbregas isn't the strongest, but
he is a fighter and would ofer plenty in central
midfield other than just his eye for picking out a pass.
He also has the explosive side to him which will see
him lurch forward during counter-attacks and even
get up alongside Diego Costa. Jose Mourinho's ability
as a man manager was called into question during his
time at Real Madrid but, without the stress of hvin to
battle Barcelona, he seems a changed man.

He sweet-talked Fbregas into joining Chelsea in just
20 minutes, but also showed commitment to the
Spaniard by missing the final match of his 14-year-old
boy's football season. Mourinho had turned on the
charm and Fbregas was won over. Cesc might want
to borrow some of that from the gafer when it comes
to winning over Chelsea supporters.
In south west London he is firmly associated with
Arsenal and will need to produce the goods quickly
to keep fans of his back. Fbregas is a fine talent and
a testament to Chelsea's ability to procure top level
players in the transfer market. It's also a nod to the
idea that the transition period is over and now
Mourinho needs his men to win something now.
At 27 Fbregas is in his prime and ready to prove
himself in blue. The way to silence any doubters will
be putting in big performances, notching goals and
assists and helping break down those stubborn
teams that come to Stamford Bridge to defend.
Away from home in tougher games we could see
Fbregas deployed further up the field with Ramires
or John Obi Mikel put back into the team. At the time
of writing, Fbregas has just started once in pre-
season, against Slovenian outfit Olimpija Ljubljana,
creating a goal for fellow La Liga import Diego Costa.
That could prove to be a particularly fruitful
combination this season, with the intelligence of
Costa's runs complemented by Fbregas' willingness
to feed balls through.
In fact, it could be just what Chelsea were missing last
season, both in midfield and attack. We have already
seen the diference Fbregas has made during pre-
season. Naturally we are all cautious about any pre-
season performances, but his marked impact cannot
be downplayed. Quickening our tempo, providing
more imagination and that killer pass against
defensive sides will be what is required of the Spanish
international. If he hits the ground running he could
become another Arsenal academy product who finds
himself a home he loves in West London.
Last season:
The statistics certainly do not match the majority of the
rhetoric when it comes to Fbregass last season at
Barcelona. People talk and write of relative failure but
his 13 goals and 16 assists say otherwise. Make no
mistake, hes still got it

This season:
I would argue Fbregas is Chelseas most important
singing of the summer a midfelder of genuine world-
class quality. He knows English football and can quickly
become the guile to Matis brawn and get a Chelsea
striker fring (at long last!).
Cesc Fabregas
Rik Sharma
#4
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Ramires
Joe Tweeds
#7
Last season:
Capable of the incredible and the ridiculous almost
simultaneously, Ramires did as Ramires does for much
of last season. There is no doubt that he is a valuable
asset but there is certainly work to be done

This season:
He tends to divide opinion. Everyone can see his worth
when a game is stretched and his non-stop bursts from
midfeld create havoc for opponents; but he needs to
improve his distribution. The signing of Fabregas will
only remind him of that and he may see reduced
playing time.
Ramires is an accurate passer, but lacks the
imagination or vision to really be that deep lying
midfielder that we have lacked for a while. He had
around 84% passing accuracy last season, with 66%
of those passing going forward. The contention
would be that his passes are often straight at his
man or behind him. He seems incapable of clipping
a pass into the stride of his teammate. Given that
was probably the thing most required last season,
Ramires role as the more attack minded midfielder
did not fully work.
There are definitely positives to Ramires game and
they almost certainly revolve around his incredible
capacity to work when on the pitch. Only Willian can
rival his work rate. Yet, the amount of suspensions
he had last season does suggest that his boisterous
personality needs to be toned down somewhat. He
is of little use missing endless games through
mistimed tackles and an accumulation of yellow
cards.
In a strict application of Mourinhos 4231 formation
you do struggle to see where the Brazilian fits as a
regular starter. He is neither quite good enough to
play either the attacking or more defensive role in
Mourinhos midfield. Nor is he likely to start regularly
as a wide right midfielder. In a 433 he definitely has
uses in a box-to-box capacity. Nevertheless, the
diferences between the systems are so finite that
Mourinho is realistically just looking for his best
players to deploy.
Where is Ramires likely to see playing time this
season? The arrival of Fabregas has seemingly
ended the experiment of converting Ramires into a
ball playing central midfielder. However, he should
still have great worth to the overall squad. His
energy and ability are not easily replicated. There
will also be games this season where we require a
little more grit in midfield and Ramires can certainly
add bite if required.
The truth is that we will not know Mourinhos plans
for Ramires until the season starts to heat up. He has
proven himself to be a Mourinho favourite and
someone who sacrifices everything for the team.
Predicting a lesser role might be too soon, but you
struggle to see where he fits in on a consistent basis.
The problem he will have is that his main
competition for a midfield role has all the passing
vision in the world. Sadly, for Ramires, it is not
athletic quality that we lack.
Ramires may very well be inheriting the John Obi
Mikel mantle for dividing opinion amongst fans.
While some see his immense use in big games
others point to his lack of technical quality against
defensive sides. His true worth lies somewhere in
the middle of the two. He is capable of producing
moments of Brazilian magic, but his ability on the
ball is far more modest.
What cannot be denied is that Ramires has a huge
fan in Jos Mourinho. In practically every game of
importance last season Ramires had a role to play.
Whether it was as a defensive winger, as a tireless
presser in midfield or a counter-attacking threat,
Ramires was trusted by the manager to implement
his instructions.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Oscar
Ramon Isaac
#8
The number 10. It is a role that has featured some of
the greats in the modern age. Stars like Del Piero,
Totti, and Kaka have all won critical acclaim during
their portrayal, blending creativity, guile and genius
perfectly.
During this summer transfer window, Jose Mourinho
fitted his Chelsea squad with the components that he
felt would take the club to the next step and win the
league, the last pieces of the jigsaw. With Fbregas
being touted as a 7 who plays in the centre but is not
a 6 or 8 in Mourinhos best attempts to mimic Villas-
Boas vocabulary. What his associating of numbers
with positions meant is that the role behind the
striker, would be filled by someone already at the club
- for many that player is Oscar.
Towards the end of last season, Jose Mourinho noted
in a speech about ups and downs, highs and lows,
that the Brazilian had become a roller coaster of
inconsistency. The remark was dificult to oppose, at
the start of the season Oscar was arguably the most
impressive player in the Chelsea side. He and Eden
Hazard seemed to have kicked on following their first
season spent acclimatising to the Premier League but
when the latter continued his explosive start, Oscar
regularly stumbled, spluttered and crawled over the
finish line. Football theorists deduced that this was
symptomatic of a number of causes allegedly
including:
A) The player relaxed due to a lack of competition
once Juan Mata was sold
B) The player had one eye on the World Cup
C) The player is simply not good enough

There is no way to judge the influence of A and B, they
are intangibles that only the player himself can know
the answer to. It is likely that both played some part
mentally on Oscars game, at the start of the season
he had it all to prove to advocate Mourinhos decision
to start him ahead of Mata. C, albeit a minority view, is
something I cannot abide with. Instead consider the
following, a 22 year old who has played more football
than anyone at the club since the summer of 2012.
If there is something Oscar can be criticised for it is
his youthful exuberance, his desire to play in every
possible game for both club and country has been
to the detriment of his progression. In the past two
seasons Oscar has started 95 games. Comparatively,
Paul Pogba, 21, has started a total of 51 games in his
club career. Incidentally, Oscars dip in form
coincided with the period in which Mourinho
suggested he had changed the clubs tactics in order
to be more compact in defence and playing on the
counter. Whilst this style of football is suited to the
pace of Hazard and Willian, it is unsurprising that
Oscar failed to adjust as smoothly as those around
him.
The question this season is whether Oscar can be
the number 10 for Chelsea that adds his name to the
greats of world football?
One thing is for sure, the signings in the summer are
conducive to bringing the best out of him. For
someone playing in behind the striker there are
three elements around him that are vital. A forward
with the ability to exploit space in behind defenders,
a midfield that can distribute the ball quickly
enough and wide players that provide outlets when
the centre of the pitch becomes congested.
Last season:
Mourinho has alluded to the fact that Oscar (and the
other Brazilians) seemed distracted by the 2014 World
Cup at the tail end of last season and it did show. In
Brazil, for Brazil, though, Oscar showed glimpses of his
pre-Christmas best the hassling and harrying that the
fans love as well as some neat play and two good goals.

This season:
Many feel Oscar is at something of a crossroads. He
could be a key member of the frst team this season or
he could be in and out of the 1
st
XI. Competition for
places is ferce in midfeld and he needs to complement
his tireless running with more goals and assists if he
wants to be one of the frst names on the team sheet.
Costa, Fbregas and Luis fill those roles respectively.
The truth is, Chelseas strike force was impotent for
the most of last season, whilst the midfield often
laboured on the ball and slow build up play meant
defences had time to regroup by the time Oscar
received possession. In Brazil, Oscar sufered from
similar team woes but his personal performances
were definitely a positive for Chelsea fans, finishing in
the FIFA team of the tournament based on the
Castrol Index giving him a solid platform to build his
season from.
The fact remains for those who wish Oscar to be a
replacement for Juan Mata in terms of style are
going to be left disappointed. That in no way
however implies that Oscar is any less of a talented
footballer, just that there are several ways to skin a
cat. Where Mata routinely sliced defences open,
Oscars intricate link up play and knack for finding
pockets of space make him a diferent proposition for
the opposition to play against. One characteristic
that seems to define Oscars game is his awareness
around the pitch, he possesses an intelligence on a
football field that few can match, and reminiscent of
the way Zidane knew where everything around him
was.
Watching Oscar, there is an air of simplicity to his
game, which can often be considered a negative in a
position that requires creativity but his decision
making is often impeccable. To draw similarities with
another past star, Oscars ability to ease past
defenders when dribbling with the ball, not with
trickery but rather close control and acceleration
strikes parallels with a former Sao Paulo graduate,
Kaka.
It would do the player an injustice if his defensive
contribution to the side in the number 10 role was
not mentioned. Though this might be deemed less
important due to the attacking nature of his position
but his role in pressing the opposition midfield is vital
to springing counter attacks and not allowing
opponents to expose the Chelsea defence. Oscars
average of 2.2 tackles per game is 4x the average
Juan Mata managed in his career at the club.
The talent is clear for all to see, we have seen the
good, the bad and quite frankly, the downright
sublime (The Juventus Goal) from Oscar. This will be
a season of high expectation, not only for the player
but the club, Mourinho wants to replicate his first
spell with the club dominating English football and
he will need Oscar to rise to the occasion on a more
consistent basis if that is to come to fruition. Though
as mentioned earlier his contribution cannot be
measured purely on goals and assists, more will need
to come from the Brazilian in both departments in
the next ten months.
After losing at Crystal Palace last season Mourinho
commented on a lack of balls shown by his younger
players, perhaps the discovery of testicular fortitude
may be what the doctor ordered to turn Oscar from
challenger to champion.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Eden Hazard
The current PFA Young Player of the Year and
Chelseas Player of the Year surprisingly enters this
season with a lot to prove. On the back of a
disappointing World Cup and finishing the season in
slightly inconsistent fashion the Belgian will feel he
has a few people to silence. Chelseas new number
ten may well be the most naturally gifted footballer
Chelsea of the Roman era, but it is time to fulfil his
immense promise.
Hazard is unlike other footballers. Such is his talent
and ability that you do need to judge him against
higher standards. What he is producing now would
be considered fantastic, but he has the potential to
approach the levels of those regularly in the frame
for Ballon dOr honours. This season he has the
framework to genuinely make a push to become the
Premier Leagues best player.
The Belgian sufered last season when teams figured
out that he was essentially our entire attack. If you
could stop Hazard, then the reality was that your life
was going to be infinitely easier over the course of
90 minutes. Teams dedicated entire defensive
strategies to overloading our left hand side to stop
him. Gus Poyet quipped that even trying to put three
men on Hazard had no efect. Yet, as the season
progressed and the threat from other players
dwindled it became clear that it was Hazard or bust.
The arrival of two Spanish internationals could
heavily influence the trajectory of Hazards season.
He sufered from having terribly slow service and a
striker ahead of him who failed to convert any
opportunities. Hazard created the most chances in
the league, beat the most men and did all this when
he was facing at the very least two dedicated people
on him each game.
Cesc Fbregas and Diego Costa are game changers
in this regard. Working in tandem with Mati,
Fbregas brings a completely diferent level of
passing quality to our midfield. He may, eventually,
become the best passer of a ball from midfield that
we have seen in a Chelsea shirt. What this means for
Joe Tweeds
#10
Hazard is limitless. If the Belgian is given three times
as many chances during a game to attack his full-
back 1-on-1 or to drive into space Chelsea will reap
significant rewards.
Too often last season Hazard received the ball at a
walking pace, as we struggled to shift things from
point A to point B without taking unnecessary
touches. Placing the ball in stride of a teammate
seems to be a lost art in this pass completion
percentage obsessed stage, but that is also a huge
factor in slowing down tempo. Fbregas not only has
otherworldly vision, but the confidence and ability to
play the dificult pass. It entirely changes how the
opposition look to play against us.
With Hazard hopefully seeing more of the ball and
with a better quality of pass coming his way we
should be expecting big things from him. In full flow
there might not be a better sight than Hazard jinking
his way past attempted tackles. The fact that he might
be getting the ball in a greater amount of space with
less defenders between him and the goal bodes well.
If everything is coming to him quicker and he has the
benefit of more space, the addition of Diego Costa
could prove telling in the title race. Hazards greatest
strength is his ability to commit and draw defenders
to him when in possession. His vision to pick a pass
and make something happen is superb, so coupled
with Costas fantastic movement it is a dangerous
proposition.
What Costas arrival does, more than anything, is
actually give opposition back fours something to
worry about. Instead of focusing entirely on stopping
Hazard they are now in a battle across the entire back
four for 90 minutes. If they take their eye of Costa for
a second he will score. That is precisely how he
operated last season. Maybe having a quiet game,
one excellent piece of movement and then a goal.
Eden must continue to develop this season.
Everything is in place for him to succeed. He will
eventually have that excellent naturally left footed
overlap that he has been crying out for. A potentially
super midfield full of technical quality and vision. All
finished of with the arrival of a genuine striking
threat. We need consistency, we need more goals and
we need him at it every single week. If we get this we
could be looking at a very special season.
Last season:
A successful 2
nd
season for the Belgian who scooped
Chelseas Player of the Season award thanks to his 16
goals and 7 assists in all competitions. However,
tensions with Mourinho towards the end of the season
lef a sour taste in the mouth going into the summer.

This season:
There is a key diference between a good (and even a
very good) player and a great one, and that is the ability
to consistently reproduce top form. Hazard has two
choices this season: knuckle down, use Mourinhos
criticism to make him stronger and be the best player in
the Premier League; or do the opposite and wait for his
big money move to PSG. I hope he chooses the former.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
John Obi Mikel has played over 310 games for
Chelsea across 8 seasons. In his time he has drawn
praise and intense criticism. It would be old ground
to tread over the debate of stability vs tempo, but
the arrival of Nemanja Matic seemed to suggest
Mikels future would not be so intrinsically linked to
the first team.
Oddly, Matics conversion from a languid attacking
midfielder to a holding midfielder is likely what
Mourinho had in mind with Obi Mikel. The Serbians
development should have been that of the
Nigerian: Mikel was undoubtedly more of an elite
talent in youth football. That is just how football
pans out at times.
As a rotational option Mikel suits the squad
perfectly. He can come in and do a specific job
without negatively impacting the team. Certain
games where the requirement is for a calm and
composed influence in midfield, rather than overt
ambition he is an asset. The issue for Mikel is
whether he is going to be content with a reduced
role.
For a squad devoid of that killer winning mentality
Mikel brings much needed experience. He has
been superb against top level teams and
knows what is required to win trophies.
Every great team needs their unsung
hero and Mikel has quietly established
him in this respect. He is a players
player, someone who garners
little praise externally from the
group but ultimately a player
everyone likes in the side.
Mikel is usually someone who plays
between 30-40 games a season for Chelsea,
so you would expect there to be an
element of adaptation to a role where
he is likely to see less minutes. He is
certainly on the edge when it comes
to remaining with the team after the
transfer window closes.

Chelsea appear to be in need of finding another
foreign player to leave the club; Mikel plays in an
area stacked with options.
There are rumours floating around that Mikel is
actually likely to gain British citizenship towards
the end of this year. That would make him infinitely
more saleable to a team in the January window. He
appears utterly perfect for the slower pace found in
Serie A and I could foresee someone buying him as
a holding player.
If Mikel does follow through with his British
citizenship request then there is an air of
inevitability about him moving in the January
window. In which case Chelsea will be losing
someone who seemed to save his best on the
grandest stage. Imperious in FA Cup Finals,
arguably the Man of the Match in
Munich and countless top games
when it mattered should be Mikels
legacy.
Yes, he could have been more
aggressive in possession and
tried to speed things up but his
influence when it has really
mattered cannot be
questioned. Should Mikel
remain he becomes an
important squad member,
someone to step in when
required and perform. If he
goes then he goes as a
player who has won
everything possible.
John Obi
Mikel
Joe Tweeds
#12
Last season:
Matis arrival meant Mikel saw less game time and
rumours about him moving on to pastures new have
been circulating for some time. When he played,
though, he did his job well breaking up play and
protecting the back four. His inability to turn defence
into attack remained a source of frustration for fans.

This season:
Another one who divides opinion: some consider him
vastly underrated; other vastly overrated. There is
rarely a middle ground. For what its worth I think Mikel
still has an important part to play this season when the
game suits but he will certainly be back-up to Mati who
is, overall, a better player and who can, crucially, more
readily help that transition from defence to counter
attack.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Andre Schurrle
Charlie Harris
#14
Chelseas German World Cup winner will surely start
his second season with us buoyed by his starring role
in Die Mannschafts summer success. Not just his
assist for the winner in the final, but his extra time
breakthrough in the last sixteen game against Algeria,
and the continued impact he had when coming on for
his national side. Three goals and three assists from
245 minutes of playing time represented a superb, if
slightly inflated return (Brazil had given up by the
time he came on and added another two goals.)
There is the notion that this is Schurrle at his best, an
impact sub, taking advantage of weary opposition
legs, but I think theres a lot more to that, and him.
Pacy, direct, not much trickery, but unsurprisingly
eficient, nine goals and three assists from a total of
43 appearances last season represented a solid
return, but one with big room for improvement,
particularly with the assists.
The only criticism from last season would be
consistency; performances seemed to vary from
lacklustre, largely anonymous fours, to superb,
threatening nines out of ten.
Obvious highlights of the 13/14 campaign were the
superbly taken treble at Craven Cottage, a game
where he seemed to build a real bond with the away
support, and away to Steaua Bucharest in the
Champions League group stage 4-0 victory where he
tore their admittedly awful right back to absolute
shreds. He does seem well suited to the quick nature
of the Premier League, and with a season under his
belt he can only go on and improve again in my
eyes.
He seems to get it, for want of a better phrase. By
that, meaning he always puts a shift in, wherever
required, he seems to understand what the fans
want from players, and what the shirt means. He
will be vying for a starting position in perhaps the
most competitive element of the side this season.
Him, Oscar, Willian, and perhaps Salah, (assuming
Hazard is a guaranteed starter).
With the post-World Cup break our German wide
man does look to be a couple of weeks behind the
majority of the others so Id expect Jose to ease
him in during the first few weeks of the season. Its
not as if were short of cover in the two to play just
of of Costa.
Rumours have surfaced of other clubs looking at
securing Schurrles services with Jose still needing
to move on a foreign player to meet the squad
requirements, but Id be very surprised to see him
depart. Versatile, with his apparent comfort at
playing on either flank or through the middle, Im
hopeful hell be a successful mainstay of the squad
and side for years to come.
Schrrle now needs to look at taking the next step
in his development. Much like Hazard you want to
see consistent displays from the German. He ofers
a directness that others do not and when paired
with someone like Azpilicueta you could see the
formation of a potent right hand side. Schrrle links
well with his full-back at international level and
really should benefit from having a more attack
minded player in the final third to work with.
The German is another player who should greatly
benefit from the arrival of Cesc Fabregas. The
Spaniard has already shown during pre-season that
his penchant for raking clipped passes is still there.
Hugely underappreciated at Barcelona, his style
and vision melds wonderfully with Chelseas style.
Schrrle should be a benefactor of the Spaniards
vision.
Countless times last season Schrrle would make
an outside to in run, moving past his full-back and
just outside a centre-back. Asking Ramires to find
that pass was akin to asking for a striker to hit
twenty goals last season. It was not happening. This
year the German might start seeing some joy from
his endeavours. He could feasibly lock down that
right wing position for himself, we just need to see
more from him on a consistent basis.
Last season:
Schrrle arrived from Leverkusen with a reputation as a
pacey winger/forward with a keen eye for goal. He
made an ok start to life as a Chelsea player chipping in
with 9 goals but showed his best work of the season at
the World Cup with Germany.

This season:
Not everyone will agree with this but Schrrle seems to
operate better as an impact substitute. He tends to do
far more damage when coming of the bench and thats
the role Id prefer to see him play this season Im not
convinced hes good enough to be a starter but of all the
Chelsea players this season, he has the greatest capacity
to prove me wrong
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Marco van
Ginkel
Priya Ramesh
#16
diferent permutations of 4-3-3 ofensive and
defensive. Van Ginkel ties up the loose ends
between defence and attack and is a player who
thinks on his feet, quick to react in crunch situations.
Van Ginkel seems to commonly draw parallels to
Lampard in the sense that he knows when to be at
the right place, with very good timing on his runs
into the box and an eye for goal, though yet again
that is another characteristic that adds to his
Michael Ballack v2.0 tag. His passing range is
commendable too, comfortable with lofted passes
over defence lines as much as short and direct
ground passes.
For his all attacking nous, the Amersfoort-born 21-
year-old is no pushover in the middle of the park. He
certainly has a good tackle in him and while he is no
Yaya Tour, he has both the frame and relative
strength to hold of opponents. With relatively good
stamina and an ability to cover ground quickly, van
Ginkel is an archetype box-to-box midfielder,
providing the dynamism required of that position to
keep the team ticking on field.
It is with relative confidence that we can say if there
is anyone who cannot wait for the new season, it is
Marco van Ginkel. He will want to put the horrors of
last season behind him very quickly and want to
move himself as high up the pecking order as
possible and he will have to put in the performances
of the same vein as last
summers pre-season to start
on the best note. Given the
talent at his disposal, it
should not come as a surprise
if van Ginkel is quite a
regular in the team this
season and it would certainly
be encouraging to see him
feature and consolidate his
Chelsea career.
Though the young Dutchman joined us from
Chelsea B last season, Marco van Ginkel does have
a certain new signing feel to him primarily because
he faced an anterior cruciate ligament rupture early
last season, which kept him out of action for most of
the season, only returning for a few U21 games.
Thus, its a fresh season and a fresh start for Wulfert
Cornelius in 2014-15. He impressed in pre-season
last year, being pitted against some of the very best
footballers in friendlies vs Inter, Milan and Real
Madrid and has gotten of to a good start this time
too.
Last season, he came in, virtually expecting to be
transitioned into a starting XI role, because he
ofered a certain mobility, creativity from deep and
defensive ability, all of which none of Ramires, Mikel,
Essien or Lampard could provide. In a way, he was
reminiscent of a fan favorite at Chelsea Michael
Ballack. However, in the time that he has been
recovering from his injury, the club have managed
to sign Nemanja Mati and Cesc Fbregas, which
changes the dynamics of the equation for van
Ginkel.
Mati is easily one of the best defensive midfielders
in the Premier League at the moment, and possibly
across Europe. Though it remains to be seen exactly
what Joses plan for the ex-Arsenal captain is, many
believe he will partner the big Serb in midfield, in the
double pivot a position van Ginkel would have
liked. However, the Spaniard lacks the extent of
physicality, tackling and defensive safety van Ginkel
provides in comparison to him. While the former
Dutch Talent of the Years creative abilities may not
be at Cescs level, it is no unchartered territory to
him, having played in advanced midfield creator
roles and excelling for both Vitesse and the
Netherlands U21 team
The recently-appointed Dutch U21 captain definitely
has vision and the technical ability about him to
replicate that for Chelsea and having the likes of
him, Ramires, Fbregas and Oscar makes it easier
for Jose to switch between the standard 4-2-3-1 and
Last season:
Sufered a terrible knee injury that
kept him out for the season. Hes
worked hard to get back to full ftness
and did well to be included in the pre-
World Cup Dutch training camp.

This season:
Hes still only 21 but somehow this feels
like an important season for Van
Ginkel. Hes coming back from a
horrifc injury but needs to show
even if just in parts than he belongs in
a Chelsea midfeld. He will hope for
chances in the cup competitions.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Mohammed
Salah
Charlie Harris
#17
Salah has been a regular in pre-season, taking
advantage of the late arrivals of many of our World
Cup participants, something which Id be surprised
to see replicated once the season proper kicks of.
Joining us in the January transfer window last
season, and becoming the first Egyptian to play for
the club, hes still scored more times against us for
Basel than for us, with two goals in ten appearances
since his arrival at the Bridge.
Making his debut against Newcastle where he
missed a decent chance to open his account
immediately, he then did so on that perfect day
against the Gooners, finishing of the 6-0 rout in
style with a composed finish after being sent clear
on goal.
He seems to have pace in abundance but at the
moment reminds me slightly of Aaron Lennon,
aesthetically pleasing, a few tricks thrown in, but the
end product can often be lacking, or poorly
executed. Perhaps a touch harsh with just the six
months and little actual competitive game time to
adapt to the League, Id expect him to be a decent
option from the bench this season.
There was a worry that he could be required for
Egyptian national service in the fairly imminent
future, sparking memories of Ben Sahar in a similar
situation a few years back, but has now been given a
pardon putting an end to that potentially bizarre
situation.
Now sporting the number 17 shirt for the
forthcoming 2014/15 campaign after vacating his 15
shirt for the returning Didier, Salah will be looking to
build on the two goals and one assist from his
eleven appearances with us so far
Perhaps best utilised against tiring defences, and as
cover when were saving the legs of Hazard or Oscar
for the next game. I do think theres plenty of
potential with him though, having arrived from a
fairly poor standard Swiss League. The only concern
being that he may never get the run of games
needed to get up to speed with the levels required,
and get used to aspects like less time on the ball,
and going up against better full backs.
He already had us fans on side before he even set
foot in the club after turning down a move to those
history spouting merchants from the North West, to
join the mighty Blues instead, clearly an intelligent
bloke along with Willian! If he could use a touch
more of that intelligence with his final balls, Im
hopeful he could make some handy contributions
for us this season.
Last season:
Arrived in January of the back of
some impressive performances for FC
Basel against Chelsea in the
Champions League and snatched
allegedly from the jaws of Liverpool.
Not all that much to report from his
frst months at the club.

This season:
Cant help but feel Salah could become
a Chelsea cash cow. Plenty of clubs
would be interested if we put him on
the market and he would be the frst to
go if a real star became available.
Otherwise, he can play a role of the
bench and in the cup competitions.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
to ascertain. His through ball for Mohamed Salahs
goal against Arsenal is one of a number of examples
where Mati hit a superlative pass that set up a
scoring opportunity. This pre-season he won the ball
and within seconds slipped Diego Costa in to create a
goal.
His relationship with Cesc Fbregas is going to be
crucial this season. It might even verge on being
season defining. If they click and a natural chemistry
is forged then the possibilities from that deep midfield
area seem limitless. Having two players with the
ability to hit pinpoint passes all over the pitch is a
weapon that no side in the league can replicate. Mati
has also been released at times during pre-season to
maraud up the pitch. This is where Fbregas must
realise he needs to drop back in and cover.
The Serbs importance cannot be quantified this
season. Whether he is protecting the back four or
creating he is going to be the fulcrum of Chelseas
attacking play. Allowing Fbregas to run the game,
distributing the ball at pace or hitting those gorgeous
raking passes. His confidence and aggression in
possession seems to tie in perfectly with Mourinhos
philosophy for this season.
It is dangerous to draw anything solid in terms of
conclusions from pre-season games. Nevertheless,
our style of play against Real Sociedad strongly
suggested that Mourinhos instructions are to be far
more attacking when in possession. Every player
seemed confident and more importantly aggressive
with the ball. This will undoubtedly lead to areas in a
game where we lose the ball, but in the pursuit of
playing an expansive style to beat defensive sides it is
necessary.
Mati must continue to dominate whoever he plays
against and provide the calm platform in midfield that
allows everyone ahead of him the time and space to
create. He is arguably becoming one of our most
important players as no one in the squad can
replicate his repertoire. Expect a phenomenal season
and hopefully more dominating performances
against the elite in this league.
Nemanja Matic
Joe Tweeds
#21
Given the level of expenditure this summer it would
be quite a bold statement to suggest that Nemanja
Mati might well be our most important piece of
business this year. The January signing completely
revolutionised Chelseas holding midfield. Providing a
range of passing, vision and quality not seen at
Chelsea for what felt like an age. His absolute bossing
of Yaya Tour was a highlight in a season that saw
Mati hit the ground running.
With the benefit of a pre-season behind him and even
more time bedding into Mourinhos system Mati
should star this season. He was sorely missed in the
latter stages of the Champions League and his ability
to both defend astutely and generate attacking
momentum was fantastic. There are few players in
European football who combine his size, skill, passing
ability and toughness as well. Mati really is an elite
holding midfielder.
What I enjoy most about Matis game is his
unwavering commitment to advancing play. I am
unashamedly a lover of holding midfielders. I
recognise the need at times to slow the game down
and control matters. This is something we have seen
from Obi Mikel over the course of his 8 years at the
club. However, Matis mentality is entirely the
opposite of the Nigerians. Every touch is positive and
he will try the dificult pass.
There are times when he can be overly ambitious and
it depends on where you stand on what you think
your holding player should be doing. If you accept the
inherent risks of Mati trying to create from deep then
you realise he will occasionally give the ball away in a
dangerous area. However, the safety first option has
often yielded a very deliberate and stagnant tempo.
Mati was majestic last season, restoring some much
needed power to Chelseas midfield. Having a peak
Essien and Ballack rampaging through central areas is
a thing of the past. However, the Serbian seems to be
of that mould. Blessed with the toughness and
aggression of Essien, but the languid technical
acumen of Michael Ballack. The German remains one
of our classiest ever players and I think Mati can
emulate him this season.
Something we have rarely seen from a Chelsea player
operating in Matis role is his creativity. Mati is equal
parts creator and conductor, such a dificult balance
Last season:
Chelsea fans got a glimpse of The Spider last season and
liked what they saw. A defnite upgrade on Mikel when it
comes to passing and travelling with the ball at his feet
and a monster when it comes to breaking up play.

This season:
Mati has to go into every game thinking he and Fbregas
can dominate any other midfeld going. He has all the
ingredients to be a Premier League midfeld giant and a
vital player for Chelsea now and in the future.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
45
I thought the post-Modric Daniel Levy wind-up of
Tottenham in bringing in Willian was hilarious, and
well deserved. The song was, at the time, amusing
as well.
But like many I cast a glance over the numbers of
attacking midfielders / wide attackers we had in the
squad and didnt get it. Yes, trolling the Seven
Sisters faithful is always amusing but its a lot of
money to spend on a windup, even if it is a funny
one. Why do we need him?
I still wasnt sure why until well into the season. To
me he looked a little lightweight for a bloke his size,
wanted too much time on the ball and couldnt hit a
horses arse with a banjo. I remember being hugely
impressed when he played against us in the
Champions League the season previously when he
was full of powerful running and clever touches. Ill
be honest, I couldnt see much of that in his first
few games. I can actually pinpoint the moment
when I saw the light, started to get what he was
about.
I was in Loca Bar in Dubai, chatting to various
members of the UAE Blues for the Norwich away
game. Id just mentioned to Diane that I didnt think
Willian for our purposes was any meaningful
upgrade on Moses really. Stop laughing at the back.
I remember the words clearly.
I mean what does he actually DO?
No sooner were the words out of my mouth and
across my lips when he banged in a glorious 25
yard dipping strike from an acute angle after an
exchange of passes with Ramires.
After I got up of the floor and regained the power
of speech, (so shocked was I that Ramires had
actually managed to complete a meaningful pass) I
took in the glory of the goal. A very impressive
strike. The process of the seeing of the light as it
were took a few more games but shortly
afterwards he became a nailed on starter for me.
You have to just sit back and marvel at the blokes
Willian
Christopher Morgan
#22
work ethic and his running. It is Ramires-esque. He is
a top class passer of the ball as well which is most
un-Ramires-esque.
In some ways they are similar both could easily
have been track & field superstars for Brazil if they
had not chosen to be footballers. Yet in Willians case
you sense strongly that he was born to kick a
football around; debatably less than, say, that man
Ramires. He works so hard, has a definite steel to his
game which is necessary because of the kicking and
battering he takes every game for us. But there is a
silkiness to go with it. He is deceptively (very) good
with the ball at his feet, can get to the by-line and
knock crosses in, or cut inside and can beat people
one on one with ease.
And therein lies the critique.
People point to Willians lack of goals last season as
a criticism. That he found himself rendered blunt
and aimless against packed defences. It is hard to
disagree. But while he is well capable of beating
someone one on one he isnt always capable of
doing it one on two or three, which is what he found
himself up against most of the time last season.
When chances come they are gone in a fraction of a
second and it is perhaps the longest and most
frustrating of the aspects of playing for us that new
players have to get used to. You just dont have the
time and space to do the things you did for previous
clubs. Ask Fernando Torres for one.
In a funny way it is players like Willian and Ramires
that perhaps contribute to this just by being here.
Teams know we have pace running through the side
down the flanks and everywhere across the middle
and know that the only way to combat the endless
pace and running is to drop deep. Very deep. Edge
of the six yard box deep. Utilising the Sam I love
tactically outwitting Jose Mourinho Allardyce tactic
of the revolutionary new 9-1-0 formation sort of
deep.
How do you play against this? You have players who
work hard and are prepared to unselfishly spend a
whole game trading tackles and trying to create
room for other players. Players who are lightning
quick if the opposing team can by some miracle be
tempted to come out of their own box. Above all you
want players who will not crumble and hide at the
first (unpunished) studs-up shin high cruncher. You
want someone who obviously loves the shirt and
will run through walls for us.
Willian is, therefore, very much the blueprint I think
of the new Chelsea. It made me laugh the other day
hearing Tony Gale say, we assume in all honestly
and with a straight face, that Willian isnt really a
Jose sort of player.
Eh?
Willian is absolutely a Jose player, hes just the sort
of player Jose loves. In many ways he is us last
season wrapped up into one package frustrating,
frustrated; very unlucky at times, flashes of sheer
unmitigated brilliance and a phenomenal work
ethic. This season if he gets a good run in the side
hell score more goals and be more acclimatised,
that I am certain. You think hes a Jose player now,
wait till he starts getting 15-20 goals a season
Hes the sort of player we Chelsea fans love as well.
Weve always loved a grafter. The enigma of never
quite knowing when one of our attacking players
will crack in a stunning 30 yard half volley or spend
a game getting kicked of the park has always held a
certain romance for us. Hes already a minor cult
hero for us (needs a goal against Tottenham to be
fair mate) but I have a feeling if he adds a few more
goals this season he may elevate himself to true cult
hero status. We love a hero at Chelsea. And with the
sad departures this summer of a couple of honest-
to-God 24 carat gold Hall Of Fame Proper Chelsea
Heroes, maybe it is time for some more
If were after new heroes for a new Chelsea, then Id
argue Willian has as good a chance as any in the
squad of achieving such lofty acclaim. Time will tell.
Last season:
Willian made a decent start to life as a
Chelsea player. He chipped in with some
important goals and he runs as hard
going towards his own goal as he does
attacking the opposition something
that the fans, and Mourinho, appreciate.

This season:
Its nice to have a player who is always
full of running and who youre sure will
do the dirty work when backs are against
the ropes. But its the other side of
Willians game where the fans would like
to see a little more taking defenders on
and beating them. More of that, please.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Fernando
Torres
Joe Tweeds
#9
I rarely, if ever, lose faith in any player at Chelsea.
When I am at a game every Chelsea player
deserves backing to the hilt. When you are in the
pub after the game feel free to have a dig. Some of
the support Torres has received over the past
season or so has been borderline Arsenal in its
fickleness. Yes, he is frustrating and a complete
shadow of the footballer that we bought. We have
known that for years though.
Last season was a complete disaster for the
Spaniard. The sad part is that this is no longer a
surprise. Patches of something approaching decent
form were halted by injury or suspension. He had
moments of pure joy, his last minute winner against
City (and his performance that day to be fair to
him) were hints that maybe there was life in him
still. These fleeting moments of quality all too often
faded into obscurity. Chelsea looked like a side
playing with just 10 men for far too many game he
was involved in. You would argue with some
conviction we might even had played better with 10
men.
Taking a critical look at Torres feels like kicking a
man once he is down. He frustrates, but I think we
as a fan base are a little too quick to jump on him.
He is no longer expected to be the main man at the
club and that may reinvigorate him somewhat. The
arrival of Diego Costa and Didier Drogba almost
exorcises the demons of being the big money man
who is failing to spark the attack.
Nothing will change the wages he is on or the fee
paid for him. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but
Torres was an expensive gamble that spectacularly
backfired. Injuries had already taken their toll once
we decided to sign him and his electric pace and
finishing quality seemingly ended the day he
signed for Chelsea. What we need to find is a way of
extracting something from him over the course of
this season. It is patently clear that Torres is going
nowhere. Who is going to pay him that ridiculous
wage packet? Why should he move?
Torres best position may now come as a direct
option on the flank. His crossing is exceptional and
his ability to just drive forward in wide areas is
occasionally bordering very good. It seems clear
that he is very far down the pecking order for
centre forwards as things stand. He therefore needs
to look at reinventing himself in some way. A wide
forward certainly looks like his best option.
The only other possibility that has seemingly
reared its head is him pairing Diego Costa in the
line-up as a second striker. Mourinho has hinted
that he may occasionally opt for a two striker look,
something we have not seen at Chelsea since
Anelka/Drogba. Playing with Costa might be the
way of unlocking the last vestiges of potential that
Torres can muster in a Chelsea shirt.
I, like many, still harbour some misguided hope that
he is going to come good and look something
bordering his best. The reality is a diferent
scenario entirely and truthfully it would be great if
we could utilise him in another area. He may not be
a great winger, but his directness and crossing
ability are weapons that are better suited in that
area of the pitch. Whatever happens for Torres this
season he is bound to see less minutes than last
year. It could potentially lead to a transfer and the
sad saga of Fernando Torres time at Chelsea
comes to an end. Still, that goal in the Nou Camp
was worth every penny.
Last season:
Torres has scored 20 Premier League
goals since he joined Chelsea and just
over double that in all competitions.
No sugar coating: he has been a
50million disaster.

This season:
With Ba now at Besiktas, Chelsea are
actually light on strikers. Unfortunately,
Torres will have a role to play next
season there is no doubt about that. I
could try and put some positive spin on
that role but he doesnt deserve it.
Fingers crossed.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Didier
Drogba
Jenny Brown
#11
As someone who is not really a fan of change, I
cant say Ive particularly enjoyed much about the
last two transfer windows. Im still not over
Januarys callous treatment of a man who was not
only Chelseas best player of the previous 2
seasons, but one who arguably boasted the best
beard the squad has seen in years. But he was
mainly the tip of the Munich penalty taker (not
scorer) iceberg.
Juan Matas Premier League re-distribution better
prepared me for the cashing in on German hero,
David Luiz. But theyd been identified by Mourinho
as Chelseas most marketable assets. Or as a means
to exert his authority within the new infrastructure,
reminding the board that he still wields some
power. Have a dozen of one...
Despite the subsequent brooding that may or may
not have* occurred at the sales of Mata and Luiz I
could just about have handled that going forward.
What I handled less gracefully was the departures
of two of Chelseas most important players in their
most successful spell. Chelsea are about to start a
season with neither Ashley Cole nor Frank
Lampard. Frank Lampard!! Their departures meant
that each of Chelseas penalty takers on *that* night
were no longer with the club.
With all the upheaval at Chelsea combined with
excitement of the best World Cup ever I was
forced to the continent. No Twitter, no gossip sites --
no football. And while I was saving up for my ST by
replacing water with wine, low and behold another
change was coming.
Despite being heavily linked by some very reliable
sources with a move to the MLS, Chelseas
European Cup winner Didier Drogba opted to come
home. His warm and fuzzy return to Stamford
Bridge in March was a reminder to everyone that,
like Ross and Rachel, we were on a break.
48
What surprised me most about Didier Drogbas
return wasnt so much the return itself - weve
already seen both Mourinho and Matic return - but
the reaction to it! Maybe the dispersion of most of
the old guard prepared everyone for an influx of
fresh young talent and overpriced signings rather
than a 36 year old striker reappearing in the
squad. But it amazed me that there were people
who would rather have seen him link up with the
Golden Girls in Florida.
The notion that Drogbas return to Chelsea would
tarnish anything about Munich is shocking. For
those of you feeling apprehensive, we do not have
to return the European Cup. I repeat, Drogbas
return does not mean Chelsea have to return the
European Cup. Chelseas name is still on it,
Drogbas final kick still won it and we all had a
massive party in Munich. Not one of those things
changes with his return.
For those worried about his contribution as a
centre forward, Drogba for all intents and
purposes, has been brought back as third choice
striker. Which means hes just been brought in to
cover for the departure of Demba Ba. The bar has
been set at 5 goals. Arsenal home and away
should just about sort that. Anything else is gravy.
Drogba hasnt been brought back to score goals -
but to make sure others do. Hes a man who makes
those around him better to this day. Ivory Coast
didnt exactly cover themselves in glory this
summer, but they certainly looked better with Didier than without
him. After an abysmal opening half against Japan, Ivory Coast
managed 2 goals within minutes of Drogbas arrival on the pitch and
looked a completely diferent team until the final whistle.
This of course doesnt he mean he wont score goals. Drogba was
rarely Chelseas top goalscorer, but that didnt matter then and it
shouldnt matter now. If ever a man encapsulated cometh the hour,
cometh the man its Drogba. If theres a final or a big game that
Chelsea absolutely need to get a goal, he is the very man to do it.
As Mourinho starts to look at the future, it makes sense for him to
turn to the past. Drogbas return will be key to the development of
players like Baker and Boga. A role model that they can train with
every day with the hopes of playing alongside. That kind of
mentoring is invaluable. He may also be able to teach those
reluctant AMs floating about what it really means to track back.
It might not be as glamorous or have the immediate impact that 20
PL goals has but it will benefit the club in the future. And if were all
being honest, the mindset of signing some of the players we have
(for their immediate impact) hasnt really worked out all that
favourably.
Last year, Mourinho was quoted as saying: I'm not going to say that
he is my favourite player because I have had a lot of truly special
players, but if I had to choose one I might go for Didier. As a
player he is out of this world. I would like to have him by my
side. And now we all have him on our side.
With so many changes next season, what Im most looking
forward to is a little piece of our past. And nothing that
Drogba does will change that.
* *it definitely did occur
As I was writing this, a former hero
returned! As many have pointed out, I
think Drogbas value doesnt come as much
on the pitch as it does of it. Dont get me
wrong, with 15 minutes to go he is a
terrifying sub to bring on but, more
importantly, hes a character and leader at
the training ground and in the dressing
ground. As I mentioned above, John Terry
has a very important role this year actually
blooding in some youngsters and helping
the club transition into this new era. He
could do with some help on that front now
that Ash and Frank have gone and Didi
provides that support.
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
In Diego Costa, Chelsea finally have the striker they
have been searching for since Didier Drogba left in
2012. Stamford Bridge has, the Ivorian aside,
proven a strikers' graveyard in recent years. From
the early Abramovich years where Mateja Kezman
and Adrian Mutu let themselves down, through to
the bafling incompetency of Fernando Torres,
there have been very few success stories.
Drogba is the exception to the rule and, even
though he has now returned home, the main man
this year will be the Brazil-born Spain hitman Diego
Costa. He had a poor World Cup, but that shouldn't
have much bearing on his Chelsea career for
various reasons. The most important of these is
that he has had little experience or practice in the
Spain side and playing the possession-based
system they use.
In a handful of Chelsea pre-season friendlies, Costa
has looked the part. A couple of well-taken goals
don't guarantee he is going to be a great purchase
but all indications are that he will do well. Costa is
an aggressive player in several ways. He attacks
with abandon, happy to run at players and stretch
defences.
This will help both him to get in good positions to
score and also create space for the army of
creative types that have been lurking in Chelsea's
midfield waiting for someone like Costa to come
along. He's also aggressive in his physicality. Like
Luis Suarez, Costa often gets in good positions
because he wins the "first" battle.
He tussles with the defender before the cross is
delivered so he can get in the right place to nod it
home. Costa's strength in the air partly comes from
being good at heading, and it's partly because he's
good at fighting. Don't be surprised if he scores a
spectacular scissor-kick goal at some point this
season - he loves to try them.
What can let him down is when this aggression
over-spills and translates into yellow cards. If he
doesn't get retrospectively punished for doing
Diego Costa
Rik Sharma
#19
something malicious to an opposition defender, it
would be a turn-up for the books. Costa isn't the
purest finisher either. Last season was a breakout
season for him, when he rattled home enough goals
to put himself behind only Lionel Messi and
Cristiano Ronaldo in La Liga.
Costa will create space for everyone around him,
occupy an entire back four by himself and finally
give Chelsea a presence in the final third. He will
create opportunities for himself with his unorthodox
style of dribbling and the amount of fouls he draws
will be a huge bonus considering our set piece
threat this season. At his most basic Costa is a blood
and thunder footballer when Chelsea fans see him
running through brick walls for the shirt they will
love him.
He excels is in the midst of the madness, getting a
toe in here or there to divert the ball home. There
has not been a great deal of excitement around the
Diego Costa purchase, when compared, say, to the
Cesc Fabregas or Alexis Sanchez deals.
That's because Costa does not have the same star
power and pull as either of those players. As we
know, though, with Torres and Andriy Shevchenko
the clearest examples, that has precisely no bearing
whatsoever on how good they are going to be.
History advises Chelsea supporters to tread lightly,
to wait and see. Even Drogba, who is now cherished
as one of the finest players in the club's history, had
plenty of detractors for the first two years. But on
paper, Costa should be the weapon of mass
destruction that Jose Mourinho needs up front.
He will relish the big games against Europe's elite as
much as the trips to smaller sides, because what
Costa loves is the battle. When the going gets tough,
Costa is in his element and will dig in like the
talented but unhelpful Daniel Sturridge did not. He
will be strong in the air like Demba Ba, but add extra
class with the ball.
There is no facet of Costa's game which is inferior to
Torres', even though the Spaniard may sell less
shirts. Everything points to this being a good season
for Costa, even if he contributes in other ways and
only scores a handful of goals. Notching 20 in all
competitions is a realistic target, with 30 or more
being optimistic in his debut season.
Costa will be Chelseas number one man this season.
His task will be to cause as much chaos for
opposition defences as possible while linking play.
We have seen in pre-season how strong he is when
he drops deep finally the ball will stick more often
than not with our centre forward. The way he took
the ball, fought of a robust challenge, drew in five
players and clipped a ball to Ivanovic was textbook
Costa.
Costa could well be the signing of the season if he
manages to hit the ground running. He is built for
Premier League football and will terrorise centre-
backs with his intensely competitive style. Bullish,
pugnacious and quintessentially Chels, Diego
Costa should be the cherry on the icing of this
summers superb transfer window.
Last season:
Costa scored 27 times in 34 appearances for
Atletico last season, making him one of the
hottest properties in world football. He had
a bad World Cup but so did Spain as a
whole, plus he clearly wasnt fully ft so
theres no point reading too much into that.

This season:
Thanks to Messrs Shevchenko and Torres,
Chelsea strikers will always come under the
closest of scrutiny. Costa has the
ingredients to be a really great signing and
will be desperate for a fast start when the
season starts proper. Expect him to score
goals (and to be a quite mischievous along
the way!).
Alfies thoughts
@everdaypundit
Academy
Season
Preview
Upon entering the Academy building at
Chelseas Cobham Training Ground it doesnt
take long to notice the trophy cabinet. A decade
ago there was pretty much nothing of note in
there with the most notable successes coming
half a century earlier, but as the club prepares to
enter a tenth season since a radical overhaul of
the youth sector, they find themselves as
Englands standout team on the pitch at almost
every junior age level.
A magical fortnight in May saw the Under-18s
claim a third FA Youth Cup in five years whilst the
Under-21s came through a marvellous campaign
to capture their second crown in four years.
Between themselves and Manchester United
theyve claimed nine of the last ten trophies
across the two competitions and it almost seems
inevitable that a young Blues team will find the
spotlight on them in the closing weeks of the
season.
The latest victories were a wonderful blend of
those that went before them and the shape of
things to come; never short on drama and
tension, full of resolve and youthful vigour, and
blessed with stupendous talent and burgeoning
potential.
Take those Under-21s. Their 2010-11 Premier
Reserve League crown arrived courtesy of a
penalty shootout victory over Blackburn Rovers
but they almost stumbled over the line, losing
three of their last five matches before the Final
and trailing for a long time when the showpiece
occasion arrived. It was a good team seven of
them have gone on to earn senior international
honours but one undeniably heavy on talent
transplanted from clubs at home and abroad.
Dermot Drummys class of 2014 his last before
moving upstairs into a newly created Head of
International Coaching role was constructed at
home and painstakingly developed over a
Chelsea Youth
number of years. Jamal Blackman, Mitchell
Beeney, Ola Aina, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Lewis
Baker and John Swift have all made the journey
from boys to men in Chelsea blue and not only did
they lead the way by winning the regular season,
they clinched the silverware in style and with the
odds intentionally stacked against them.
Three April wins at Premier League stadia, the last
at Arsenal, ensured the boys finished atop the
table after twenty matches, a record considered
by Drummy to be good enough to consider
themselves champions then and there. The
competitions format called for a playof stage
though, but despite having earned the right to
home advantage Chelsea opted to take to the road
for the Semi Finals and Final, testing themselves in
front of a national television audience in
Manchester, first at Citys Etihad Stadium and then
against United at Old Traford. The rest is history.
Bl ackmans shootout heroi cs and Bakers
influential leadership and end product ensured
Drummy went out on a high and gave Jose
Mourinho plenty of food for thought ahead of a
pre-season where opportunities would be readily
available in the absence of World Cup-bound first
teamers.
Adi Viveashs Under-18s did themselves no harm
either by mounting an almost unbelievable
comeback to defeat Fulham in the Youth Cup Final
at Stamford Bridge. Theyd already proven
themselves road warriors in brushing of the
advances of Cardif City, Newcastle United and
(over two legs) Arsenal, but their West London
neighbours were a classy outfit including players
with Premier League experience in Patrick Roberts
and Moussa Dembele.
The Whites edged the first leg 3-2 at Craven
Cottage and led by the same score line at half time
in the return fixture at the other end of Fulham
Road, leaving Viveashs boys trailing by two goals.
They hufed and pufed without great reward
before Isak Ssewankambos thunderous efort
gave them hope and two late, late goals by
Dominic Solanke blew the doors down and broke
Fulham hearts for a wild 7-6 aggregate victory.
Nine of the eleven starters (and fourteen of
seventeen in the squad overall) in the Final were
English; brought up in the same system down at
Cobham and pushed to greater challenges at ever-
younger ages. Solankes 20-goal season and
trophy-winning heroics for club and country
England became European Under-17 Champions a
month later with his four goals playing a huge part
stole the headlines but he wasnt the only
schoolboy to impress. Jay Dasilva and Jake Clarke-
Salter were entrusted with key roles at the most
decisive stages of competition and came through
with flying colours, so much so that two of them
joined Mourinhos group for the early part of
summer pre-season training.
With the senior pros away, the youngsters have
had the stage to themselves. Izzy Brown grabbed
two goals against Wycombe to kick things of
before Lewis Baker laid on all three goals at
Wimbledon and Jeremie Boga showed of his box
of tricks with a sumptuous solo goal away in
Austria. A host of others have caught the eye and
whilst any hopes of them actually having a major
bearing on things in 2014-15 may be optimistic at
best, its yet more evidence that there is some
tremendously impressive work being done on the
other side of the road.
Viveash has replaced Drummy as Under-21 chief
with highly-rated former academy player Joe
Edwards graduating from assistant to manager at
Under-18 level, and as Academy head honcho Neil
Bath noted when the changes occurred; its merely
a continuation of everything that preceded it.
Frank Arnesen received his fair share of criticism
for all manner of things during his three years at
the club but the work he did in combination with
Bath and Jim Fraser in terms of laying the
foundations from Under-6 upwards is undeniably
evident with every incoming group of young
scholars.
Last years Youth Cup champions will be expected
to push on and make a fist of retaining the
Under-21 league title. The Under-21 victors will
have one eye on making up for a disappointing
Quarter Final exit in the inaugural UEFA Youth
League whilst attempting to realise their ambition
of impacting upon senior professional football; be
it at the Bridge or away on loan.
More than thirty players a mix of academy
graduates and eye-catching young players signed
from abroad combined for in excess of forty loan
deals last season and returned 125 goals, league
titles, promotions and international debuts. It was
Michael Emenalo plenty of food for thought as he
works with Mourinho to build a squad for the next
decade, but the question still remains: will these
boys ever really get a chance?
By any standard of measurement within their own
age groups at home and abroad, Chelsea belong
in exalted company. That trophy case saw
Under-12, Under-14, Under-15 and Under-16 wins
added to it last season whilst the Under-13s fell one
game short of a clean sweep. Just take a second to
think about that record: the likes of West Brom and
Manchester City regularly find themselves at the
business end of these tournaments but at the end
of the day, Chelsea usually go home with all the
spoils.
Arguably though, none of that matters unless
there are clear pathways into the first team
picture. The standard is higher than ever; Nemanja
Mati, Mohamed Salah, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis,
Cesc Fbregas and Didier Drogba have all arrived
at the club in the last six months and reflect the
quality required in order to be called upon, but
perhaps an exciting summer of friendly action will
have raised one or two eyebrows and stirred a few
thoughts.
Its always easy to go out and buy a ready-made
player and the arms race atop the Premier League
means he who hesitates is left behind, but the
supporting cast matters as much as ever and if
Chelsea can successfully mesh together a group
of players that includes the best of their own
produce, the legacy of the second Roman
Abramovich decade might be markedly diferent
to that of the remarkable first ten years.
That trophy case in the academy building will
continue to be added to, as will the rather bigger
one at the clubs museum over in SW6. A fusion of
the best parts of each area of the club to herald
the coming era though? That would be special.
With Jos Mourinho promising to bring through
Chelseas best academy products into the first
team over the next few seasons, Jeremie Boga
needs to reach his previous imperious best again.
Some very useful pre-season performances thus
far, including a brilliant solo efort against RZ
Pellets WAC Wolfsburger, have done his case no
harm; indeed Mourinho himself mentioned Boga
as one of four youngsters whom he expected to
make a breakthrough into the first team. It is a
very tough task of course, but under Chelseas
new academy strategies, this is a pressure that
those scholars now graduating have been built for.
At 17 years old he's displaying the sort of ability in
passing players that Eden Hazard and other top
level prospects demonstrated at a similar age. "We
know he can do that" is the usual stock response
to a barnstorming performance from the French
born youngster, such is his reputation now, after
man of the match displays against Barcelona and
AC Milan to name a couple. However, to be an
excellent prospect is one thing but there remains a
degree of caution to be had. There have been a
number of promising European youngsters to
have passed through the academy and sadly fallen
through the net.
Gael Kakuta is at the forefront of that group.
Currently in pre-season training with Rayo
Vallecano and sitting on the first stool at the bar of
the last chance saloon. With his very similar profile
before coming to Chelsea, Kakutas template is
one Chelsea and the player would do well to learn
from. However, at the forefront of the newest
promising looking generation, Boga has a better
chance under a more stable set up, geared toward
the aforementioned transition of youngsters.
From Marseille to Chelsea first team involvement,
Boga has experienced a lightning rise to
prominence with the club. An injury last season
looked to have put him back slightly in his
development, however he has kicked right back
into gear late last season and throughout the
summer. The clubs encouraging commitment to
youth should be solidified this year with the
necessity of home grown and foreign player limits,
coupled with the amount of genuine talents
already gaining even brief first team experience.
With 5 goals and the same amount of assist last
term despite the seriousness of the injury, Boga
showed his class in parts. The naysayers will cite
his inconsistency, when on top of his game he is
nigh on unstoppable, the frequency of these peaks
in form has to increase if he is to make the jump to
first team football permanently. On the other hand,
there is enough magic within each standout
showing that suggests it is a matter of when rather
than if.
Alongside Lewis Baker, Jeremie Boga remains the
most exciting, potential game changer to have
come through in the last few years. It is now down
to desire from the player, planning from the club
and luck in terms of top level chances to see that
he transitions in to the first team sooner rather
than later..
Academy Profles
Jeremie Boga
Ollie Glanvill
Coming to Chelsea as part of a bulk agreement
alongside his older brothers Lamisha and Tika, it
was always clear that the club had earmarked the
youngest Belgian for special attention, using familial
links to gain his signature. Much was expected,
perhaps too much early on at youth level with his
involvement in Belgian's under-21 set up and the
buzz of anticipation that the Belgian media bring.
The noise only heightened with his transfer to the
Chelsea Academy. At 17 he is showing signs of top
level ability. Some well-crafted, distance finishes,
smart footwork and intelligent use of the ball have
seen him earn a starting starring role in Chelseas
prolific youth cup team also helping to push him
into the squad for the U21 Premier League.
Glowing reports at each level of the academy
suggest a confident but mature head on his
shoulders. His intelligence on the ball helps to some
extent as he remains a very slight young man, which
perhaps remains one of the key stumbling blocks to
a higher level. With the help of the aforementioned
over-zealous Belgian media and some lazy British
journalism, Charly has been branded as the next
Eden Hazard. While there are key parallels in that he
is Belgian and can ghost past players there is also a
rather important diference in physique.
Eden Hazards lower body strength allows him a
degree of control against opponents, which at this
stage Charly can only dream of. Musondas season
started with a degree of uncertainty, it felt as if he
had been rather thrown in at that level. However,
once he had gained a foothold by mid-season the
young Belgian began to motor, gaining U21 time as
well as starting roles in the youth team. This degree
of advancement was quite impressive given that it
was his first full season at the academy and earned
him rave reviews from Adi Viveash and latterly
Dermot Drummy.
His heightening in confidence is similar to many of
the youth team at the moment who feel part of a
now perennially honours winning academy system.
Questions around his physique remain at a higher
level but his brilliant run and finish against
Manchester United in the U21 Premier League final
suggest that Chelsea have a real talent on their
hands. The major problem just as with John Swift
and other young attacking midfielders is that
Chelsea have such depth in that area that you really
need to have some magic to break through to a
higher level. For the season ahead, flashes of
brilliance, consistent performances in the reserves
and perhaps a loan move will help him no end.
Charly Musonda
Ollie Glanvill
Mourinho has said that he fully understands
Chelsea FCs want to bring through an English core
from the academy into the first team. The manager
has highlighted Lewis Baker, Dominic Solanke and
Isaiah Brown as the youngsters to make that
transition, suggesting that you should blame him if
it doesnt materialise. Quite the claim to make for a
club not blessed with such transitions in the
Abramovich era. However it represents a clear and
definite change in mentality, in line with financial
fair play rulings. Such changes are great news to
the English contingent at the front of the conveyor
belt. Isaiah Brown is most definitely one of these
prospects.
Making his Premier League debut for West
Bromwich Albion just before his move to Chelsea,
Brown is no stranger to the big time. His tall and
broad physique and impressive spring are all big
plusses for a youngster on the fringes of the first
team. In pre-season he scored a couple of
brilliantly taken goals against Wycombe and
expressed that being with the senior set up was a
dream. With the lack of reliable options in the first
team up front it remains an area that chances are
there to be gained and taken. However, it has not
always been so happy for Brown. At the beginning
of last season he was at the centre of a transfer
compensation dispute between his old and new
clubs.
On joining the u21 set up Brown had been played
through the middle scoring some useful headers
and generally causing a nuisance to central
defence with his size, strength and pace. In spite of
this success he was pushed out wide in favour of a
returning Feruz, who despite his inconsistency was
persisted with. Leaving Brown with lots of work to
do defensively as well as going forward. The
experience may serve him well in Mourinhos set
up going forward, as we know how he values a
balanced attacking and defensive work rate, but
also hurt his efectiveness going forward. In some
cases he became an impact sub by mid-season,
putting in some impressive cameos when doing
so. This led to a return to a starting berth again
wide, but with the ability to move infield when
needed, as part of an increasingly streamlined
Isaiah Brown
Ollie Glanvill
outfit going forward. He provided a variety of
options in the attacking third helping to win an FA
Youth Cup and u21 Premier League title.
A number of deployments and his aforementioned
work rate as well as an eye for goal make Brown
an increasingly useful squad player or perhaps
cup starter. Though he is a little way of the first
team yet, his cameos in pre-season have kept him
in Mourinhos thoughts. If the club and manager
are to stick to their promises regarding bringing
through English youngsters Brown is near the top
of the list.
Leaving arguably the best to last of this current
crop. The entirely two footed, technically brilliant
and decisive match winner is arguably the jewel of
Chelseas academy. Driving the Academy teams on
an extremely young age the past two years have
seen him establish himself as an elite young
English talent.
Baker is such a well-rounded footballer it is dificult
to really determine where to start when evaluating
him. Do you look at his intangibles? His technique?
His end product? His tactical awareness?
The truth is that Baker has everything you would
wish to see in a youngster with the potential to
break into the first team squad. Looking at his
leadership first of all reminds you of our current
first team captain. He is a complete captain
leading by example and vocally. Other players
look to him for inspiration and he delivers time
and time again when it matters. He has inherent
drive and belief that others do not and he stands
out at youth level consistently.
Technically to see Lewis Baker play you would
assume he is some lavishly imported foreign
import. His comfort on the ball in any area of the
pitch is special to witness. Playing as a 6, 8 or 10 he
wants the ball in tight spaces and he has the ability
to use it expertly. Against his own age group he is
regularly the best player on the pitch against top
European and domestic Academy teams.
There is an air of Frank Lampard around Bakers
goal scoring prowess. Not perhaps reaching those
insane levels of volume but the importance is
eerily similar. His range of goals also has to be
admired. He scores 25 yard free-kicks from either
foot, scores 30 yard screamers, anywhere within
the area is in his comfort zone and of course he
has the outrageous in his locker. In terms of
creativity Baker has the innovative mind and eye
for a pass. Threaded through balls, long range
passes and intricate football are all comfortable
for Baker.
Such is his tactical flexibility you have to wonder
where his long-term role within a side is going to
be. He lacks the physicality to be a pure holding
player, but has the quality to operate as a deep
lying playmaker. In a box-to-box capacity he has
everything to link play and drive forward with the
ball. When he operates as a number 10 he makes
everything work in the final third and knits the
team together.
I guess ultimately his position is likely to be
dictated by how much he develops physically. If he
fills out then a role as a deep lying playmaker
looks tailor made for his skill set. If his physique
remains similar then a more attack minded role
seems likely. A number 10 with an incredible
capacity to defend, but also link play and act as a
pl aymaker. Ei ther way Lewi s Baker must
breakthrough at Chelsea he is too talented and
appears too focused not to deliver.
Lewis Baker
Joe Tweeds
Others
This is only a selection of the bona fide young eggs
currently on Chelseas books. If Mourinho is
seriously intent on bringing some of best youth
players into the first team then these are the ones
that I think deserve the most attention and have the
best chance of succeeding.

Andreas Christensen
Understated, quiet but very highly rated, Andreas
Christensen has earned his place in the first team
squad. Its not ridiculous to think that he may get a
run out too with the squad perhaps on the light side
in the centre back department. A member of the
first team squad to develop with a potential loan on
the cards, he is one to watch this season.

Nathaniel Chalobah
Whether on loan or within the first team set-up, this
is an important year for Chalobah. He has to show
hes not just another boy wonder and settle into a
position, be that as a central midfielder or a centre-
back.

Patrick Bamford
Bamford doesnt look (or sound!) like your typical
footballer but he goes about his football with a
certain elegance and seems to have a real eye for
goal. A Premier League loan would be ideal to give
him the chance to show he can make the step up
from the Championship but expect him to flourish
regardless of where he plays.

Josh McEachran
If there is a Chelsea fan out there who hasnt
desperately wanted McEachran to succeed, I
havent met him or her. Unfortunately, McEachran
endured another disappointing loan spell last
season making very little impact at Wigan. Time is
running out. McEachran has just over 2 years left on
his current deal and has lost any momentum he
once had. Credit to him if reports suggesting he
wants to uproot and give La Liga a go on loan are
true. Were all willing him to succeed, he just needs
to get his head down, bulk up a bit, forget the
showbiz nonsense and get that momentum back.

Mario Pasalic
He has been dubbed (clich alert), The New
Modric and thats about all we know of this young
talent. Elche is a good place to go and progress as a
footballer. Mourinho and Emenalo will keep a close
eye on him, so he says, and so will the fans. A
Modric-type player wouldnt go amiss in a few years
time!

Christian Atsu
Signed from Porto, Atsu was immediately shipped
out to our feeder club, Vitesse, and had a decent
spell notching 5 league goals. He also had a good
World Cup for Ghana, particularly impressing in
their Group G game against Germany. It remains to
be seen whether Atsu is another of Chelseas Cash
Cows. Places in Chelseas midfield are at a premium
and so its no surprise he finds himself on loan at
Everton. If he impresses then a return to London
could be on the cards, but even then Chelsea could
still look to turn a profit on him.
As we head into the 2014-15 season, there are a number of exciting storylines to follow, including how the
front line will look with a striker of Diego Costa's quality up top, the goalkeeper conundrum, how the club
will perform now that Jose Mourinho has had a year to better mould the squad to his liking, Cesc Fbregas
walking onto the Emirates pitch in a Chelsea kit, whether Eden Hazard can make the leap and become one
of the best handful of players in the world, and, of course, Didier Drogba's return to Stamford Bridge.
There is one storyline, however, that can be left behind - specifically, the notion that UEFA's financial fair
play regulations are, or will ever be, a problem for Chelsea.
In fact, it remains to be seen if financial fair play will be part of European football's future, at least in its
current form.
After agreeing to a settlement with UEFA after violating the financial regulations, Paris Saint-Germain,
seemingly unafraid to poke the bear, issued a press release in which club president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi,
boldly declared, "our ambition to build one of the best and most competitive European Football clubs will
not be undermined by these measures."
Rather than showing even a modicum of financial restraint, PSG instead decided to lavish 48m on David
Luiz, breaking its own world record for the largest transfer fee for a defender, despite the fact that it
already has two very capable Brazilian centre backs in Thiago Silva and Marquinhos.
This, of course, is fantastic news for Chelsea, as not only was the club handed nearly 50m for its third-
choice centre back, but it can also now simply stand by and let PSG be the crash dummy with regards to
challenging UEFA and FFP. If UEFA decides to strictly enforce the regulations, then Chelsea will remain one
of just a handful of clubs with the resources to compete year in and year out for trophies, both
domestically and in Europe. If strictly enforced, financial fair play will ensure the status quo and acts as a
barrier to entry for clubs that aren't already in the elite group of football clubs with the resources to
contend for titles, both domestically and in Europe, year in and year out.
If FFP ends up being more bark than bite, well then, Chelsea will be free to spend as much as Roman
Abramovich wants, and you can count on one hand the number of club owners who embrace the "win at
all costs" philosophy when it comes to running a football club
As Abramovich himself said when he first bought the club over ten years ago, "The goal is to win. It's not
about making money. I have many much less risky ways of making money. I don't want to throw my money
away, but it's really about having fun, and that means success and trophies."
Either way, it's a win-win situation for Chelsea.
Of course, that said, just because the club will likely never face any sanctions for running afoul of financial
fair play, the UEFA regulations still very much afect how the club does business, and for better or for
The
Financial
Fair Play
Era
Jake Cohen
Wikimedia Commons
worse, club finances will very likely continue to
become a larger part of the general football
discourse.
Most importantly, FFP mandates that a club can't
spend more than it earns. While there are a
number of exemptions (i.e. write-ofs), and clubs
are allowed average losses of 10-15m per year,
45m for the next monitoring period, and 30m in
each of the next three monitoring periods (each
monitoring period covers three years of financial
statements), Chelsea.
Financial fair play essentially imposes a cap on
player costs on each club, but each club's cap is
diferent, based on what it earns. Obviously, the
more a club earns, the more it can spend. It has
long been proven that increased spending leads to
increased chances of success, and as Chelsea is
committed to winning, it is also committed to
spending. The two go hand in hand. As Roman
Abramovich himself stated, making money had
never been the priority at Chelsea. Now, however,
in order to give itself the best chance of winning,
the club will need to focus on maximising
revenues.
A bigger stadium is years away, at best, and as
Stamford Bridge regularly operates at 99% of
capacity, match day revenue is unlikely to change
significantly anytime soon. Broadcasting revenue
is directly tied to success both domestically and in
the Champions League, and as Chelsea tends to
do well in both competitions (especially in Europe,
where it's vastly outperformed its English
counterparts in recent years), it should remain
among the world's highest earners, behind only
Real Madrid and Barcelona. As an aside, Real
Madrid and Barcelona have large broadcasting
deals, because La Liga clubs negotiate individually,
as opposed to collectively, like we see in the
Premier League.
This creates a situation where Real Madrid and
Barcelona can command hefty deals, but there's
little interest in the TV rights for the rest of the
league. For perspective, Atletico Madrid, last
season's champions, earned less than 38m from
its La Liga deal, or 24m less than last-placed
Cardif City earned last season in the Premier
League. The Spanish government is trying to force
La Liga to start collectively bargaining, and
Barcelona, having seen the writing on the wall, has
already agreed to this. A collective deal would
reduce the broadcasting revenues of both Real
Madrid and Barcelona, while increasing the
revenues every other club, and would start in
2016-17 at the earliest.
Perhaps due to the fact that Abramovich's Chelsea
has been in the odd (and up until now, extremely
fortuitous) position of never really being forced to
maximise its revenue streams, commercial
revenues are not where they coul d be.
Discounting PSG, which was essentially paying
itself with its massively inflated QTA sponsorship,
Chelsea earned eighth most commercial revenues
during 2012-13 (the latest available figures).
1. Bayern Munich - 203.2m
2. Real Madrid - 181.3m
3. Manchester United - 152.5m
4. Barcelona - 151.5m
5. Manchester City - 143m
6. Liverpool - 97.7m
7. Borussia Dortmund - 93.4m
8. Chelsea - 83.9m
9. AC Milan - 82.4m
10.Schalke - 79.6m

Eighth in the world is obviously pretty good, but
the club is well of the pace of the top five clubs. As
a club that fancies itself as one of the few truly
global football clubs, and rightfully so, its
commercial revenues should reflect that status.
The one bright spot with regards to commercial
revenues had been the ten-year, 300m kit deal it
signed with adidas last summer, which at the time,
was the world's largest kit deal in terms of total
value.
Obviously, the deal looks quite a bit dimmer after
Manchester United signed its own ten-year deal
with adidas, which is worth up to 750m, and kicks
in for the 2015-16 season (250% more than
Chelsea's deal). However, it's important to note
that just this past season, Chelsea received more
money from a kit deal than any other club in the
history of English football.
In addition, only Real Madrid will earn more than
Chelsea this season from a kit sponsor deal (the
Spanish giant will earn just 1m more than Chelsea
from its own adidas deal). Chelsea is also currently
tied with Arsenal, whose new Puma deal kicks in
this season, for the third-highest kit deal on the
planet, in terms of average annual value.
As Chelsea is heading into year two of a ten year
deal with adidas, there is little incentive for adidas
to renegotiate anytime soon.
Manchester United is a much bigger brand than
Chelsea and earns much more money than
Chelsea. It has always been this way, and it will
continue to be this way, at least for the foreseeable
future. If the Glazers, Manchester United's owners,
ever decide to put their money onto the field
instead of in their own pockets, Manchester
United would likely win the league every year.
Fortunately for Chelsea and the rest of the Premier
League, however, Manchester United's owners run
the club as a for-profit enterprise. Roman
Abramovich, on the other hand, runs Chelsea as a
for-trophies enterprise.
How can Chelsea increase commercial revenues?
Two words - emerging markets
Identifying opportunities to grow the brand in
places in the world where football and the
commercial sponsorships that come with it are
primed to make a leap is the way forward.
For example, the club has committed significant
resources in South Korea and other parts of Asia.
The club's shirt sponsorship deal with Korean
electronics manufacturer Samsung has helped the
club attract supporters, and Chelsea CEO Ron
Gourlay has said that Chelsea has fifteen million
supporters in South Korea, which, at 30% of the
population, is a huge market share.
In January, Chelsea's women's team signed Ji So-
Yun, who at age twenty-three, has already been
named as the women's player of the year three
times by the Korean FA. In addition, she is the
youngest goal scorer in South Korea
Further, as part of the club's "Here to Play, Here to
Stay" initiative, the club opened a training centre in
the city of Incheon earlier this year. The state-of-
the-art facility has five pitches, trains up to 200
youngsters per week, and the coaches emphasise
playing "the Chelsea way" (which, among other
things, prioritises ball retention).
The Incheon facility is just the latest in a long list of
training centres Chelsea has built in Asia over the
past four years. The club also has facilities in
Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Singapore, Thailand, Sabah, and in the Philippines.
All of these facilities have very distinctive blue
pitches, which is about as overt a branding
strategy as possible, but it definitely leaves a
lasting impression on these communities, which is
exactly what Chelsea has set out to do.
The club expects that, these schools will help train
130,000 youngsters per year (ideally, all of whom
will become new supporters of the club).
The United States is another market which
Chelsea would do well to focus on. While the club
regularly tours the US in pre-season friendlies, a
larger push will be necessary to carve out a large
share of the American market (and therefore, a
large share of the revenues).
Five Premier League clubs have American
majority owners, including Manchester United,
Arsenal, and Liverpool. Liverpool, in particular, has
done very well to secure lucrative American
sponsorship deals.
In addition, Manchester City is establishing
satellite clubs all over the world, most prominently
with Major League Soccer club, NYCFC (where
Frank Lampard will play next spring). Tottenham
Hot spur and Everton have al so done a
commendable job capitalising on the increasingly
large (and increasingly lucrative) American
market.
The Spurs have gotten creative, especially with its
willingness to work with NBC, the media company
which broadcasts every single Premier League
match in the United States. NBC heavily promoted
Spurs in the lead up to last season, from the Ted
Lasso videos to a prominent billboard in Times
Square in New York City.
The clubs successful pursuit of DeAndre Yedlin, a
promising young American international, will
further establish the Spurs' brand in the United
States. Everton, meanwhile, already has a
disproportionately large fan base in the United
States, no doubt propel l ed by Ameri can
goalkeeper Tim Howard, and to a lesser extent,
Landon Donovan's brief loan spells at Goodison
Park.
Having lots of supporters worldwide is great, but
the true benefit to having a presence all across the
world, and particularly in the United States, comes
when a potential sponsor sees the reach the club's
brand has and will pay to be associated with that
brand.
Everton reaped these benefits when StubHub, a
US-based ticketing agency (and the world's
largest), chose the Merseyside club as a partner
when it decided to expand into Premier League
ticketing. Aside from shirt deals, Everton's deal
with StubHub is the biggest sponsorship deal in
club history.
Chelsea, meanwhile, is lagging behind with
regards to American sponsorships.
Establishing a partnership with a club in Major
League Soccer would help, and signing a quality
American player would surely boost Chelsea's
brand in the United States. The former option is
much more likely than the latter, because at
present, there are no Americans that would be
able to break into the Chelsea first team (Chelsea
has an American in its youth academy, but of
course, that's entirely diferent from the senior
squad). This isn't a slight on American footballers,
of course, as there are very few players from any
country that could start for Chelsea or any of the
other top clubs. Keep in mind, this is a club where
David Luiz was the third-choice centre back last
season, Juan Mata was deemed surplus to
requirements, and Andre Schrrle isn't an
automatic selection.
With regards to commercial revenue specifically, I
projected a few months ago that Chelsea will have
earned around 100m for 2013-14, a considerable
increase from 2012-13, but still far of the pace of
the Spanish and Manchester giants and Bayern
Munich. In addition, where Manchester United is
concerned, the gap will widen once the adidas
money starts rolling in.
In total, I projected that Chelsea will earn over
300m in revenues during the 2013-14, not
including player sales (the club's own financial
statement won't be made available for several
months). In particular, the new broadcasting deal
will help the big Premier League clubs close the
gap on Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern
Munich, and will further separate themselves from
the big Italian clubs.
What sets Chelsea apart from the rest of the world,
however, is its unique ability to identify top young
talent, acquire that talent at a low cost to the club,
and then send those players on loan where they
can get the first-team experience necessary to
maximise their development While Barcelona,
Sout hampton, and Bayern Muni ch have
historically strong youth academies, it is actually
Chelsea that has the largest number of top young
players. In fact, in the 2014 edition of the IBWM
100 (a list of the best young footballers in the
world), Chelsea had seven players on the list, more
than Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal,
and Liverpool combined (or more than Real
Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich combined).
Every single player was purchased on the transfer
market after the summer of 2011, and they were
purchased for around 62m combined.
One of those players, Romelu Lukaku, was sold to
Everton this summer for 28m. So, the remaining
six players essentially cost 34m combined, with
Lukaku's fee ofsetting. These six players include
Thibaut Courtois, Kurt Zouma, Mohamed Salah,
Lucas Piazon, Thorgan Hazard, and Mario Pasalic.
In present-day value, these six players are already
worth more than double the 34m expense, and as
they continue to develop, Chelsea is sure to get an
excellent return on its investment, either on the
pitch (certainly in Courtois' case) or in the bank
account. If players are deemed surplus to
requirements, as happened with the likes of Kevin
de Bruyne, the profit from these players can help
fund established stars like Diego Costa, Cesc
Fbregas, Nemanja Mati, or Filipe Luis.
Back in February, I wrote an article explaining how
Chelsea's plan for FFP compliance and youth
development go hand in hand. In that article, I
wrote, "the increasing number of loanees is part
the plan for the future Michael Emenalo, Roman
Abramovich, and Bruce Buck have implemented.
In the era of financial fair play, Chelsea has smartly
recognised that the club cannot continue solely
rely on the highly-inflated transfer market to
bolster its talent reserves. The club must begin to
build from within, and the loan policy reflects that.
Significant resources have been devoted to
Chelsea's global scouting network and unique
partnerships have been formed, like the one the
club has with Vitesse.
Chelsea has a system where its scouts can identify
talent, then place that talent somewhere else,
check in regularly, and then watch that player
develop into a valuable commodity. In that sense,
it's like playing the stock market with Michael
Emenalo as Warren Bufet and Piet de Visser as
Carl Icahn. Of course, Chelsea has had its share of
misses, but because each player represents such a
small financial commitment, the club only needs a
few players to 'hit big.'"
While Chelsea has a long way to go with regards to
matching the commercial success of the other
global giants, it is truly in a class of its own when it
comes to youth development. While traditionalists
might bristle at the fact that Chelsea treats youth
development like a hedge fund, the more money
the club earns, the more money the club can
spend. The more money the club spends, the
better its chances of winning, and as mentioned,
Chelsea isn't a for-profit or a for-youth enterprise:
it's a for-trophies enterprise.
Last season was another campaign of pain for
Arsenal when it came to facing the boys in blue.
First they had 9,000 Chelsea fans turn up on their
doorstep to take the piss in a 2-0 League Cup win
then Jose Mourinho left the red half of North
London frustrated with an archetypal parking the
bus shutout, before the Blues ran riot at Stamford
Bridge in that unforgettable 6-0 thrashing.
A first trophy win in nine years at Wembley might
have appeased the fans and players but theres still
that sense of obsession with what Chelsea are up
to over at The Emirates. And who can blame
them? With Mourinho already winding up Wenger,
former skipper Cesc Fbregas now orchestrating
things in the Chelsea midfield and arch-nemesis
Didier Drogba back on these shores, theres a lot to
be concerned with.
But Arsenal have certainly improved this summer
and its hard to argue that their 3-0 win over
champions Manchester City in the Community
Shield wasnt impressive even if it came against a
makeshift backline that included Dedryck Boyata.
They scraped a win against Crystal Palace, but you
feel there is more to come from Arsenal this
season.
Alexis Sanchez becomes the second big money
move from Arsene Wenger in consecutive
summers which represents a big shift from the
previous policy of selling their star player come
July of each year. Mathieu Debuchy comes briefed
with Premier League experience from his
Newcastle, David Ospina ofers solid back up
between the sticks and Calum Chambers looks to
be a future star either in midfield or defence.
On top of that Aaron Ramsey comes back from a
stress- f ree summer af ter an i mpressi ve
breakthrough last season, Mesut Ozil should start
to prove his wealth as he adapts to the Premier
League and their first choice centre back paring of
Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker still looks
fairly solid (although not against Chelsea).
But is it enough? Arsenal arent without a pacey
wide man on the right already - in the form of
Theo Walcott, who has given Chelsea trouble in
the past - and aside from that things arent all too
diferent from the side that spectacularly fell apart
in the big games last season.
Its one thing just about beating Hull in the FA Cup
final but when even a 36-year-old Drogba has your
backline seriously worried it must be hard to be
positive for the new season. Of course that doesnt
stop the crowd from Woolwich again believing
that it will be their year.
Sanchez provides them with a bit of a cutting edge
that was previously lacking, particularly through
Walcotts injury troubles, and if deployed in the
middle against Chelsea he could cause trouble for
John Terry and Gary Cahill who lets not kid
ourselves arent the paciest pair around.
And you can expect Arsenal to typically go on long
strong runs, but its impossible not to view
Wengers modern sides as prone to collapse. And
who better to find where that weakness is than
Mourinho? The Frenchman is yet to claim a win
against Chelseas two-time boss in 11 meetings and
you wouldnt put it past him to up that figure to 13
by the full-time whistle at The Emirates in late
April.
Ashley Cole might be gone but hopefully it wont
be soon until Fbregas is having a similar impact
on Arsenal soil in Royal Blue. Even at 57 a ticket
this season its one to look forward to.
Rivals
in f cus
Oliver Todd
Wikimedia Commons
Arsenal
Despite winning the title with an almost record-
breaking tally of goals (not quite matching
Chelseas 103 from 2009/10) it was hard not to
look at Manchester Citys triumph as ultimately
coming from the failure of others.
While Liverpool famously fell away courtesy of
Demba Bas Anfield winner following Steven
Gerrards slip, Chelsea were just as guilty. Jose
Mourinho long stated that his little horse had no
chance of winning the title but wins in not-so-
dificult games could have brought a third Premier
League title on his first year back.
And so Vincent Kompany was left to lift the trophy
in May rather than John Terry. And if you thought
City looked good last season, theyve added to
their potential over the summer.
Bacary Sagna and Willy Caballero add depth at
right back and in goal, Eliaquim Mangala has been
brought in to give Kompany a top class partner
and Fernandos arrival in midfield should hopefully
mean we dont see too much of Frank Lampard in
a lighter shade of blue
And so the current champions should be even
stronger than last season so why are so many
confident that the title is coming back to SW6 for
the first time in five years? Worry not, while
Manuel Pellegrini might have the experience of a
year in the Premier League he still has some of the
same shortcomings that meant City didnt run
away with it last time round.
The Chilean is tactically stubborn he likes City to
dominate the opposition and will rarely change his
style to fit to his opposition. That cost City in big
games last year and as City go from the hunters to
the hunted it will only further. Theres a reason
why only three clubs have won back-to-back titles
in the last 50 years and Pellegrinis unwillingness
to adapt should further that.
And have the new signings really solved all of
Citys troubles? Mangala had a poor end to the
season with Porto last year and was even beaten
to a spot in the France starting XI by Liverpools
Mamadou Sakho. Add that to adapting to a new
league with a new team and he should at least
have some early struggles leading to dropped
points while the Mourinho juggernaut (hopefully)
rolls on.
Caballero might be a better keeper than Costel
Pantilimon but his past with Pellegrini seems to be
inspiring a sense of loyalty from the manager. The
Argentine stopper started in the Community
Shield against Arsenal ahead of Joe Hart and any
slip ups by Englands No 1 could see another
situation with Pellegrini chopping and changing
between his goalkeepers (although lets not judge
too harshly on that judging by the current
situation at Stamford Bridge).
That said, City still have the best squad out there.
Their striking options make Chelseas look
ridiculous, even with the addition of Diego Costa,
and Yaya Tour will benefit from the option of
being joined by Fernando and Fernandinho in a
midfield three not that he was too shabby
already. Its easy to forget that before Chelsea
came to The Etihad it looked like there was no
stoppi ng Ci ty after they recorded ei ght
consecutive league wins. But then Mourinho
managed to draw them in and this time he cant
aford to let a lead go.
If Chelsea can finish above the current champions
it should mean the title finally coming back to
Stamford Bridge in May. The Blues should be able
to bridge that four point gap.
Manchester City
Rivals
in f cus
For all the talk of a new era under Louis van Gaal
at Old Traford, Jose Mourinho is unlikely to see
the red half of Manchester as a serious title threat.
Their defeat at Swansea suggested that there is
much to work on.
United have enjoyed a similar summer to Chelsea
in some ways, with long-serving stars being shown
the door and new talent being brought in to fill
positions that have long been neglected. For Frank
Lampard and Ashley Cole, read Patrice Evra and
Nemanja Vidic for the lack of a prolific forward,
see their long-term absence of creativity and bite
in midfield.
But whereas the Blues have now assembled what
looks to be both a strong squad and starting XI,
Uniteds still shows obvious holes. While much of
the media is enthralled by Van Gaals adoption of a
5-3-2 formation that he so successfully deployed
with the Netherlands at the World Cup, what is
frequently forgotten is the characters filling some
of the roles and the reasoning why the Dutch
coach made such a move ahead of the
tournament in Brazil.
Van Gaal was quite open about the deficiencies in
his national side in the months approaching the
summer, and 3-5-2 was employed to help make up
for Dutch defensive problems. Sure, it worked to
an extent and they were superb against Spain in
the group stage but they also struggled to break
down an average Mexico side until the last two
minutes and drew 0-0 with exhausted underdogs
Costa Rica.
United also at the time of writing boast a first
choice back three of Phil Jones, Jonny Evans and
Chris Smalling. They may well add to that with
Sporting Lisbons Marcos Rojo but its still not
exactly a back line that inspires a huge level of
confidence.
Realistically, even without the obstacle of
European football this campaign, it should prove
too much for United to jump from 7
th
place to top
the table come 24
th
May.
But what Van Gaal should be able to do is get his
side up for one-of games, setting up United as a
good cup side and one to worry Chelsea on the
trip to Old Traford in October and the return game
at Stamford Bridge in April.
Everyone is of course familiar with Juan Mata
who should be in the perfect position to spark
Uniteds attacks from his favoured No 10 role with
Wayne Rooney and a revitalised Robin van Persie
ahead of him. Behind him Ander Herrera is a good
addition that will make up for past midfield
problems, even if he isnt quite of Cesc Fbregas
level and only two years younger.
Luke Shaw looks to be Englands future left back
but even at Southampton last season he seemed
vulnerable against the top sides. The focus will be
on him to stop the likes of Willian or Andre
Schrrle when they come up against Chelsea
and Mourinho will be more than aware of the
weaknesses of a full back he passed on due as
much to his huge fee as his lack of top level
experience. On the other side Antonio Valencia
will probably get the nod, and United fans wont be
keen on seeing Eden Hazard running at him.
And from there it goes down to the two managers
Van Gaal vs Mourinho. The Special One worked
under the Dutchman as a coach at Barcelona now
17 years ago in the early stages of his career. The
pair have only met once since in their time as
managers: 2010s Champions League final
between Mourinhos Inter Milan and Van Gaals
Bayern Munich.

Manchester United
Rivals
in f cus
Part Two
Ive been sat here a while contemplating the
direction in which this article should go. Do I list
Frank Lampards many accomplishments, the
records he has broken, the trophies he has won,
the goals he has scored? Or do I write a eulogy to
the man the ultimate professional, ambassador
for the sport, an intelligent athlete a legend.
The thing is Chelsea fans are more than aware of
all of the above. Frank Lampard was extraordinary
in so many ways but none more so than the fact
that he achieved all his phenomenal success
without being a natural talent as such (his own
admission).
Everything that Frank Lampard has achieved, he
has done so through hard work & a will to
succeed; of course he has had help namely from
his family and a genius maverick of a manager but
that strength of character made him reach the
very pinnacle of his profession.. He has always
maintained that although he was more than a
competent player, he wasnt as naturally gifted as
some of his counterparts so to succeed he worked
harder, trained longer but still sufered jibes from
West Ham fans who claimed that he was only in
the first team because of nepotism despite the
fact that with him in the team they achieved their
highest ever Premiership finish of 5
th
.
Following his 11million pound move to the Bridge,
Lampard was competent, but perhaps didnt really
show many signs of becoming arguably the
greatest player in the history of the club.
Then Jose Mourinho arrived.
The efect that he had on the club and on Lampard
in particular was meteoric. Lampard often recalls
how Mourinho not only changed his way of
playing but his way of thinking. He made
Lampard and the rest of the team believe that they
could be champions believe that they were the
very best in the league to think like winners to
become winners.
Under Mouri nho Lampard became more
attacking, more tactically aware, more consistent
it would be easy to credit just the manager with
this metamorphosis but Lampard had to show his
adaptability, his level of commitment, his total
trust and once again his dedication to training. In
that first Jose season and then the 4 subsequent
seasons, Frank Lampard scored 20 or more goals.
In this time he had forged an unbreakable bond
with the fans and with the club at one point the
number of Lampard shirts outsold all the rest put
together. He was voted Player of the Year three
times.
Given his 13 years and enormous contribution to
the club, its dificult to single out specific
moments in his career, but here are the ones that I
feel best portray him
Bolton obvious I know, but I had to put it in. If
there was one player that embodied everything
we had become under Jose it was Frank so to
watch him galloping up that pitch to score the
goals that finally brought home the holy grail was
not only fitting but it swelled the heart and bought
a tear to the eye of many of us who were fortunate
enough to be at the Reebok that day. He could
have passed it probably would have been easier,
but the confidence was so palpable you could
almost taste it he was not going to miss he was
unbeatable unplayable.
From such a high, we go to one of the darkest
periods of his life the week following the death of
his mother. Many questioned whether a clearly
grieving Lampard should be playing in a game of
such significance the semi-final of the
Champions League. The award of what would be
a decisive extra time penalty had all eyes turn to
Lampard who was evidently in a very emotional
state. The ground seemed to hold its breath as he
walked toward the penalty spot he scored of
course and as he sunk to his knees, he held his
arms aloft and his eyes looked skywards as the
Thanks, Frank
Trizia F
Plains of Almeria 2
tears flowed. The raw emotion of his
inconsolable grief was laid bare for all to see
as he was surrounded by his team-mates
The stunning half volley against Bayern
Munich
Barcelona impossible angle but Super Frank
scored
Captaining Chelsea to Champions League
Glory in Germany
Villa away when he finally broke Chelseas
goal scoring record
The list really is endless.
It makes no odds that he started his career at
West ham or that hell finish it in Manchester
or New York or wherever. Frank Lampard is
Chelsea will always be Chelsea will always
be remembered for what he achieved
at Chelsea - set records at Chelsea
captured hearts and minds at
Chelsea. One thing is very
clear with or without
Mourinho, we would not
have achieved all of the
success we have enjoyed
in recent years without
Frank Lampard. Let me be
very clear here a player
like him would not have
been suficient it had to
be him. He is most oft
compared to Gerrard Gerrard is a good
player a very good player in fact but
Lampard is a great player if you need further
convincing go and look at the stats there is
no contest.
I have to say that Oscar is a brave man taking
on that No. 8 shirt they are big boots to fill.
They are legendry boots to fill. And I dont
know about you, but I have a feeling that
Frank Lampard isnt done with Chelsea just
yet, that hell be back in some capacity
manager eventually I would wager. An
intelligent, successful old boy of legendary
status, mentored by our most successful
manager ever.....yeh, I think that will do, that
will do very nicely indeed.
So good luck Frank and thank you for
everything we had a blast.....dont be a
stranger.
Twenty six years without success, relegation's,
promotions, electric fences and hooliganism, you
would never really describe Chelsea Football Club
at the time as "sexy". On the 17th May 1997 at the
old Wembley Stadium, something happened that
proved to be the catalyst for change at Chelsea
and you can argue right now that we haven't been
the same ever since.
Chelsea had spent six of the previous seven
seasons back in the old First Division and the
subsequent Premier League as a mid-table side
hoping for decent cup runs and victories against
our rivals as the highlights of our season.
Three seasons previous to 1997, Chelsea had
reached the FA Cup Final against Manchester
United. The Blues supporters travelled to Wembley
with hopes and dreams and had sat and watched
them quite literally blown away.
Glen Hoddle came into the club as manager in
1993 and spent three seasons in charge with
reaching that Cup Final as the highlight. A positive
of his time in charge was the fact that he managed
to convince Ruud Gullit to come to the club in 1995
along with Mark Hughes but at the end of the
1995-96 season, Hoddle was appointed the
England Manager and Chelsea made the one
decision that you could argue changed the course
of history by appointing Ruud Gullit as player
manager ahead of the forthcoming 1996-97
season.
Backed by club investment and the millions of
Matthew Harding, Gullit using his intercontinental
connections made some bold signings at the time,
and brought in Frank Lebouef, Gianluca Vialli,
Gianfranco Zola and Roberto Di Matteo. He
immediately changed the perception of our
football club and we became exciting and a team
people would like to watch, Sexy Football was
born.
All those years of hoping for a decent season and
a good cup run suddenly became realistic. We sat
and watched Chelsea Football Club take one
massive step forward in that season and we
revelled in it. Chelsea found themselves higher up
the table in the league and doing well in the FA
Cup.
As with any team belief is important. If you are not
confident with any aspect whether its the
manager, a certain player or your playing style,
things are never going to work out. Chelsea had
faced Liverpool in January in the Fourth Round
and found themselves. With Robbie Fowler and
Stan Collymore scoring in the first half, Chelsea
found themselves 0-2 down at half time and it
looked very bleak.
Ruud Gullit made the decision to bring on Mark
Hughes at half time and it changed the game.
Chelsea fought back with goals from Hughes, Zola
and two from Vialli and won the game 4-2. That
game provided everyone at the club, connected to
the club and the supporters belief in what Gullit
was trying to do and we knew we could kick on
from there.
Wins over Leicester, Portsmouth and Wimbledon
followed which saw us to the final up against
Bryan Robson's Middlesbrough. We travelled to
The Foundations
Chelseadaf
Wikimedia Commons
Wembley a couple of years on from the nightmare
against Manchester United with real hopes,
dreams and optimism.
Gone were the days of the 4-4-2 under Gullit and
the 5-3-2 formation was adopted for the final. Dan
Petrescu and Scott Minto played as wing backs
with Frank Sinclair, Frank Lebouef and Steve Clark
as three centre backs. Dennis Wise, Roberto Di
Matteo and Eddie Newton played through the
middle of midfield with Mark Hughes and
Gianfranco Zola up front and the opposition never
knew what hit them after just 42 seconds as
Roberto Di Matteo hit a thunderbolt from 30
yards. Eddie Newton followed up with a goal in the
second half to give Chelsea their first taste of
silverware for so long and it felt amazing, it really
did.
You see back in those days, Chelsea were nowhere
near as big as they are now. You ask people of the
eighties and nineties and they will tell you of the
Zenith Data Systems Cup, The Simod Cup and
things like that. You see back then, just to win the
FA Cup was a dream come true for all of us. It was
something we could say that we had seen Chelsea
do in our lifetime. Little did we know then what we
all know sitting here reading this now.
I speak to many football supporters who are not
Chelsea fans as you all do and I still get hammered
with the fact that these people honestly feel as
though we bought our success, we bought what
we have achieved over the last ten years. I reply by
saying I have no problem with that at all because
football now, compared to then is very, very
diferent.
I remember standing on the Shed End in the
eighties behind electric fences, watching Chelsea
in the old Division Two with eight thousand other
supporters on a cold and wet Tuesday night. I
remember hoping that one day, I could see
Chelsea win a trophy.
On that Saturday night back in May 1997 after
Chelsea had won the FA Cup it was fantastic and
we all celebrated like mad because we literally
never knew if we would have the chance again for
a while. Based on the previous twenty six years,
we had a right to be wary but what we never
realised back then was just how much our
fortunes would change.
Many people talk of Roman Abramovich taking
over as being the turning point for our club but I
disagree because it's so important to remember
just how much of a catalyst the season 1996-97
really was. Chelsea had spent 11.9m on transfers
which was unheard of at the time and that money
invested became so, so important. It was just such
a shame that one of the key players back then in
making it all happen, passed away in a Helicopter
crash coming back from a midweek game -
Matthew Harding. If he had never made the
decision to invest in our club, god knows where we
would be.
As each season passed from that moment,
Chelsea became a team that excited people and
some big, big names signed for the club. The
Stadium began to change into the current
Stamford Bridge we all see now because Chelsea
firmly cemented their place as a top six club
looking to take another step forward, to win more
trophies, to challenge for European places and
eventually to challenge for the league title.
If I was to tell you all now that in the sixteen
seasons that have followed that FA Cup win in
1997, Chelsea have NEVER finished outside the top
six, which for a club that had settled for mid-table
obscurity for all those years before, you can see
just how much of a turning point that day at
Wembley and that season turned out to be.
Chelsea finished sixth in the League in that season,
matched in 2001, 2002 and 2012.
There is no point me sitting here and listing down
what the club has won in those sixteen years since
that 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough because we
have all enjoyed and lived through the most
successful era in the history of our club. We have
seen the club grow, its perception change and see
the world wide fan base it currently has. I still have
to pinch myself at times when I hear someone like
Diego Costa speak of Chelsea being one of the
biggest clubs in the world. It's amazing and gives
me goose bumps.
Some people will think of the fact that Chelsea
flirted dangerously close with bankruptcy if they
hadn't beaten Liverpool at Stamford Bridge and
cemented their place in the Champions League in
2003. As true as that is, it's important to remember
that at that moment Chelsea had established
themselves as a side fighting for European
Football and had already taken part in the biggest
club competition in the world. That's why Roman
Abramovich bought into the project here at
Chelsea and took our club to new levels we never
ever dreamed of seeing.
All I would like you to do is to cast your mind back
to 1997, to that time, to that era in the game and to
that moment at Wembley. That's the turning point,
that's the moment that changed my life forever as
a Chelsea fan. Three Italians, A French Defender,
Romanian Wing Back and a Welsh War Horse up
front, all managed by the man who brought "Sexy
Football" to West London.
That was the moment that sparked catalyst for
change at Chelsea!
Matthew Harding R.I.P.
I first visited Stamford Bridge on April 3
rd
1976. It
wasnt even for a Chelsea match. I was ten years
old.
I grew up in the footballing desert that is rural
Hampshire, and faced with the choice of following
local teams Portsmouth (like my Dad) or
Southampton (like my mates) I chose neither. I
was without team, preferring instead to follow
England, who at the time were so crap they
couldnt even qualify for World Cups.
However, when your old man says he has two
tickets for the FA Cup semi-final, you jump at the
chance. The fact that it was between Crystal
Palace and Southampton barely registered.
Neither did the fact that the match was to be
played at Stamford Bridge the home of Chelsea
FC, so I was told.
The only other football match and football ground
I had visited hitherto was the rickety old shack that
was Fratton Park, some four years earlier. It was
not an experience I had cherished, not least due to
the dire second division football served up by
Portsmouth and Leyton Orient that I had been
forced to witness. I was hopeful that Stamford
Bridge would restore my faith in football grounds. I
was not to be disappointed.
I will never forget that walk coming out of the old
Fulham Broadway tube and then on towards the
ground - thousands of people; the smell of hot
dogs, onions and horse shit; colour and vibrancy in
the South West London sunshine. Football.
Once inside the ground (via the old Bovril Gate as I
recall) Dad and I settled down near the front of the
corner between the West Stand and the Shed
near enough to the action for me to be able to see.
I remember seeing iconic commentator Brian
Moore making his way to the commentary box in
the West Stand, and equally iconic Crystal Palace
Manager Malcolm Allison sporting his trademark
fedora hat. But what I remember most was the
sheer scale of the ground which always seemed
so much larger than traditional four stand square
stadia - with its open end and running track,
especially with the monster new East Stand
looming almost menacingly over proceedings.
I was intrigued, and could feel the buzz of what
was a great football ground and badgered Dad for
most of the game about the team that played in
this atmospheric place Chelsea. Sadly that was
the first and last time I would visit Stamford Bridge
until I moved to London as a student in the
mid-1980s, living round the corner in Hollywood
Road and later in Lots Road. But the seed had been
planted. This was the ground and club for me. I
would now be a Chelsea fan.
As for the FA Cup semi-final, apparently
Southampton won, and they had a couple of
decent players Mick Channon and a certain Peter
Osgood. Many years later I reflected on the fact
that this was the only time I was ever to watch
Peter Osgood The King of Stamford Bridge play
albeit in the wrong colours, and not for Chelsea!
In the 1980s I was a somewhat peripatetic fan
randomly turning up to Stamford Bridge as an
extension to the weekends alcohol fuelled
debauchery. In those days you could just turn up
and the imminent threat of violence and the
kamikaze surges in the Shed End fuelled the
adrenalin that lads in their early twenties thrive on.
But to be honest, having missed the bond of going
to football usually created by parental guidance
and then a cabal of like-minded mates, I never
really experienced it like so many of my current
Chelsea friends were lucky enough to. But living in
the manor, you could not help but get sucked in to
Home Is
Where
The Heart
Is
David Chidgey
Wikimedia Commons
the passion and atmosphere generated by Chelsea
supporters on a match day. These were the
relatively heady days of our return to Division 1,
and the noise that Stamford Bridge could generate
was frightening.
I vividly recall staggering around North End Road
with a hangover on a day I was not at the match
and you could easily hear the Chelsea supporters
belting out Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea,
Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea,
Chelsea. Genuinely nerve tingling and yes it did
go on for what seemed like an entire half. Living in
Lots Road you could hear every song and chant
from the Shed End as if you were there, from the
comfort of your own bath.
After getting married and settling back in
Hampshire for a short while, I was deprived visits
to Stamford Bridge, until we moved back to
London. At which point my sister had the good
sense to marry a Chelsea supporter Martin Levy
or Dr. Mart as I like to call him. And this is where
my real Stamford Bridge experience began.
By this time, the only bit of Stamford Bridge
recognisable from the one I had fallen in love with
in 1976 was the now tired and jaded looking East
Stand and the old (preserved) Shed wall. We now
even had a Chelsea Village replete with the Bates
Motel. But it was ours, and it was Chelsea, and we
had a good team with the likes of Ruud Gullit,
Gianfranco Zola and Gianluca Vialli to name but
three.
If there is one man responsible for giving me the
proper football experience that I had been denied
as a kid it is Dr Mart. For the first time I started
going regularly to the Bridge, and more important
with the same lads who would become proper
football mates Dr Mart; Big Phil; The Blues
Brothers; ChelTel; Pablo and Ross. All gathering,
every other week, to commune at our football
Cathedral, Stamford Bridge.
And this of course was how it was always meant to
be. Stamford Bridge is a great stadium albeit
nothing like the old one I first new. But at the end
of the day its just a pitch surrounded by stands
or is it? Football for me is about far more than that.
It is about the environment, the locality and the
entire experience of the match day. Back in the
1970s and 1980s most Chelsea supporters would
tell you that football was very much about the
before and after, in the knowledge that what they
would see on the pitch for 90 minutes would
inevitably disappoint.
This attitude still exists within the mind-set of
many Chelsea supporters, even though the 90
minutes in between has been a far happier
experience in the main for the last 20 years.
Chelsea supporters have a particular attitude
when it comes to supporting their team. They like
a good day out in the company of their mates, and
the Chelsea supporting collective as a whole. They
like trips to far flung football fields from Barnsley
to Budapest. They like a road trip, a journey, and
usually a lot of booze. The Irish call this the craic
we dont have a similar word in English but we
should invent one for Chelsea supporters.
Since my induction in to Dr Marts Chelsea
fraternity, this attitude has always been pre-
eminent, and I am grateful for that. The before and
after experience has of course been further
enhanced since we started the Chelsea FanCast
and now I have so many match day rituals such as
visiting luminaries such as Mark Worrall from Gate
17 fame, the Chelsea Supporters Trust and Mr Only
A Pound himself purveying copies of the cfcuk
Fanzine from the stall, to visiting several pubs
before and after to catch up with what seems like
an ever-growing number of mates all gained
sharing and following our passion for supporting
Chelsea. It sounds trite but it really is like having
an extended family.
And of course the heart of any family is the family
home, and for us this is Stamford Bridge and
equally important the local pubs and eateries in its
immediate vicinity.
This our home - has of course been threatened
over the last few years. Initially it appeared that
the Club were attempting to re-locate far beyond
Stamford Bridge. Rumours of a move to a new
soulless stadium along the lines of the corporate
Arsenal model were mooted, and even worse a
potential move to the dark lands of Wormwood
Scrubs. The argument seemed to revolve around
keeping the culture and history of a special club,
perhaps to the detriment of future financial and
footballing success, or accepting that to continue
to succeed on the pitch, and compete with the
biggest clubs in the world, relocate to a bigger
stadium enabling financial stability.
Thankfully (in my opinion) the Chelsea Pitch
Owners voted to maintain a stumbling block to
any move away from Stamford Bridge. In June this
year, the Club announced that they were funding a
feasibility study to assess the feasibility of an
expansion of the stadium within the existing
historic site boundaries. Or in plain English see
whether it is feasible to re-build a stadium with a
55,000 or so capacity on the existing site. Of
course for many this would be the perfect solution
get a bigger stadium so we can compete with the
biggest clubs but remain at our historical and
cultural home.
But why is this so important to many of us? I have
already explained the fundamental importance
and bond created by meeting up with your
football mates every fortnight in the same
boozers; the walk up to the stadium; the familiarity
of the location that for all intent and purpose
makes Stamford Bridge our second home.
Environmental Psychologists explain (more
intelligently than I can!) why our attachment to
Stamford Bridge (the place as opposed to the
stadium) is so important. They call it Place
Attachment the emotional bond between
person and place. A place becomes meaningful to
a person because of the thoughts, feelings,
memories and interpretations evoked by it. It is
about behaviour and experiences. Places often
gain meaning because of personal experiences,
life milestones, and occurrences of personal
growth. With communities, however, places derive
religious, historical, or other cultural meanings.
The strength of place attachment is felt by
individuals, notably through self-pride and self-
esteem. People experience stronger attachments
to places that they can identify with or otherwise
feel proud to be a part of. The most common
emotions associated with people-place bonding
are positive, such as happiness and love (apart
from when Barcelona cheat you out of a place in
the Champions League Final!).
So there it is in a nutshell. Chelsea supporters have
a very emotional, tangible and passionate bond to
Stamford Bridge which extends beyond the fact
that we watch our beloved Chelsea play 90
minutes of football there every other week.
I would go further than that to say that the bond
goes both ways. The inhabitants of the area
around Stamford Bridge might not agree, but
Stamford Bridge defines us, as we define it. It has
been there for 109 years longer than anyone
living in the area has; and Chelsea supporters have
been there fortnightly for the same length of time.
It is very dificult to find anything unique in a body
as homogenous as football supporters, but I firmly
believe that the football ground and its environs
are one way of doing so, and lets face it having a
football stadium in one of the richest areas of the
greatest City in the world makes us unique. I recall
when a great Chelsea supporting mate of mine
came over for one of his all too infrequent visits to
the Bridge from Los Angeles. We walked up
Fulham Road to the game and he stopped and
paused for a minute, seemingly trying to take it all
in. After a few minutes he let out a sigh and
proclaimed his disbelief that anyone could have a
football stadium in the middle of London quite like
this, and how lucky we are for that to be the case.
Stamford Bridge has been the home of Chelsea FC
since 1905. I have been in love with it since 1976. It
is OUR home, and home is most definitely where
OUR heart is!
And long may that continue.
In the 1980s the two clubs from Italys second city
adopted a transfer strategy whereby they
collected players in triplicate, hoping that the
ethos of their country of origin would rub of on
the rest of the squad. Arrigo Sacchis great AC
Milan team that won consecutive European Cups
was spearheaded by the three sensational
Dutchman (Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and
Ruud Gullit) that guided the Netherlands to glory
in the 1988 European Championships. Meanwhile
across town neighbours Internazionale, in their
quest to challenge their rivals, were reliant on their
trio of German stars (Lothar Matthaus, Andreas
Brehme and Jurgen Klinsmann) that had lost to
Holland in that tournament but would triumph in
the 1990 World Cup in Italy. In the decade that
followed Chelsea would copy that trend and
collect a triumvirate of their own.
The year was 1996 and the aforementioned Gullit
had been appointed player-manager following
Glenn Hoddles departure to become England boss
and he quickly set about creating a team to
expound his own particular brand of sexy
football. Italy would be Gullits summer shopping
centre and top of his list was free agent Gianluca
Vialli, an Italian striker with a huge reputation and
an honours roll to match. Next he travelled south
to the capital Rome where Roberto Di Matteo was
lured from Lazio for a club record fee of 4.9m.
The final stop came about a few months later in a
fateful aligning of the stars as Gianfranco Zolas
discomfort at Parma was exploited to Chelseas
advantage.
While Blues supporters these days have become
used to witnessing world stars arrive at Stamford
Bridge with muted fanfare, back then it was far
from commonplace and the prospect of these
players turning out in West London was truly
staggering. They were not just signings, they were
the pioneers of a revolution taking place not just
at Chelsea but throughout English football. The
Bosman Rule - that came into efect in 1995 and
enabled players to leave for nothing at the end of
their contracts while also removing any quotas on
clubs in the European Union signing players from
one of its member states - meant that suddenly
there was a whole new market place at footballs
disposal. Where previously Chelsea had looked
abroad to acquire diligent if prosaic foreign talent,
in the guise of Erland Johnsen or Jakob Kjedlberg
for instance, now the new transfer rules and
greater financial prizes on ofer from the creation
of the Premier League meant that Chelsea could
think bigger. Much bigger.
After all, these were no run of the mill players.
Vialli had captained Juventus to Champions
League glory just weeks before signing on the
dotted line at Stamford Bridge. Di Matteo was
joining as a regular member of the Italian national
team in an era when very few Chelsea players
were involved in international football and
certainly not for one of the blue riband nations.
Gianfranco Zola, meanwhile, had the distinction of
having been mentored by none other than Diego
Maradona during their time together at Napoli.
Gullit himself had initially blazed the trail 12
months earlier but although one player might
cause, a flutter a collection of them could and
would - make a profound diference. All three of
them along with their manager would play crucial
roles in reacquainting the club with the notion of
winning silverware while enhancing the profile of
the club both in England and abroad. Kings Road
would find its swagger once again.
One of the oft worn clichs in British football is
that foreign players need time to adapt, a season
of acclimatisation as if the realm they are entering
Italians
Phil Lythell
T
h
re
e
Background by Alessio Damato
bears absolutely no relation to the one from which
they have travelled. Although the overall quality of
the Premier League might have been lower in the
mid-nineties compared to now, the three Italians
set about di spel l i ng any accusati ons of
homesickness by demonstrating their prodigious
talents from virtually the moment they set foot on
English soil.
In just the second league game of the season, the
youngest of them made himself an instant hit with
his new supporters with what would become a
familiar sight. Di Matteo scored the only goal in a
1-0 win over an equally ambitious Middlesbrough
team through a long range strike, a glimpse of
what was to come. Di Matteos nonchalant lying-
down celebration became an iconic image of the
new Chelsea while the image of the 26-year-old
bulging the back of their net would come back to
haunt Boro on more than one occasion.
Just three days later, Vialli opened his account for
the club as he latched onto a clipped pass from
Steve Clarke to lash the ball past Steve Ogrizovic in
the Coventry goal to seal a 2-0 win for the Blues. It
was the first of 40 goals that he netted in just 83
appearances, a strike rate that compares with
some of the best to ever wear the shirt and
illustrates just how formidable a player he was
even at the age of 32 with his best years
supposedly behind him.
Joining the club in November that year, it took
Zola a tad longer for him to truly announce himself
in English football though once he did there was
no stopping him. Having made his debut in a 1-1
draw with Blackburn he registered his first goal for
Chelsea three games later against Everton with
what would become his trademark: an exquisitely
measured free kick curling into the top corner.
Two weeks later he showcased his mesmerising
skill in open play by twisting West Hams hapless
Julian Dicks one way and then the other before
dispatching the ball into the back of the net with
graceful ferocity.
That season would see a surfeit of glorious goals,
tricks and free-kicks from the new crowd favourite
with his two compatriots joining him in the revelry.
Vialli scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over
champions Manchester United at Old Traford
while Zola danced through the Red Devils defence
to score the opener in the 1-1 draw during the
return match in West London. Meanwhile, Di
Matteo proved that he was also to be relied upon
for the big occasion by scoring the winner against
Liverpool in a New Years Day encounter at a
bitterly cold Stamford Bridge.
As the season wore on the focus turned from the
Premier League towards the FA Cup and it was this
competition that cemented the legend of the trio,
the pivotal game being the now infamous
comeback against Liverpool in the fourth round.
Mark Hughes introduction after half time might
have been the catalyst that tilted the balance but
Zolas swerving left foot shot to equalise and
Viallis brace that settled the tie were just as
important.
And then came the two moments of magic that
ended Chelseas quarter century quest for major
silverware. First Zola scored what many believe to
be his best in a Chelsea shirt in the 3-0 win over
Wimbledon in the semi-final. Receiving the ball
while darting laterally to the left 20 yards from
goal the little genius flicked the ball in the opposite
direction to bamboozle his marker Dean Blackwell
and spun on a sixpence before slotting the ball
into the bottom corner. It was a piece of dazzling
skill that combined vision, poise and execution in a
perfect embrace. It was the kind of magic only
Zola could conjure.
He would more than play his part in the final, his
deft flick teeing up Eddie Newton to score the
second goal, though the stage this time would be
left to Di Matteo. With less than a minute gone,
Dennis Wise chipped the ball to his fellow
midfielder and the rest is history. Di Matteo ran
unopposed into enemy territory and sent a
thunderous shot of the underside of the crossbar
and into the back of the Middlesbrough net to
send the Blue half of the stadium into dreamland.
At the time it was the fastest ever goal scored in a
Wembley final though that record was beaten by
Louis Saha 12 years later against Chelsea of all
teams. The 26-year wait for a major trophy had
been ended with the trio playing key roles in
delivering it. And such had been Zolas impact in
particular that he was named Player of the Year by
the nations football writers, despite having only
participated in two-thirds of the campaign.
Having tasted success, Chelsea were intent on
building upon it and the following season saw the
Italian collection play fulsome parts once more.
With Gullit having been surprisingly sacked by
chairman Ken Bates over a contract dispute, Vialli
was appointed player-manager in his stead and his
first task was to set about overturning a 2-1 deficit
in the second leg of their League Cup semi final
with Arsenal. Di Matteo was on hand once again
to send a howitzer into the back of the Gunners
net, his goal sandwiched by strikes from Mark
Hughes and Super Dan Petrescu on the way to a
3-1 win, before giving Middlesbrough yet more
nightmares by netting in another victorious final.
Six weeks later Vialli would continue his golden
touch when it came to silverware when Chelsea
met Stuttgart in the final of the European Cup
Winners Cup. With a tense and cautious game
meandering into the latter stages of normal time,
Vialli brought on Zola who had been recovering
from injury and was not deemed fit enough to
start the match. It was an inspired decision. Within
22 seconds of his introduction and with just his
second touch of the ball, Chelseas number 25 fired
a shot into the top corner of the net having been
found with a delicious pass from Wise. It was to be
the only goal of the game, the glut of trophies
showed no sign of abating.
As time progressed Vialli devoted himself more
and more to the managing side of his role and
tried to plot a path to Premier League glory. In the
1998/99 season Chelsea went 21 games unbeaten
following defeat on the opening day at Coventry
City but still came up a fraction short, finishing
third and losing out to treble-winning Man United
by just four points. No trophies were secured that
campaign though, in keeping with habit, Di Matteo
would go on to score in yet another final 12
months later when Aston Villa were beaten 1-0 in
the last ever FA Cup showpiece underneath the
twin towers at Wembley.
Tragically, Di Matteo was robbed of the chance to
add to his medal tally on the field as his playing
career was ended a few months later after
sustaining a triple-leg fracture against St Gallen in
the UEFA Cup. In a curious twist of fate, Vialli
would see his efective involvement with Chelsea
ended just two days before his compatriots
unfortunate injury after being sacked only five
games into the new season. Zola would enjoy a
further three years as a Chelsea player before
signing of by scoring 16 goals to help Chelsea
qualify for the Champions League, an act that
averted financial disaster in the process and
ushered in the Roman Abramovich era.

For all their accomplishments on the pitch and in
the dugout, their influence and character of the
field were just as impressive. Zolas manner of
playing the game with a smile permanently etched
on his face and refusing to rise to any provocation
when constantly felled by heavy tackles earned
him plaudits from far and wide. His geniality allied
to his impish skill ensured that he became one of
the most loved players in English football
irrespective of club loyalties; a man hugely
respected by Gooners, Scousers and Chelsea fans
alike. Zolas infectious enthusiasm and unbounded
talent earned him the admiration of all so much so
that he even scored a winner for Italy against
England at Wembley and did not sufer the usual
jeers from opposition supporters when he
returned to club duty for Chelsea. His status was
so high that he was even honoured with an OBE in
2004 due to his services to English football, an
exceptionally rare accolade for somebody not
from these shores and one that it is almost
impossible to see being repeated any time soon.
But Zola did not have a monopoly on afection.
Vialli with his eloquent English and his schoolboy
jumpers did much to dispel any myth that he was
only in England for a final pay-day. His cheeky turn
of phrase and all-round good nature has seen him
become a fixture in the television pundits chair
while he can also boast his own signature pasta
dish at one of Londons premier Italian restaurants;
the Penne Alla Vialli having been created and
named i n hi s honour at San Lorenzo i n
Knightsbridge. Di Matteo also laid down roots in
London buying two restaurants including one
called Friends that was located just an errant free
kick away from Stamford Bridge on Holloway
Road. Although his dalliance with the restaurant
industry is now at an end and he no longer lives in
the capital, his impact on the club as with his two
brothers in arms - is undeniable.
The legacy that the three of them left has been so
large as to be almost unquantifiable. The Chelsea
renaissance might have its genesis in the
apppointment of Glenn Hoddle as manager in
1993 and the ensuing acquisition of Gullit but it
was the arrival and influence of the three Italians
that took the Blues to the next level. A culture of
winning was established as silverware started to
be regularly added to the Stamford Bridge trophy
cabinet and that ambition was passed onto those
coming through the ranks.
Zola, in particular, would have a personal impact in
this regard. The great Frank Lampard credits him
with being the man that helped him hone certain
aspects of his technique, most notably dead ball
situations, by staying late after training to educate
his young charge. Zolas constant quest for
perfection undoubtedly made a vast contribution
to Lampards match awareness, composed
mentality and his record 211 goals. From a playing
perspective, current captain John Terry often
singles out the great Marcel Desailly as teaching
him the finer arts of defending though it is Zola he
thanks for helping him focus on being a good
professional. With Terry having escaped a charge
of afray for an incident in a nightclub, the Italian
took him under his wing and showed him what
was needed to reach the top of the tree. Terry
might have had his personal issues since then
though his approach to training and his
determination to succeed has never been found
wanting.
The foundations for the next great period of
success had been laid through the deeds of these
three and the apogee of lifting the European Cup
in Munich can trace its origins to those days. It was
Vialli who gave a young Terry his debut for
Chelsea, it was Zola who set the paradigm for
individual greatness and, of course, it was Di
Matteo who as manager ultimately guided
Chelsea to glory on the grandest possible stage.
When Lazio won the Serie A title in 2000 their
president, Sergio Cragnotti, invited former player
Gascoigne to join their victory parade such was
the regard that he held for the Englishman. He felt
that the arrival of Gazza eight years earlier and
the impetus that the player gave the club laid the
bedrock for the teams later success and he
wanted him to take his rightful place at the
forefront of their celebrations. A surprisingly self-
aware Gascoigne graciously turned down the ofer
believing that he had little right to be there, not
wanting to rob those who had made history of any
of the limelight.
Such was their impact and such is the reverence in
which they are held, a similar gesture could easily
have been made for Zola and Vialli to join Di
Matteo and his players as the open top bus wound
round the streets of SW6 on 20
th
May 2012, the
day after THE night before. But just like Gazza and
in keeping with their remarkable humility, you can
be certain that they would have politely declined
and remained in the shadows.

Plains of Almeria 2
The moment Bastian Schweinsteiger missed his
penalty in the Allianz Arena will stay with me
forever. The German was the epitome of central
midfield play. He controlled matches with a
wonderful mixture of perspiration and technique.
Capable of doing the dirty work but also gloriously
dictating play. Schweinsteiger was the most
reliable player in the Bayern Munich side and
incapable of missing a pressure penalty.
Being situated at the other end of the stadium the
angle of the goal made it impossible for any
Chelsea fan to tell that the ball had hit the post and
rebounded away from goal. The cocktail of silence
interjected with disbelieving gasps from the
Bayern crowd felt never-ending. This was a
stunned silence smothering the majority of the
stadium. For me this was soon cut with rapturous
joy.
He, of all people, had missed.
At this point a million things run through your
mind. You are one penalty kick away from winning
the European Cup. One shot from the biggest prize
in European football. Yet, we had painfully been
here before. The loss in Moscow loomed overhead,
a dark cloud pervading any thought of positivity. I
still have never seen a single highlight from that
game nor re-watched that penalty. Chelsea were
domestically akin to England in terms of success
in penalty shootouts. What a place to find
ourselves in.
Through the celebrations in the Chelsea end, and I
should stress that I am certain a large portion of
fans thought that we had already won it at this
point, a lone figure could be seen walking from the
centre circle. Amidst the furore and the deafening
whistling Didier Drogba stalked towards the
penalty spot. A lone speck of blue wandering into
a sea of red shirts.
As a Chelsea fan there was something mythical
about Drogba. That number 11 shirt he wore in
such a monstrous fashion seemed omnipresent on
the big stage. If there was ever a player I would
want in my team in a game of this magnitude it
would be Didier. Something about him just
savoured the occasion. His imperfections actually
The Penalty
Joe Tweeds
Attribution to rayand
made him perfect. Without the rough, the smooth
would never have been this good. The bond that
developed between him and the fans would never
have been this strong. He grew from a shaky start
(by his own admission) and became the
embodiment of Chelsea our talisman. His doubts
and tribulations only serve to heighten his
greatness.
The murmurs around the Chelsea end as Drogba
continued his walk into the penalty area were
riddled with nervous energy. Looking around
there appeared to be thousands of people all
entering their own bubble of internal reflection.
Some muttered prayers, others seemed to recant
please Didier over and over again. This was the
drug that is football; at its best and worst. Young
and old alike all focused on this one swing of
Didier Drogbas right boot. Some had seen
incredibly bleak times, others had only really know
the good, but all shared in this one moment.
It is funny how stress alters your perception. I
distinctly remember thinking that Manuel Neuer
looked about eight-feet tall and just as wide. My
mind at this point seemed to loop the phrase
Neuers party piece! endlessly. Recalling Neuers
penalty saving antics was not something I
particularly needed, but it did prompt some
somersaults of the stomach. These next sixty
seconds were going to be it Didier Drogbas
defining moment as a Chelsea footballer.
The ball had found its way into Drogbas hands as
he entered the penalty area. Neuers gaze, even
from the opposite end of the stadium, appeared
steely and resolute. The fixation on Drogbas every
movement was only surpassed by the incredible
din from the Bayern end. Such is the European
way that any action from an opponent must
(probably by law) be met with whistles and
catcalls. Neuer jumped on his line and rattled
the crossbar: it looked as if he was standing in a 5-
a-side goal. Potentially Chelseas greatest moment
as a football club now stood firmly on the
shoulders of the Ivorian.
Placing the ball on the spot he appeared visibly
less fussy than Schweinsteiger. However, his
impossibly short run-up elicited consternation
from everyone around me. Take a bigger run-up
Didier! someone bellowed from behind. The
entire end was thinking it, but the cry actually
seemed to heap even more tension onto the
situation. This was the best goalkeeper in the
world and the most important moment in
Chelseas history. A two-step run-up? Please,
Didier, take another step back.
This was an absolutely agonising time. Very few
moments in football appear to drag on indefinitely
but this was otherworldly. It felt like the penalty
would never come and that I would wake up from
some beer induced nap thirty-minutes before kick-
of in some random Munich establishment. This
was the fairytale ending. This was the script that
Hollywood producers would throw away for it
being too unrealistic. This was Chelsea on the cusp
of beating a German team on penalties in their
own town and in their own stadium. This was the
icing on Napoli and Barcelona. The cherry on
Drogbas career.
Unified mutterings of come on Didier produced
a buzz of noise in the Chelsea end. This was it.
Deep breath. Concentrate. A day which had been
absolutely perfect up until this moment was about
to end. Drogba had always possessed an
indefatigable flair about him. This was his moment
and he knew it. His short run up was punctuated
by a noticeable placement of his left foot. A casual
swing of his orange boot and Neuer was falling
away from the direction of the ball.
Really?
As the penalty nestled into the bottom corner and
Drogba exploded towards ech there was a
palpable delay from our end. If you watch it back
the silence lasts for a brief moment. That single
moment was the culmination of an extraordinary
season. It was a cohesive sense of disbelief about
what had just happened. There were probably a
few people waiting for the referee to inexplicably
make Drogba retake it. Nothing could deny us
though. Nothing.
The end erupted. This was the defining moment.
The moment you wait an entire life for as a fan and
may never see. Deafened by i mpromptu
Champions of Europe chants, ending up about
five rows down from my seat and already falling in
love with every single player in a blue shirt on that
pitch all over again this was it.
Chelseas pursuit of European glory had ended
with a legendary player winning the trophy with
his last ever kick for the club. This was how you
leave a football club, at the absolute highest it has
ever been. Didier knew it and the fans knew it. The
reaction to him at the Galatasaray game this
season spoke volumes. He will always be loved.
Scorer of the equaliser. Scorer of the winning
penalty. Now the burning memory. Sprinting the
entire length of the pitch Drogba ran across the
Chelsea end, slamming his shirt into the ground
near the corner flag. It was defiant, emotional,
powerful and electrifying watching it live. Even
now I cannot watch that clip without getting chills.
It was a special celebration. In a way that was
Drogbas send-of and his parting gift to the
amassed fans.
Never straightforward and always emotional
Drogba sums it up best: I think Im lucky to have
this special relations with the fans. I will miss them
but they will always be in my heart. Even today I
still want to be in Munich in that stadium, cheering
and celebrating with the fans.
I will never forget Munich nor Drogbas penalty.
Welcome home, Didier.
Two trips to Bolton, twenty two years apart.
In April 2005, Chelsea comfortably won 2-0 to win
the League for the first time in fifty years but, to be
honest, the league was already pretty much
wrapped up and it was a matter of when, not if.
In April 1983, Chelsea travelled north painfully
aware that defeat could well mean the unthinkable
relegation to Division Three.
To those who started following Chelsea after
about 1994, it is hard to explain exactly what
supporting the club between 1978 and 1983 was
actually like. You are probably fed up with a bunch
of over forty fives (and older...) banging on about
the old days, but it is a salutary reminder to those
too young to remember that it wasnt always
about winning trophies, buying world class
players, having a benevolent owner, increasing
commercial success and playing in a decent
stadium too small to contain those who want to
watch the team. Aspirations were lower. Much
lower.
As a result of debts built up constructing the East
Stand in the early 1970s, the club was basically
skint from 1976, when they were quite close to
going bust, until Ken Bates bought it in Summer
1982. Relegated in 1975 as the late sixties old
guard either left the club or started to creak, a
team built from youth team products, led by Ray
Wilkins, somehow fought their way to promotion
two years later. Absurdly, charismatic supporters
hero Eddie McCreadie left the club that summer in
a row over a company car. Whatever the rights
and wrongs of the case I never forgave chairman
Brian Mears for that fiasco, and neither did a lot of
other supporters.
The financial mess meant a wholesale flogging of
of the best young players (Wilkins, Stanley, Swain,
Finnieston, Wicks etc). The money was spend
trying to staunch the debt, though, not on new
players. The result, unsurprisingly, was that
Chelsea were relegated in 1979. The manager at
that time was Danny Blanchflower, who had
retired as a Spurs player in 1964 and spent the last
few years as a witty and perceptive journalist with
the Sunday Express. Sadly, wit and perception
were of little use in managing a team that was,
frankly, pretty hopeless. It would have needed
genuine motivational genius to keep that team up
and Blanchflower, a lovely person, was not that
man. He had a deep appreciation of tactics but by
all accounts his team talks bewildered the players.
The ground was in a pretty parlous state, apart
from the East Stand which was arguably a prime
cause of the mess the club was in and was
regularly three quarters empty. Crowds in Division
Two were in freefall. The average league crowd in
1979/80 was 22,900, in 1980/81 17,900, in 1981/82
13,100 and in 1982/83 fell to 12,700. When you
consider average crowds in the 1969/70 season
were 40,300, that is a loss of over two thirds of the
crowd in 13 years. This figure must have terrified
Ken Bates when he bought the club, though he
clearly saw the potential if the team could start
winning regularly.
On a number of occasions in this period, home
league crowds fell below 7,000 the lowest was a
London derby against Orient in May 1982 when
6,009 turned up. The plus point was that getting
served in pubs or cafes near the ground was rarely
a problem. We never got to the ground until ten to
three, but it didnt matter as there was rarely a
queue. The Shed still made a decent noise but the
dwindling crowds inevitably had an impact ion
atmosphere.
Given the dismal performances of the team and
the low home crowds, the away support in those
days was surprising at the time, and truly
astonishing in retrospect. Regularly 2-3,000
F ORGOT T E N
Tim Rolls
THE
YEARS
diehards would travel to far flung Northern
grounds, far more travelling to London derbies
and cup ties. Chelsea were probably in the top
four or five English teams in terms of away
travelling numbers at that time. Given the team
was languishing in the nether regions of Division
Two that is pretty remarkable.
Catering in the Shed End, where we stood,
consisted of a tea bar that often sold little apart
from Wagon Wheels and scalding Bovril. The
toilets near that Tea Bar had a smell that still stays
with me decades later.
The team had very few decent players but, given
the continually parlous financial state of the club
before Ken Bates bought it, there was little
prospect of buying anybody decent. Once Eddie
Macs team had been broken up, the team fell into
a number of categories, most of them mediocre.
This list of players is by no means exhaustive but
gives a feel for the lack of quality in the squad.
Past-it purchase whose best days were long
behind them Bryan Robson, Colin Viljoen, Dennis
Rofe,
Utterly dud purchase from lower leagues Alan
Mayes
Youngster who sadly never quite made it with
Chelsea Phil Driver, Mickey Nutton, John Sitton,
Steve Francis, Gary Johnson, Lee frost
Talented under-achiever Mike Fillery, Gary
Chivers
Token mad foreigner Petar Borota
Gnarled old pro Mickey Droy
There were a few decent, young, home grown
players. Colin Pates, John Bumstead and Clive
Walker spring quickly to mind, but as youngsters
they had little chance to flourish amongst the
prevailing mediocrity.
Chelsea spent five years in a row in the second tier,
an indignity they had not sufered since 1930. At
the time it wasnt really seen as an indignity to be
honest, the sense of fatalism being such that many
supporters seemed to accept that this was likely to
be our lot for the foreseeable future.
There was little or no pre-season anticipation in
those days as one bunch of duds would leave, to
be replaced by another one. The occasional
nugget would arrive, either coming through the
ranks or brought in for a low fee but that was very
much the exception as opposed to the rule. The
club was skint, rudderless and heading for the
rocks.
The four seasons following relegation were, in the
main, consistently grim. They are in some ways
like the black sheep of Chelsea history most
people know about them but they are rarely talked
about in polite society.
1979/80 Finished fourth (in the days before play-
ofs). Blanchflower was replaced seven games into
the season by his new assistant, World Cup hero
Geof Hurst, whose only experience of club
management was at, er, Telford United. In the top
three for most of the second half of the season, a
run of four games without a win in early April
ultimately meant promotion was missed on goal
diference. Chelseas goal diference was six worse
than Birmingham, whose 5-1 win over Chelsea in
March was therefore, in retrospect, even worse
than it appeared at the time.
Sadly, this was as good as it got for the next three
seasons.
1980/81 Finished twelfth. In second place over
Christmas. Failed to score in the last eight games.
Only three wins after late November. Scored in
three of the last 22 games. 38 league goals in the
first half of the season, eight in the second half. 28
points won in the first half of the season, 12 in the
second half. You get the picture.
Geof Hurst was sacked two games before the end
of the season. It made little diference. Chelsea
lost at home in the final game of the season to
Notts County, who were promoted. There was a
massive demonstration against Chairman Brian
Mears, including a series of pitch invasions, as
supporter frustration and anger at the club they
loved being brought down to a total shambles
finally boiled over.
In late May1981 Brian Mears appointed the
experienced and wise John Neal as manager, a
decision that was to sow the seeds of the revival
that started to take place two years later. Neal was
quoted as saying They (the Chelsea team)
thought they were good players but they werent.
They were ordinary players. He was probably
being kind.
A few days after Neal arrived Mears was out,
having resigned both as Chairman and board
member, or been unceremoniously removed,
depending on whose account you read. His
replacement was Viscount Chelsea, very rich and
doubtless well-connected, but clearly without the
football expertise necessary to turn the club
around. Good name though. The club continued
in its familiar rudderless fashion.
1981/82 Finished twelfth. No wins in the last
seven games. Chelsea fans were banned from a
string of away games after a riot at Derby. I was
one of over 3,000 who got in at Watford. Others
managed to get into a fair few of the banned
matches, showing an ingenuity and passion sadly
lacking in the team. No signings were made from
other league clubs.
The shock FA Cup victory over European
Champions Liverpool in February 1982 was
greeted with total euphoria. The resultant Spurs
6
th
round game was the biggest at Stamford
Bridge for years. I shared a Kings Cross flat with a
Spurs season ticket holder at the time, so sufered
more than most from the narrow 3-2 defeat.
In Summer 1982 the old guard on the board were
cleared away as Ken Bates bought the club. For 1.
Sadly, he couldnt buy the ground, which led to a
lot of problems for the club later in the decade.
Wisely, Bates decided to keep Neal as manager.
1982/83 Finished eighteenth, two places of
relegation. Never in the top ten after October.
Only won eight home games. In a relegation place
three games before the season end. Defeat at
Bolton in the penultimate game would have meant
almost certain relegation and, quite possibly, I
guess, oblivion. The Curator, The Driver, The JCL
and I decided not to go to Bolton as we were
convinced we would lose and couldnt cope with
the fallout. Being Chelsea, of course, we won 1-0,
Clive Walker earning himself a permanent place in
any Chelsea hall of fame with the winner. 31 years
later, missing that game is still one of my greatest
Chelsea regrets. Probably Chelseas worst ever
season.
It is instructive to think that, these days, Neal
would probably have been sacked well before the
Bolton game. That he wasnt fired is a tribute to
Ken Bates trust in him. Bates was often criticised
for being irrational or picking a fight, but if he
hadnt backed John Neal and decided it was the
payers that needed replacing and not the
manager, I shudder to think what might have
happened.
The period was a pretty painful time to be a
Chelsea supporter. In four seasons they lost 22
home league games, so very diferent from today.
There are plenty of personal lowlights from that
period that still scar me today. Here is a small
selection :-
+ A 4-1 home defeat by a Rotherham team
managed by the insuferable Emlyn Hughes (aka
Ossies leg breaker) in front of under 12,000
spectators. I luckily managed to miss the
notorious, diabolical, badge of honour 6-0 defeat
at Rotherham.
+ Shrewsbury both home and away. Alan Mayes
hitting it over the bar from five yards, in front of
the massed Chelsea away support in a dreadful 1-0
defeat. A 4-2 home defeat that was as bad as
anything I have seen.
+ A bleak Monday night FA Cup defeat to 4
th

division Wigan in January 1980. Bizarrely, Chelsea
had hammered Newcastle 4-0 two days earlier to
replace them at the top of Division Two.
+ A two-leg League Cup defeat to a Gary Megson
inspired Plymouth Argyle from Division Three.
+ A 5-2 thrashing at Charlton Athletic in March
1983 when it suddenly dawned on us that
relegation was a distinct possibility.
Luckily, things then changed, Massively. In the
Summer of 1983 a series of inspired transfers by
John Neal, approved and underwritten by Ken
Bates, totally transformed the club. Read Chelsea
Here, Chelsea There by Kelvin Barker, David
Johnstone and Mark Worrall for a wonderful trip
down memory lane about that period.
It is impossible to say the football was better at
Chelsea in those days, it clearly wasnt, but for me
it is equally impossible not to remember those we
were there when we were sh*t days with genuine
afection. The team was usually hopeless, the
ground was a mess, the club was a financial basket
case but the support was passionate and
committed. In some ways, I think the sense of
i denti f i cati on many supporters fel t was
strengthened through the shared adversity.
All very diferent from today, when it seems to me
that many supporters expect instant and
prolonged success and gripe endlessly when
results go badly. If they had to put up with
Blanchflower, Hurst, Mayes, Nutton, Viljoen, Rofe
and the rest they would indeed have something to
complain about.
Hello! And welcome to my preview of season
2014/15. If you want to read about formations,
tactics, vortexes, reverse triangles and double
pivots then move your mouse over to the red
cross in the top right hand of your screen and click
to close. I'll leave that to the experts! Trust me, I
learn a lot from them (mostly stuf that passes me
by during a match), and it takes all sorts, coz I'm
more about the bets and the booze. And decent
trainers.

August 2014:
Right, first things, first you've got to get your new
season clobber sorted. You also get a severe
ticking of if you fail to have purchased a cfcuk
fanzine and have it rolled up and shoved in your
back right jeans pocket. When it comes to trainers,
personally, I'm a New Balance man and I have been
since 2010 after I read an article on how they are
Top of the Pops in terms of ethics and that, and
Nike are the worst citing their sweatshops in
Indonesia as an absolute disgrace regarding
working conditions, salaries and overall treatment
of staf. My pal Esther who works for a justice firm
called Children on the Edge told me that only a
berk would buy Nike after knowing the truth, and I
couldn't argue with that.
Talking of berks, we all shook our collective heads
in anguish as those pratts at SKY TV moved our
clash with Burnley to Monday night. Away
supporters will be housed in the David Fishwick
stand at Turf Moor this has to be the best named
stand in football. The bloke sells minibuses in
Lancashire. Quality. Click the link to watch half a
minutes footage of the great man himself. Check
out hi s l i ttl e j i g on 17 seconds: https: //
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZECRFN5Ruok I'm
sure you agree there's only one David Fishwick.
Our next away game is against Everton at the end
of the month. Goodison Park is one of my
favourite away grounds always a good
atmosphere and its a little bit old school, do you
know what I mean?
Can't help but feeling nostalgic when squeezing
through a rickety turnstile, stepping in puddles of
urine in the bogs and having the privilege of a
scouser making a cut-throat gesture across his
neck to me a customary welcome greeting as I
step on his cherished Liverpudlian soil.
A 5.30pm kick-of will ensure a proper atmosphere
in the away end. As a low-stake betting man, I'm
definitely popping a few coins on Burnley and
Everton to score first against us. I'm a Chelsea
pessimist, me.

September 2014:
Just the one PL away game in the month of
September, against the champions Manchester
City. My worst experience at the new Maine Road
was freezing my nuts of one December evening
when it was at least minus six degrees. I couldn't
celebrate Joey Cole's winner as I was frozen solid.
Even the coins bouncing of my head which had
been Frisbeed at me by a Manc who looked like
the lead singer of Right Said Fred, couldn't break
the ice in my bones.
Since moving on loan, Sir Frank Lampard could
feature for City. If he does and ends up taking a
corner by the away end, I fully expect the lower
tier to launch themselves, as one, over the
advertising hoardings and embrace the best
player ever to represent our club.
The game should be halted, of course, and only re-
started once every supporter on the pitch has
personally hugged and kissed their idol. My tip for
this game is for Eden Hazard to leave Zabaletta on
his arse seventeen times during the ninety
Walter Otton
Away Days
minutes. And score two penalties.

October 2014:
Away games this month are at Palace and
Manchester United. I actually haven't been to
Selhurst Park since a pre-season friendly in 2003
(plastic) when Geremi scored a free-kick. That's
about all I can recall. I can remember a bit more
about my last trip to Old Traford a 2-2 draw in
the FA Cup during the period when the chorizo
loving waiter was unforgivably asked to 'manage'
our glorious team.
I travelled up by jumping on one of the Squadron
Leader's 'famous' coaches and had to listen to
Tape Mix Tim's musical compilation, that included
tunes by the Lighthouse Family and Mark
Morrison. Luckily I'd been boozing for about seven
hours so I fell asleep on the way home so was
saved from hearing those tunes on repeat again
and again.
October, for me, is always boosted by the fact that
it is half-term. This means two things. The potential
of taking one, or both, of my kids to the Bridge and
also buying a new pair of trainers. It's been three
months since August when the last new pair was
purchased. When you have a baby and become a
parent, you discover that baby-wipes are the best
invention since someone decided mixing Smirnof
Ice with half a lager to create a pint of Super-
Shandy try it if you dare.
Anyway, back to the baby-wipes. I had my first
child aged 32 years old. I instantly began using
baby-wipes to clean my trainers. This was
definitely the best thing about having kids and I
was absolutely kicking myself for taking so long to
discover them sooner.
In fact, I'm amazed that Adidas haven't gone into
partnership with Johnson & Johnson. Well, we all
know that these days every man and his dog have
a pair of Gazelles in their wardrobe, but hopefully
if you've done your own research and begun
boycotting Nike now is the time to choose some
new trainers, and I would suggest considering
Puma or Adidas as your next pair Ze German
eficiency and all that, innit.
Speaking of which, my any time goalscorer bets
for both these matches will be on Andre Schurrle
go on, Mein Son.

November 2014:
PL away trips to Anfield and the Stadium of Light
beckon this month. My optimistic tip is for Torres
to score any time in both games just watch me
either reel in some top dollar or, more likely, hand
over my Schurrle winnings from last month
straight back to Patrick Power.
When Gerrard scored an own goal in the 2005
League Cup Final, we thought it couldn't get any
better. Then in 2007 in the CL, Riise scored an own
goal in the last minute in front of the Kop, and
once more we thought it couldn't get any better.
Then, in 2010, we won 2-0 up there (Drogba
scoring after a terrible Gerrard back pass) with
Carlo in charge to virtually clinch the league,
which oficially came a week later when we
smashed Wigan. Couldn't get any better, could it?
Well, in 2014, Gerrard slipped and Demba Ba
scored. A nation rejoiced. Let's hope for more of
the same. Got a feeling the away end may well be
serenading Brendan Rodgers with a song about a
tranny.
As for the Sunderland game, well at least it isn't on
a weekday evening this season. Make sure you
check the weather before you leave some of the
more cissy amongst us may well be giving their
long-johns their first outing of the season. Brrrrrrr.

December 2014:
Feed the Scousers, let them know it's Christmas
time. Ah, good old Christmas. A time when we all
forget the fact that Baby Jesus was born into the
world and instead get into ridiculous amounts of
stress and debt by buying material gifts for people
that will be forgotten about by Boxing Day.
It can only mean one thing time for a new pair of
trainers. Its been another three months since your
last pair. This time, I suggest you mix it up with
some Asics or Diadora on your feet.
You then will have three pairs to rotate (Augusts,
Octobers and Decembers pairs) to take you right
through until the summer of 2015 when the
process will start again. If baby-wipes aren't quite
doing the trick these days, chuck your trainers in
the washing machine. Trust me, I'm an expert.
Wrap each trainer in a separate pillow-case, and tie
a knot in the top. Put the washing machine on a
fast-wash thirty degree cycle. Once washed,
remove the pillow-cases and place your trainers
either in the airing cupboard or balance them face
down on the top of a radiator. Good as new. No
need to thank me. You now have eight months
until your next pair.
Anyway, December is mental with six PL games
this month, three away games feature this month
its gonna be an expensive one. Newcastle will
undoubtedly see loads of you stay over and burn
the Queens Head in casinos and strip-joints.
My advice would be avoid the strippers but stick a
bullseye on roulette red and walk away with your
winnings. None of you will stay the night over in
the Potteries. The old slapper Rihanna once sang
about Finding Love in a Hopeless Place she has
obviously never been to Stoke.
A trip to Southampton at the end of the festive
month awaits. The last time I went to St. Mary's I
was 'treated' to an alcoholic concoction called a
Hiroshima (the ingredients are a secret) by
@10Mar1905, and, true to its name, my head
exploded. It was, as he described it, a game-
changer.
I missed half an hour of the second half and spilt
two balti pies down my favourite jacket. My
betting tip regarding the Saints is that Ronald
Koeman will be the first manager to leave his post
this season.

January 2015
Ah, T*ttenham away. Hatred and history. South
London v North London. This is the first fixture
most people look out for when the list comes out
in June. A certain section of their lot will still be
fuming after a mob of them got done in West
Brompton before our game at the Bridge in March.
Imagine larging it out the tube station and singing
your songs while walking down the road, not
realising there were three Chelsea pubs all within
close vicinity that were rammed with lads getting
tanked up before the 5.30pm kick of. We meet
again. Happy New Year.
Our next away game is against Swansea. Mid-
January. Wales. Ball-boys. You do the math. My
money is on a home win, I'm afraid. It's over six
months away and I can still sense a defeat coming.

February 2015
The best manager in the world, Jose, doesn't have
a good record at Villa Park. When are this lot
gonna go down? They're a right load of old flannel.
The less said about Birmingham, the better,
though we will ALWAYS have: It was Villa away on
the eleventh of May when Super Frankie he got
the record!
Next up away this month is Leicester City. My pal
Leicester Chris who drinks Carling with a splash-
of-lime down my local drives to every Foxes game.
So that's me sorted for transport. Only thing, is
that the game is currently scheduled to be played
on my Doris's birthday. Oh well, Chelsea was here
before you were, love.
Besides, we got married on January 10
th
2004 and
I missed Chelsea winning 4-0 at the Walkers
Stadium while I was posing for wedding
photographs in a badly fitting suit. And I might be
wrong, but I don't think we've played them up
there since.

March 2015
When we play West Ham it will be our last game
against them at Upton Park. You'll be reading /
already read loads about the culture of the
modern game, soul-less bowls and plastic seats,
corporate clients and cheese-boards, a generation
of supporters priced out and heavy handed
stewards and (especially) Old Bill flexing their
muscles outrageously because you are going to
the football and they have a uniform or a luminous
bib on. So, I won't bother adding my two pennies
worth.
Then its of to Hull City. Now, I'm getting on a bit.
I'm all confused. Do we call them The Tigers now?
Modern football, eh? I need a drink. My prediction
for this game is a comfortable win with a bet on
four or more goals being scored by Chelsea.

April 2015
Its Easter. Time to put your trainers in the washing
machine. Don't forget the pillow-cases. Easter is a
good laugh. There are a couple of bank holidays
and that, and the clocks have changed meaning
we embrace lighter evenings, the grass gets cut,
and the scent of the coming summer begins to
hang lightly on the breeze.
In the Great British calendar, Easter is a time to
remember when Jesus died on the cross and,
three days later, rose again. These days we
squeeze in as much football as possible and listen
to the women in our life explain how well they've
been dieting since the New Year so they're justified
in going on a four-day-chocolate-egg-bender.
On the pitch we meet QPR don't forget that West
London is theirs. When younger QPR fans give you
the needle with taunts of Where Were You When
You Were Shit? there is no need to rise to it. We
were all over their ground. Every time. For
example, there's a quite lovely photo taken in 1991
when we drew 2-2. Wisey has just equalized and in
stoppage time and Chelsea are going mental all
over.
The YouTube footage of this match features a
great moment after Townsend pulls a goal back a
Chelsea supporter runs on the pitch, rufles the
goalscorers hair, pats him on the back, and jogs
back into the stand: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=PB0GI8px1pA.
I was in the side terrace that day (after getting
separated from my mates on the way in) and can
confirm that we had three sides of their ground.
Townsend was our Captain. At home games, his
name was the first sung when the players came
out the tunnel: Oh Andy Andy, Andy Andy Andy
Andy Townsend. He's not loved so much any more.
We also play those unbearable pratts 'The' Arsenal
this month. If you don't lump on Didier Drogba to
score then you've had a nightmare. It's also worth
knowing that Jose has never lost a game to these
muppets. Long may that continue. Make sure that
you take as many stickers as possible to this
match and plaster them all over their horrible
ground.
http://cfcstickers.bigcartel.com/product/ashley-
cole-x-50

May 2015
The month of May sees us play three home games
at the Bridge our only away game is at WBA. The
Hawthorns is is one of the grounds that I quite like.
I dunno why. You can always get some smashing
food in the Vine and a decent local ale too.
The away end is all right not like at Molineux
when you're all spread out along the side of the
pitch. The Chelsea choir should all join together on
sixteen minutes and sing One Di Matteo because
you'll probably find that most the home fans
would agree.

And that concludes my preview of the season.
Here are some final thoughts:
Refs
If Mike Riley or Mike Dean are in charge of ANY of
our matches, stick a little bet on red cards and
Chelsea to lose. Just a hunch. Can't think where
I've got that idea from.
Seasons accessories
If you don't have a cfcuk fanzine rolled up and
stufed in the back pocket of your jeans, you
should be ashamed of yourself. You'll have nothing
to read on the way home.
FA Cup Away fixtures
The first thing to remember is to take plenty of
celery. Its the FA Cup away, innit. Personally I hope
we draw Fulham at some point. Putney Bridge, the
Eight Bells, Bishops Park, the glorious Thames.
Juan Mata
We don't burn shirts. We applaud returning
players. Especially a man like Juan Mata. Oozing
humility, wearing great clobber, our back-to-back
player of the season, an exquisite footballer and an
absolute gentleman. If Neil Barnett says anything
of note this season, it should be to announce
Mata's name as he jogs out of the tunnel at
Stamford Bridge to embrace the resounding
applause from the supporters who truly value him
for all he did for Chelsea. You can heckle me for
being a sentimental plonker but I don't mind
admitting that I miss Juan.
Stamford Bridge boozers
For those who like an overpriced, flat, shitty lager
in a plastic pint cup then you're spoilt for choice.
For those who like a proper drink in a proper glass,
just look a bit further afield. You'll find a more
cultured supporter quafing decent booze. Like my
mate Smify, who looks like a Norweigan
Fisherman.
Walking opportunities
I love a good ramble. Yep, I've even got a pair of
hiking boots. I know of several supporters that like
to walk to diferent grounds. Walking is good for
the soul. There are loads of brilliant walks in
London. Try it with a mate or two. It makes a
change. Often people are forced into this when we
have a London match and there are transport
problems, and realise that once they walked it,
they quite liked it. So take the opportunity this
season to go Strollin', just Strollin', with the light of
the moon above, Ev'ry night I go out strolling, And
I know my luck is rolling, When I'm strolling with
the one I love CHELSEA! CHELSEA!
The Weather Forecast
Do yourself a favour, and before each game
remember to check the weather forecast via good
old @cliveoconnell who poses as Driver on the
Wing with Alternative Weather Reports on the CSG
website:
http://www.chelseasupportersgroup.net/?s=driver
+on+the+wing

Cheers for reading. Don't forget to wash your
trainers on a thirty degree cycle with each trainer
wrapped separately in a pillow-case.

Disclaimer:
The author is not responsible for any losing bets you
may place as a result of reading this piece. However, if
you don't have a few quid on Diego Costa getting at
least two red cards before the end of October, you're an
idiot.
The new season is nearly here and I wanted to
reflect on how its changed for me over the years.
Although my first couple Chelsea games were in
the late 60s I only really grasped things from the
70s onwards. The start of the new season was
always very exciting. Apart from World Cup and
the Euro years when the season ended then, it
really did. There was nothing for months!
Not that I read them back then but newspapers
had little sports news in them and you had to
endure months of boring copies of Shoot or Goal
reflecting on what had gone past. My memory is
quite hazy but there were never many transfers in
the close season and maybe 1 or 2 in or out. It was
not the squad game it is now. In addition clubs
were full of one club players. The majority of
players seemed to stay for life, almost unthinkable
now.
The most exciting things way back then was the
League Ladders that Shoot magazine gave away
free (kids of today dont know they are born etc.)
funnily enough I think they still do them.
For me here are some of my most memorable
season starts.
1970
We had won the FA Cup we were the holders. I was
so excited. We never used to win anything and as a
youngster for the first time going into school on
Monday was OK then. Decent team, decent players
all was good with the world. First game of the
season was the Charity Shield and in those days it
was played at one of the ground of the
participating clubs. We were at home against
Everton and before the game the cup was
paraded. This was so good. I remember that
Webby had grown a beard. Such high hopes so in
true Chelsea style we lost 1-2. Ian Hutchinson
scored for us. I was truly gutted but still Id seen
the cup.
1974
The arrival of the much anticipated East Stand!
Absol utel y magni fi cent and repl aced the
wasteland that had been the back drop of the
previous season .I remember it being a particularly
sunny day. We were at home to newly promoted
Carlisle, an easy victory we all thought we had
signed world cup star David Hay from Celtic for a
then record fee of 225,000 and wed also bought
a flying winger in John Sissons from Norwich.
What could possibly go wrong? Well we lost 0-2
and I remember Carlisle went on to win their first 3
games that season but like us ultimately were
relegated. That also started the breakup of the cup
wining side and the start of some really tough
times as a fan.
1983
The previous season we had just staved of
relegation to the old division 3. Our then owner
Ken Bates took the fairly unique step of stating Im
not going to sack the manager but Im going to
change the players and so the magnificent John
Neal assembled a new team. In came Dixon, Nevin,
Spackman, McGlaughlin, Niedzwiecki and the
return of Hollins and Hudson amongst a few
others. This was such a change from previous
years where it was all doom and gloom but this
was special. Our first game was against Derby at
home. I was very excited by the purchase of Dixon
who had scored tonnes of goals for Reading but
the thing I was looking forward to the most was
seeing Alan Hudson once again play in a Chelsea
shirt. Sadly for me (but ultimately luckily) he was
injured and could not play. One Nigel Spackman
took his place. We won 5-0 and played some of the
best football seen at the Bridge for years.
Spackman was brilliant and Kerry showed us what
he could do. The amazing thing on reflection was
that wee Pat was not even playing that day! This
Clayton Beerman
Lifetime
A
Chelsea Notes
Of
was one of my favourite seasons ending in a
glorious promotion party at home to Leeds.
1984
Much anticipation for the new season following a
great promotion year. Back where we belonged
the opening day of this season was away to
Arsenal. There have been many fantastic books
and articles written about this day by more
esteemed writers but all I will add was this was
one of the best away games I have ever been to.
We as a club and fans were magnificent both on
and of the pitch.
1995
Having nearly had my head caved in by a Spanish
policeman in Zaragoza my enthusiasm for football
and the new season was not exactly high. I was
both shaken and disgusted by what happened out
there but thenRuud Gullit and Mark Hughes
were signed by Chelsea. One of the greatest
players of his generation was going to play for us.
How an earth could I not get excited by that
prospect.
For those of a certain age the thought of someone
like Gullit playing for us was pinch yourself time.
He will always have his critics and nearly
bankrupted the club but it is my belief that Ken
Bates saw the writing on the wall and knew that
Chelsea had to grow to catch the Premiership
gravy train and so was instrumental in bringing
the new names in to make that happen.
Ive looked up that the first game that season was
at home to Everton and we drew 0-0. I can not
even remember the game but in many ways the
signings that pre-season was the signings that
changed everything.
2003
There will never be another pre-season like this
one! It was like fantasy football but for real.
Following Romans purchase of the club, players
started arriving at an alarming rate. To recap,
Johnson, Bridge, Duf, Veron, Joe Cole, Mutu,
Crespo, Makelele. Dreamland, this added to a
pretty decent squad already in place. So we
moved towards our first game away to Liverpool.
The anticipation was absolutely immense. The day
is a bit of a blur to be honest. I cant remember
much of the normal abuse we got or our singing
just the fact that JFH scored the winner with
minutes to go. Veron looked like a Prince and of
course they had to get a Kop end penalty which
had to be taken twice because the first one was
saved.
Every football fan was jealous of us. We were on
our way up and anyone who says otherwise is not
telling the truth.
2012
It is somewhat ironic that the one season I didnt
want to start was the season after we won the
Champions League. Having been lucky enough to
have been there that night I just wanted to bask in
that glory for as long as possible. I was happy for
the close season to go on forever.

I will end my journey here. My anticipation for any
new season has not waned but in truth we are in a
diferent world now. There is little close season.
There is blanket coverage of football with TV, the
internet, social media and frankly no break from
football these days
Nothing however will ever take away the thrill of
walking into Stamford Bridge at the start of a
season.
There is a diference between optimism and
expectation. I have never felt this more keen than
right now. I have a favourite saying. Faith is a
slippery thing but my love is unconditional - it
beautifully encapsulates how I feel about the club I
love. And it is right in the forefront of my mind as I
think about this coming season.
It is a usual thing to hear the media piling the
pressure on. They've been saying since Mr A came
to the club that a failure to win trophies means
managerial murder and this is something I'm not
convinced is the case. I think it has always been
more to do with inertia and a manger' s
relationship with the players than trophies per se.
But this summer is the first time I've heard fellow
Chelsea saying the same thing.
That we have to win a trophy this season or Jos is
gone.
I'd have thought we have enough undue pressure
on us from the media who pile it on desperate for
us to fail, without getting it from our own fan base.
And yet with the money we've spent, the dead
wood shifted and still to be shifted and the fact
that we have the best manager in the world,
expectations are always going to be high. So I
guess the game is on.
We've bought well, we look like we are continuing
to buy well, and we're adding to what was already
one of the top squads in world football. Defensive
solidity. Goalkeeping surety. Midfield balance and
strength and a real upgrade up front. I think we're
one more striker away and a Michael Essien / Yaya
Tour monster box to box type from being
Barcelona/Real/Bayern sort of good.
If you look at the squad and the manager it leaps
out at you, this collection of winners. Our squad
demands success in the same way the media and
fans demand it of them. It looks so beguiling, this
band of bl ue born champi ons. It al most
guarantees success. It screams at you, begs you to
believe.
And yet...
If this was FIFA or something we'd all be more
confident. If it was some binary thing, a play on
averages, on percentages with a heady twist of
scientific reasoning it would be more certain. But
this is Chelsea. We could sweep all before us in a
blaze of glory, plaudits and records but we dont
do that do we?
Somehow you just cant see it. There's always
drama. There's always criticism. There's always
catastrophe.
If Diego Costa hasnt scored a goal within ten
minutes of his debut the media will be labelling
him a flop, begging everyone else to get on his
back. If he picks up a booking or two for the usual
stuf we know he gets into then they will be
hysterically looking for another post-Surez
pantomime villain.
Teams will still come to the Bridge (and shamefully
at their place too) and stick ten men behind the
ball, kick lumps out of our attacking players, press,
foul, unsettle and refuse to come out of their own
half. We will see this in probably half our games
this season yet everyone will still label us boring
and anti-football.
Hazard will go three games without a goal and
they'll start trying to get into his head. Jos may
drop him for a cup game and they'll undermine
with rumours of an impending sale. Jos will still
be treated like Pol Pot and Rose West's lovechild
by the media, and they'll go all out on him this
season. Fernando Torres will still be Fernando
Torres, he'll still have cost fifty million quid and the
Daily Mail will still be obsessed with him. We'll still
not put our chances away as we should do and
there will be still be absolute head scratchers of
Chris M
Faith,
Hope Insanity
&
games like West Ham at home last season.
We'll get no protection from referees as usual but
we'll still get Ramires sent of what feels like every
other game. We'll grind out a point away at Stoke
and it will be the end of the world, and United will
do it and it will be the mark of Champions. We'll
still be battling other teams, tens of millions of
blinkered myopic opposition fans, the media,
public opinion, the FA, referees and Lady Luck.
Ah yes. Mistress Luck. The cruellest of the cruel. At
times last season it felt like she hadnt kissed us for
months, and was only interested in brutal BDSM
sessions with canes, ball gags, clamps and a
cheese grater. I wondered what we had done to
ofend her so. Because she absolutely hated us at
times last season. And if you think signing pretty
boy Fbregas will make her change her mind this
season and make her ease up on the torture stuf, I
make you sadly wrong.
So that about covers the faith thing.
I've been a Chelsea fan long enough, I've had my
heart ripped out enough times not to believe
anything until I see JT lift the trophy into the air.
Chelsea's capacity for heartbreak, for snatching
plunging, miserable, desolate despair from the
jaws of glory is boundless. We all know this. I'm a
cynic when it comes to us, and many of my fellow
Chel sea are t he same. But my l ove i s
unconditional. My support will never waiver.
And if we go on and smash this season to pieces,
win everything going, break all records and
actually force the Daily Mail to actually say
something nice about us, I'll be delighted. But if we
win nothing, fail miserably, drop out of the
Champions League places, sack Jos and have an
absolute mare, I'll love Chelsea just as much. In
fact, weirdly, perversely, freakishly - a little more
perhaps.
Whatever happens I know how lucky we are, how
privileged and blessed we are. I was there in
Munich. I have experienced the ultimate high and
nothing will ever top that.
But I cant wait for us to try.
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