A new manager along with some promising youngsters looks set to signal a new era under the Abramovich rule. Last season was disappointing given our great start. First with the Wilkins sacking and then trying to shoehorn Torres into a new system undid us. There were still positives though. Luiz and Ramires look excellent prospects and Sturridge comes back to the Bridge looking to kick on from his great stint at Boltan. Last season also proved to the doubters that Roman is far from losing interest and is there to back us for the long term.

This season I have high hopes but with caution as always (been a Chelsea fan too long to know everything is plain sailing). An excellent pre season winning all our games conceding just one sets us up nicely for the campaign ahead. Main aim has to be winning the title back, with winning the Champions League the icing on the cake. An FA Cup wouldn't go amiss either


Going on pre season form and line ups I will set out what I believe our first eleven will look like without suspensions/injury (except Essien as he is out for ages). With so many options it's impossible to really predict but here goes:


--------------Cech------------

Bosingwa--Alex--Terry---Cole

--------------Mikel------------

----Ramires------------------
---------------Lampard------

-Sturridge-----------Malouda--
------------Drogba-----------


Def:
Ivanovich for Bosingwa very possible. Only picked Bos because he looked good in pre season but wouldn't be surprised to see Ivan line up against a physical Stoke side next week. Luiz is also having some trouble with his knee which could give Alex a chance to reform his partnership with Terry. Expect to see Ryan Bertrand get some game time over the course of the season if he doesn't go out on loan.

Mid:
Essien out is a blow, so will have to hope we see the good Mikel and not the cack one which can be painful to watch. Looked good in pre season at least. I expect Mceachran to get a lot of game time in the mid also. Has had an excellent pre season, hardly put a foot wrong and looks comfortable in the first team set up now. Bennie should also get a fair bit of gametime. Enough to be a FF pick? Maybe, but if Modric turns up forget it. Lampard still a nailed on starter and barring injury should be back to his best. If not, Mceachran is waiting..

STR:
Shame Sturridge is unavailable for the first 3 games, so I expect Anelka to be first in line on the right of the front three to start the season. Sturridge has been excellent pre season working on the right wing, cutting onto his trusted left so is my pick to nail that right slot ahead of Anelka/Kalou when given the chance.

Malouda should cement the left birth up front providing his form doesn't fall off a cliff face.

The central role. Where does Torres fit in? Eff knows. He did start to look his old self in pre season, but if Drogba starts against Stoke and hits form in that central role it's difficult to see where he will operate. Maybe AVB will alter the 433 to a 4411 with Torres upfront alone and Drog playing behind? Playing them side by side just doesn't really look an option to me. It's really one or the other but lets see how AVB plays it in the opening fixtures. Maybe it will be a case of whoever looks to be training best will get the nod from game to game. I expect Drogba to start up front against Stoke, but it's really anyones guess.

New signing Lukaku looks a great prospect. This season I don't expect him to get too much game time. More an understudy role with Drogba the man he will eventually replace. Could be sooner rather than later if he grabs any chance he gets.

I expect Benayoun to get a starting XI place this season.

I expect Luiz to be AVB first name on the teamsheet having seen him at close hand for over a season in Portugal before he arrived in England- subject to injury of course.

I also can see Terry sweating on his place if Alex is not sold.

Will be honest, that starting XI looks pretty weak.

Also, wasn't Lampard supposed to be occupying a deep-lying playmaker position? I think it's very unlikely Chelsea will go into the new season without an attacking mid

Definitely a pivotal season for Chelsea with a new, and very young, manager and the Terry/Lampard/Drogba spine of the team nearer the end of its shelf life. Lots of options up front, central defence and right back - but, particularly after the injury to Essien, the squad looks threadbare in midfield. At the moment, one injury to Lampard (who is, finally, picking them up more frequently with age) and they will be very exposed.

As a Spurs fan, I hope that they don't pinch Modric - but I have a feeling that a £35 million deal (possibly involving a loan deal for one of the strikers) might be reached by the end of the window.

Looking at the squad as it stands, I think that they will struggle to stay in the top 2 of the Premiership and make the later stages (semi or final) of the Champions League.

Got to say I am really surprised that the core of Chelsea's squad is still as it is. Ok they have signed a couple of young players this season but the gulf in the squad is too big for them to feel comfortable getting rid of some of the old guard - and that is what needs to happen in my opinion. I would hope AVB will not be reluctant to give Sturridge and McEachran their chance because the team needs some freshening up. And maybe there will be a signing or two to come.

Lakaku looks a good signing but it makes the Torres one look even more strange. From what little I know of Lakaku, he is supposed to be a bit of a physical phenomenon - exactly the kind of player you would want to take over from Drogba and one who would fit into Chelsea's established style of play. So what are they going to do? Try and re-mould the team to suit Torres' strengths or not?

I am inclined to agree with what Gary Neville said yesterday in that Chelsea will still be the no.1 challengers to United. They have the kind of character, experience and winning mentality that will be really difficult for city to develop but you have to wonder how many times this team can keep going back to the well.

Personally I don't think it's too difficult to see how the squad is being gradually moved on from the old guard to the new. Our pursuit of Modric gives a clue to how we want the forward line looking for example.

Last Year : Anelka (32) Drogba(33) Malouda(31) - Combined age of 96

Future: Sturridge (21) Lukaku (18) Modric (26) - Combined age of 65


Terry (30) - Luiz (24)
Cole(30) - Bertrand (22)
Lampard(33) - Mceachran (18)

All of these younger players (barring Modric) are already at the club. Right now, there is still life in the 'old guard'. Theres no reason to shift on good players simply because they are 30+. Look at Ferdinand and Giggs for your own examples. Players in this age group add an experience that is irreplaceable when it comes to the business end of a season. The new guard will take their place in good time.


Edit: Apologies to Spurs fans, we probably won't even sign him

How quickly a 50 million pound player can be forgotten....

How quickly a 50 million pound player can be forgotten....

Whats £50m these days?


How about a straight swap? Torres and a brown envelope for Modric?

What you say 'Arry?

Have watched just about all of pre season games, know you cant take to much from them, but so far them and United far better than any other have seen.
Not sure if just my take on it, but Lamps seems to have been given a different role, playing lot deeper, they have a squad that is deep enough to rotate key players some who would maybe struggle to play every game, but very capable making a fair few and looking at way they have played, its a system that in my view will allow players to be put in and taken out.
If am even a bit right not good news for fantasy picks.

Nice idea - but the big problem would be wages; can't see Torres accepting a 50% pay cut, not to mention the lack of Champions League football (similar issue with Adebadyear - who I would prefer to Torres).

Wouldn't be too surprised to see Torres go to Real Madrid in January, if things haven't worked out for him at Chelsea by then.

Nothing wrong with keeping experienced players but Chelsea have too many proportionally. Fergie prevents the squad ageing by keeping a select few and letting others go as they get to 30 ish, as he did with Butt, Beckham etc. and has now done with Brown and O'Shea. There has been no churn at Chelsea of players leaving and being replaced so the squad has a top heavy look with older players on big wages. It seems to me that that was why the squad had to be trimmed last year by letting Deco, Ballack etc leave and hence there was not enough depth.

There are a few young ones granted, but the spread of ages is still very poor. Maybe it will still happen but why not sell Anelka and promote Sturridge, for example? What is Ferreira still doing there? These guys have limited usefulness now so get rid and bring others through. The strategy looks a mess to me. I think they are either going to struggle to remain really competitive over the next few years or they will struggle to meet FFP, as they will have to keep compensating with big money signings.

Latest transfer rumours seem to indicate that Alex could be on his way if the asking price is met.

Any news on the work permit for Slobodan Rajkovic? A big lad and looked quite assured in the friendly I watched, it was said that if his WP is granted then we won't be looking elsewhere for central defenders. According to CFC site he can also play left back.

Given the preseason, I'm under the impression that AVB will use a 4-3-3 formation. Defenders push a high line, Mikel/Ramires are the workaholics with Lampard as the (rotund and somewhat slow moving) pivot, Benayoun and Malouda on the wings for width, and all 5 players trying to feed Torres. Sound about right?

I don't see Anelka having much of a role, and Sturridge may be consigned to the backup heap. Torres only works as a lone striker, unless AVB is some sort of magician

IMO opinion our best CB, I ask why? Injuries? I heard £9m, easily worth double that

Im with Chuck, he is prob our best defender. I have heard transfer rumours the past few weeks but nothing concrete. If we were to sell him, it would leave just Ivanovich as cover. With Bosingwa's injury record and Luiz's knee it would be a foolish move to sell him for just £10m right now.

Plus I don't think Luiz is quite up to speed with the Prem yet (defending wise at least - his attacking play is excellent).


Hopefully it won't happen.

Who to Arsenal, or Spurs?

Okay, it's Sun speculation http://www.sportinglife.com/football/transfer_centre/

* Juventus look ready to increase their opening offer of £7million for Chelsea central defender Alex. The Blues want £10.5million for the Brazilian ace.

Best defender when fit - 69 league starts in 7 years says that he hasn't been fit that often.

He's never been a better defender than Terry or Carvalho over those years.

I guess the same reasons Fergie keeps the likes of Giggs, Owen, Ferdinand, Vidic, Carrick, Evra, Park and Berbatov. They are all 1st team and all hovering or well past the 30 mark. Is that disproportionate? He didn't get rid of Beckham because he was getting old did he. I bet if VDS and Scholes had walked in and said they had one more season in them he would of signed them up for another year as well.

A good footballer is a good footballer. Fergie understands that, most good managers do. I'm surprised you don't feel the same after the contributions VDS, Giggs, Scholes, Keane, and Ferdinand have made to and continue in some cases, to your own team.


You say our strategy of producing academy players in Mceachran and Bertrand mixed in with signing exciting kids such as Lukaka, Sturridge and Kakuta looks a mess?


How is it any different to what Man Utd are trying to do?


Yes you could isolate Torres. But then I could isolate Berbatov - he didn't have the best of starts either.


The strategy looks very similar to me.

No your right, Terry is first name on the team sheet. One of those players we take for granted so I take back that statement.

Carvalho was class.


I'd just sooner have Alex over Luiz and Ivanovich right now.


Luiz is not quite ready and Ivanovich is too slow to be partnered with Terry.

Well I can't be arsed producing stats to illustrate but proportionally, those United players you listed are a smaller minority compared with the squad as a whole. The spread of ages at United is far more even - there is a regular turnover that maintains a balance and on the US tour United had something like 13 players 23 or under.



That is obviously complete nonsense and at no point have I said that.



In my opinion it is not enough and I don't believe it represents a coherent strategy. Maybe the penny has started to drop but I think Chelsea have quite a bit of work to do and I'm surprised they haven't done more. And I said the same at the start of last season, during which the squad looked a little too old and thin.

Chelsea's downfall last season was the internal issues of sacking Wilkins and changing system halfway through the season to accommodate Torres. We shot ourselves in both feet and still ended up a win away at Old Trafford from the title. What does that say?


Time will tell if what we are doing is enough, personally I believe it is, but I appreciate your thoughts.

Carvalho carried the Chelsea defence year after year, he is probably one of the top 5 prem CBs of all time in my opinion. I can't rate him highly enough. Positionally aware beyond anyone I've ever seen

Just to add more selection headache for FF, AVB has announced Chelsea are looking to buy two more players before the window closes. A midfielder and a winger:


"I think we might add in those positions - we might," he said on strengthening his midfield. "The sense of urgency in midfield is there.

"We play 4-3-3, we have a squad of 25. For you to prepare for a game, you need at least six midfielders. We only have four.

"But we have the versatility of (Florent) Malouda, for example, and Yossi (Benayoun), who we have been using in the 10 and the eight position to a very, very good extent and a very good level."


Every time Villas-Boas has spoken publicly since his appointment seven-and-a-half weeks ago, he has been faced with questions about Modric.

He gave short shrift to the latest of them, saying: "I just explained to you the sense of urgency in midfield. But it doesn't mean that it's Luka.

"Not that I'm interested, but you have (Samir) Nasri terminating contract.

"He's one of the most exciting players in the Premier League and that's the reality, as well as Luka, as well as other players."


To be honest never gave Nasri much thought as always thought he was City bound. I doubt we would match his wages City would offer, but if £35m can't sway Spurs for Modric, maybe Nasri is a viable option at around £20m? But as AVB said, he isn't interested in "one of the most exciting players in the Prem" anyway


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_7100706,00.html

Was told last night we have prepared in training with a front three of Kalou, Drogba and Malouda.

Fingers crossed that your contact was a well informed insider rather than an imaginative muppet.

I thought this would be the front three, and have Kaloui and Drogba in FPL, but Hoolahan is first sub