Season Review: Juan Mata

Juan Mata was signed from Valencia for a fee of around £23.5M in August 2011. And what a debut season it was for the Spanish international.Even though he arrived at the club for a hefty sum, no one expected Mata to be as good a signing as he turned out to be. One journalist even wrote an article titled "Why Stewart Downing Is A Better Signing Than Juan Mata" (Downing had just completed a £20 million move from Aston Villa to Liverpool). I'd love to meet that journalist now.

Juan Mata during his debut match vs. Norwich

Mata made his debut against Norwich City at Stamford Bridge, coming on as a late substitute & scoring in injury time. During the beginning of his Chelsea career, he played mostly on the left side of midfield. He quickly gained a reputation of being Chelsea's "creative spark" in midfield. However, there was a lot of pressure on the young Spaniard as he seemed to be the only one in the Chelsea midfield who could change the game with an assist & sometimes a goal. More often that not, Mata would find himself isolated on the left wing which meant that he couldn't quite influence the game as much as he'd like to. As a result, Chelsea suffered.




Andre Villas-Boas flirted with the idea of playing him in a more central role, but he rarely ever started Mata as an attacking midfielder. The only time Mata would move into a central role was when another winger (say Florent Malouda) was brought on as a substitute, giving Mata the chance to roam.When Roberto Di Matteo was appointed caretaker manager, he changed the formation from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 & played Mata in the hole behind the striker. The change worked wonders as Mata found it easier to create chances from a more central role.
  

Mata scoring against Birmingham in the FA Cup

He managed 12 goals & 26 assists in 2011-12. His most memorable goal was the volley he scored against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge, even though the game ended in a 3-3 draw. Arguably his performance of the season was against Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-finals where he scored 1 goal & created 2, helping us beat Spurs 5-1 & enter the finals of the FA Cup.

The volley against Manchester United

Juan Mata: Chelsea's Player of the Year

The Spaniard had a memorable first season at the club, culminating with a Champions League & FA Cup victory. He also won Chelsea's "Player of the Year" trophy, an amazing feat given the fact that this was his first full season at the club. Expect Juan Mata to be one of Chelsea's key players for years to come.

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Brana Urges Luka To Join Chelsea

Will Chelsea finally capture Modrić this season?

Chelsea have been behind Spurs number 14 Luka Modrić and this is something that the whole of Europe is aware of  in my opinion.Chelsea made several bids last season in order to acquire the Croatian Internationals services but thanks to Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy(who sacked Redknapp days ago) who was hellbent to keep Modrić and voiced loudly that Modrić  won't be sold at any cost whatsover.Modrić is now being linked to Real Madrid,Manchester United,several other top clubs and ofcourse Chelsea too.

According to Mirror Football, Modric is "fully prepared" to hand in another transfer request to leave White Hart Lane, and he has no shortage of suitors. The 26-year-old watched his preferred club in West London sign Juan Mata instead, and then Mata and the club hoisted both the Champions League trophy and the FA Cup this campaign.Tottenham, meanwhile, hoisted no trophies.

Our Serbian international and rocksolid in defence Branislav Ivanovic has stated that Luka's move from fellow neighbours Spurs won't be a fail and Modrić is the kind of player that Chelsea require. Roman almost broke the bank last season with a  £40 million bid  for the Croatian but that bid was also rejected on deadline day.



Modrić and Ivanovic in a local derby of 2010-11 season..

Anyways this was what Ivanovic said-

"I don't know much about it other than what I read in the media," he told Sportske Novosti. "I know there was interest in the transfer window before. Chelsea as a team have needed a player with these qualities. He would fit in quickly and strengthen the squad.

"He has been in England a long time and knows about the way football is played on the island and the mentality of the players. He has exceptional quality, and moving to a bigger club is necessary for him to take the next step in his career.

"I think at Chelsea he would adapt instantly and become a better player. He should come to Chelsea - it won't go wrong!"

Now here are some intersting views from the lads at thehardtackle.com I really wanted to share there views with you guys so here is what they said-

Is Luka Modric needed? – Considering it looks like Roberto Di Matteo will take charge next season, one can assume that he will continue to play his preferred 4 – 2 – 3 – 1 formation and Modric fits into the formation like a glove. Both Luka Modric and John Obi Mikel would give Chelsea frightening control in midfield due to their passing and ball retention capabilities. But Modric’s arrival would have to be cautiously managed, as Chelsea then risk overcrowding their midfield spots. It is a signing that isn’t strictly necessary. If it were to happen, then perhaps either of Essien or Meireles or maybe even both of them, would have to leave. On the face of it, it looks like Chelsea may not pursue the diminutive Croatian pass master this summer as there are other areas to strengthen.

Well those were some profound thoughts weren't they? I personally see Modrić as a player with great technical abilities and a very influencial figure in any midfield be it for Spuds or for the Croatian National Team. His recent performances at the Euro's were also simply amazing.

His best role is as a central playmaker and during his time at Dinamo Zagreb, he proved his ability to play as an attacking midfielder, especially on his preferred left wing. In the 2010–11 season, Modric has been seen to adopt a defensive midfield role in addition to playmaking, tracking back to win the ball from the opposition and prepare for counter-attack, making him  the most versatile player in Tottenham.

Modrić openly admitted that he wants to move Chelsea last season....

Let's see how the Luka Modrić transfer frenzy started-

In the summer of 2011, Modrić was heavily pursued by Chelsea. The Blues initially made a bid of £22 million followed by a bid of £27 million, both of which were rejected. Tottenham president, Daniel Levy, stated that Tottenham would not sell Modrić at any price. After the failed bids, Modrić announced that he would welcome a move across London and that he had a "gentleman's agreement" with Daniel Levy that the club would entertain offers from a "big club."

Speculation continued throughout the summer transfer window, eventually culminating in Modrić refusing to play in Tottenham's opening match against Manchester United (a 3–0 loss), stating that his "head was not in the right place" as he continued to force a move to Chelsea. On the final day of the transfer deadline Chelsea made an offer of £40 million, which was rejected by Daniel Levy. After failing to secure a transfer, Harry Redknapp told Luka Modric to focus on his playing and on Tottenham.

Now readers you clearly have an idea of how eager the Blues were and are to sign Luka. But this season the competition has just become stiffer for the Croatian midfield maestro with the likes of Madrid,United and other clubs joining the transfer battle. In my opinion the Blues should battle for Modric and he could come to Chelsea (and could say no to Real Madrid) for sure ,there ain't an iota of doubt about this. He openly admitted last season that he would favor a move to the Bridge. Now with Redknapp gone and no one to lead the club at the moment atleast Modric might just leave Tottenham and hopefully move to the European Champions.

KTBFFH till then as always......

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Napoli eyeing Meireles Swoop?

On the move to Serie A?

It is reported that one of our prolific midfielder, Raul Meireles, is Napoli's coach, Walter Mazzari, top transfer target this summer window, according to La Gazzeta dello Sport. Raul Meireles who signed from Liverpool on deadline day last summer was an integral part of Chelsea’s midfield. He has a total of 28 appearances’ last season and a total of 6 goals and 6 assists in all competitions. Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis is reported to have sent an enquiry to Meireles’ agent, José Caldiera. It is reported that Meireles has a price tag of around £8million.

Meireles is a top target to replace Ezequil Lavezzi who is on his move to big-spending Paris Saint-Germain. The 29 year old has been an integral part in Chelsea’s midfield, and one of his best performances was the away semi final match against Barcelona in Nou Camp. Losing Meireles would mean Chelsea would be left with Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Oriol Romeu, Ramires, Jon Obi Mikel, and Joshua McEachran. The Mirror also reported that Meireles is yet to comment on this matter, stating that "he is still focused on the Euros and can’t think of his future now”, you can read the full reports here.

Now, losing Meireles would be a great blow for Chelsea in my opinion. Even though his passes aren’t as sublime as Mata’s, but Meireles possesses the energy and determination a midfielder should have. Meireles is a versatile midfielder and can play in any position in midfield, but at Chelsea, he’s played behind the attacking midfielder and as an anchor to our defense. I personally would make him first choice if Lamps is rested or suspended, as he still got the stamina to help the attack and quickly get back and help his defense, the long passes and the tackles. Oh, and how could I forget those powerful shots he produces time to time? 

So what should Chelsea do say if Meireles does go? That means another signing for me. Yes we still have Mikel, Essien and Romeu, but Mikel has a different style of play compared to Lamps and Meireles. Yes he played outstandingly in the finals, but that was because we played defensively. And yes stats wise he’s one of the highest players with pass succession, but don’t forget he tends to slow the game down. He likes to hold the ball too long and it slows our tempo down. So in an attacking play, I’d leave Mikel out and unleash him when we need to defend. As for Essien, well I guess we all agree he’s a shadow of his former self. I do wish we could watch the Essien we adored next season. But as for now, he’s got a long way to go. And with his future still in doubts, we’ll have to wait and see. Now, Romeu and McEachran, both exciting young talents, but both still need more games and experience to be fully relied on.

Would Bastian be the perfect signing for our midfield?

Maybe Romans meeting on the yacht with Bastian Schweinsteiger a few days ago was not just a normal “chit-chat” as was said in reports?

What do you guys think? Should we let Meireles go?

#HWCFC (CFC360)

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Not Everyone Can Do A Chelsea!

"England attempted to do a Chelsea"

If you have been surfing through the web, exploring football news (especially about Euro 2012) you would have probably come across phrases like “doing a Chelsea”, “pulling a Chelsea” or even “trying a Chelsea”. If a team tried their best not to concede goals, then they are being accused of “doing a Chelsea”. Well, if doing a Chelsea means fighting till the end, against all the odds, commitment, courage then its fine by me. But let me remind you one thing. Not everyone can do a Chelsea.

Chelsea rule at the Camp Nou

It wasn’t a piece of cake for Chelsea to become the European Champions. We beat Valencia, Napoli, Benfica, Barcelona and Bayern Munich to be finally called as European champions. We overturned a 3-1 deficit against Napoli. John Terry played with broken ribs. Two of our center backs (Luiz and Cahill) got injured, had to use right backs as centers; but still we scored two goals with 10 men at Camp Nou in front of 90+ thousand fans. Everything was against us. But still, our manager, players and fans wouldn’t just give up so easily. Because, we are Chelsea. Not everyone can fight like we do.

Yes, we defended a lot. But no, it wasn’t boring and it definitely wasn’t anti-football. We took our chances, moved forward and took our shots. Considering the main objective of a football game is to score goals; then passing passing passing in the midfield looks more boring and anti-football to me. In the case of Chelsea, it was a well-organized plan by our manager and flawlessly actuated protocols by our players. This is isn’t as easy as it sounds. I mean over turning a 3-1 deficit, leveling with Barcelona at their magnificent Camp Nou and beating Bayern Munich at their own Allianz Arena isn’t a weak man’s job. It requires legends. Legends like Frank Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba who have an unbelievable fighting spirit.

Neuer unable to react to Drogba's bullet

After beating Chelsea 3-1 in the first leg, Napoli thought they won it. But then stepped Drogba, Terry, Lampard and Ivanovic to prove them wrong. In the semifinal first leg at Stamford Bridge, Barcelona were bossing around. But Lampard, Ramires and Drogba didn’t like it. They stepped up and shut the mouths of all the haters. In the second leg John Terry was sent off (rightly so), Barcelona scored two goals and they thought they won it. But Lampard, Ramires and Torres didn’t agree with them. In the final when Bayern Munich took the lead in the 82^nd minute. They took Muller off, thinking that these defending Chelsea players cannot do anything now. But then stepped up a legend with a newsflash: WE SCORE WHEN WE WANT. Didier Drogba came with a thunderous bullet and that over confident Neuer didn’t even know when the ball hit the net. Shortly after that, we were called the European champions.

Well not everyone has legends like Drogba, Terry and Lampard etc. Not every team has a Roberto Di Matteo. That’s why not everyone can pull a Chelsea. So people should stop comparing Chelsea with teams who just parks the bus. Because at Chelsea, we park the bus and then score when we want to.

By #LimCFC

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Michael Essien - The Rise and fall

Champions League Celebrations 2012

I remember back in 2008 I was sat in a restaurant conversing with a Ghanaian exchange student, who happened to be a Chelsea supporter, about what a world class midfielder Michael Essien was, in fact, I do believe we both agreed that at the time he was probably one of the best all round midfielders in the world. He was Ghanain and a Chelsea fan, so we were both pretty biased, but I know for a fact there wasn’t many football fans that would’ve disagreed with us back then.

Fast-forward four years and a handful of long term injuries later, Michael Essien is the forgotten man. Now this  article's title may be a little harsh on our powerhouse midfielder, it maybe pre-judgemental to say he has already ‘fallen’ and I really hope that statement becomes true. But most Chelsea fans right now are questioning whether he will even stay at the club this season, let alone get back to the high standards he once showed.

Essien is solid, pure muscle and can pretty much do anything that you’d need a midfielder to do. He played exceptionally well in the holding role, reading the game to high standards, getting tackles in and generally breaking up play. He was equally as good in a more advanced role, using his rocket right foot to blast in goals from all angles. His work rate, energy, determination and pace, made him to be the most admired midfielder in the world. In 2006 Essien was awarded African Footballer of the year and in 2007 smitten Chelsea fans awarded him with Player of the Year. He was also nominated for various other awards such as FIFA World Player of the Year. He is known for his versatility often filling in at right back and in central defence many times for the blues.

'The good ol days' putting Ronaldo in his back pocket

So after these injuries plaguing his career, he is now at the ripe age of twenty-nine, not old at all when you look at players like Frank Lampard still doing the business at thirty-four. His loss of form currently has seem him mainly warming the bench for Chelsea and this has to be down to the constant time out of football affecting his speed, stamina, agility and above all, his confidence. Essien is not the player he once was, he looks slow and unfit, so where does he go now? We’ll look at the options for our beloved Chelsea hero.

Move on, resurrect his career elsewhere?

Possibly, it’s certainly an option for him knowing that Chelsea are bringing in fresh new talent this summer, he will not get a lot of game time especially after the season Ramires has just had. I believe the French league could be a good option for him and he could hit form again shining for a lesser team who will build around him.

Stay at Chelsea, battle for his place?

Again, it may back fire and he may not get much game time, but if he’s determined and focused enough, there is a chance he could return to form, you can never write him off and I’d not be surprised if he returned this season stronger, fitter and better than ever before. It is possible but he has to get match fit again before anything else, it'll be an uphill struggle and could test his character. 

Chelsea still haven’t signed a right back, Essien could play there?

He absolutely could play there, and very affectively as we have seen before. He has the game knowledge, the intelligence and the tackling ability to be a very good right back. But again, this would depend on whether he can re-discover his form.

He could go on loan for a season, get some game time, that might help get his form back?

Yes, it might, IF he stays injury free and regains his confidence. After all, you don’t lose your ability over night. And if Essien did go on loan to somewhere like Stoke City for example, it could help him get back to his best. The downside of this is that Essien will be nearing thirty-one years of age upon his return to Chelsea.

The familiar goal celebration from the mighty Essien

These are all feasible options and I for one hope our most expensive player at the time finds success. Essien is and always will be a hero at Stamford Bridge, it would be sad to see him waste away in the reserves. I do feel that many fans have lost faith in him now, but he is still only twenty-nine, keep positive and maybe some of that positivity might rub off on the respected African unit that is Michael Essien.

KTBFFH till then.....

SYP - 360 Editor

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CFC The First Club To Sign With Delta Airlines

Delta airlines has made its first signing of a UK soccer club by striking a multi-year deal to become Chelsea's official airline sponsor. The deal brings together two major international brands: Delta, a leading global airline; and Chelsea FC, the champions of Europe. The partnership will commence in July 2012.

Delta will be exclusively designated as the "Official Airline Partner of Chelsea FC" and the agreement will give Delta numerous benefits including: LED exposure at each home game and exposure on the Chelsea FC website. The Delta logo will also be included on media backboards for interviews conducted at Chelsea's stadium around Premier League home matches.

Additionally, Delta will benefit from entitlement space at Stamford Bridge's Millennium Hotel, enabling the airline to entertain guests at Chelsea's home in a Delta-branded environment.
Delta is synonymous with sport in the United States where the airline is the official airline sponsor of leading U.S. sports teams including baseball's New York Yankees, hockey's Los Angeles Kings and American football's Minnesota Vikings. This summer, Delta will welcome the Chelsea FC team as they tour the United States. In July, they will play the French team, Paris Saint-Germain, at the new Yankee Stadium, which is also sponsored by Delta.
"We're delighted to sponsor Chelsea FC, a top-flight London club with a fan base of millions throughout Delta's worldwide network," said Perry Cantarutti, Delta's senior vice-president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. "Partnering with a leading club in the English Premier League is an exciting way to strengthen our brand both in the UK and around the world while a tie-in with Delta will help build Chelsea's brand in the U.S."

This year's winner of the Champions League and The FA Cup, Chelsea FC is one of the best-supported clubs worldwide and allows Delta to reach an international audience of more than one billion.

"It is a fantastic opportunity for Chelsea Football Club to partner ourselves with Delta Air Lines, an industry leader in aviation," said Chelsea FC Chief Executive Ron Gourlay. "Their passion for innovation and first-class service around the world make them a perfect match for us and we look forward to working together as we continue to develop the Chelsea name across the globe."
To celebrate the Delta-Chelsea FC partnership and help kick off the team's U.S. tour, customers can visit Delta's Facebook page to vote for a U.S. city to host a fare promotion from the United States to London this summer. Visit Facebook.com/Delta to vote.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta was named domestic "Airline of the Year" by the readers of Travel Weekly magazine, was named the "Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline" by PCWorld magazine for its innovation in technology and won the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 350 destinations in 65 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft.

Source-Delta Airlines.

This is what our Chief Executive Ron Gourlay had to say-

 'It is a fantastic opportunity for Chelsea Football Club to partner ourselves with Delta Air Lines, an industry leader in aviation,'

'Delta's passion for innovation and first-class service around the world make them a perfect match for us and we look forward to working together as we continue to develop the Chelsea name across the globe.

'It further demonstrates our commitment to growing our activities in America, highlighted by our 2012 summer tour that will take in Seattle, New York, Philadelphia and Miami.'The partnership also gives Delta an important London hub as they grow their transatlantic operations.

Well the deal will help CFC a lot as they compete to become one of the best clubs in Europe and expand their fan base world wide. In some ways it will also help Chelsea to ease off  the added pressure due to FFP rules and buy players and add more depth to the squad. It will also help CFC in marketing and establishing them as a world wide and accomplished brand.

Till then KTBBFH and stay tuned for more news....

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Season Review: Petr Cech

Being a goalkeeper has to be one of the most thankless jobs ever. When things are going well, they are never given any credit. But when things are going badly, they are always the first to be blamed.

Cech had a bad game against Arsenal

That certainly seemed to be the case with Petr Cech in the beginning of the 2011-12 season. He started the season well enough, keeping a clean-sheet in the opening league fixture against Stoke. However, he went through a period of constant struggle after that as he struggled to keep a clean-sheet, with the Chelsea defence guilty of leaking goals even in comprehensive victories. Admittedly, Cech's worst performance of the season was the 3-5 loss at home against Arsenal, where his positioning & composure seemed suspect. Many people (including Chelsea fans) began raising questions over Cech's ability, some going as far as suggesting that he wasn't good enough to play for Chelsea anymore.

But as the old saying goes, "Form is temporary, class is permanent". And Cech proved that with some impressive performances in crunch matches for Chelsea, notably against Barcelona. In the Champions League semi-final matches against the Catalans, Cech was called into action on more than one occasion & he made save after save to ensure that we kept Barca at bay.

Cech was kept busy vs. Barcelona

He was also impressive in the FA Cup final, his most notable save of the match coming when he managed to divert a powerful header from Andy Carroll onto the bar (pictured here) to ensure Chelsea hung on to their slender 2-1 lead. But the best of Petr Cech was yet to come.

Save of the season?

Arguably Cech's performance of the season was in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Even though he couldn't keep out Thomas Muller's effort that initially gave Bayern the lead, his save from Arjen Robben's penalty in extra-time ensured that we were able to take the game to penalties. During the penalty shoot-out, Cech made 2 consecutive saves that were instrumental in helping us win the Champions League. Big Petr managed to silenced any critics who felt he was past his prime. 

Cech with the Champions League trophy

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Falcao Not For Sale-Atlético Chief

Key Man: He guided his club to the Europa League title

Atlético Madrid's number 9 Radamel Falcao García Zárate who was considered to be a part of the Blues shopping spree will not be sold insists Atlectico's chief. Falcao also known as the King Of Europa League scored a whooping 36 goals last term for the Los Indios. Falcao who has already been linked with many clubs including Chelsea finished the 3rd top srtiker in La Liga behind Messi and Ronaldo.Reports from thesun and other British newspapers were constantly theorizing that Roman wants Falcao but the sporting director of  Atlético,Jose Luis Caminero has bluntly stated that they  want to keep Falcao and any news of him leaving is all untrue.

"Falcao will remain at Atletico Madrid and any talk of an exit is misplaced. The club has very clear ideas on this," Caminero told AS.

"The striker will remain with us next season and we are not considering any other possibility."

Falcao is one of the 5-6 strikers the media is intenesly linking the European Champions with. The traits Falcao possess are quite amazing no doubt. Falcao is a natural goal scorer and is known for terrorizing defenses with his burst in pace and powerful heading abilities. He can score with both his foot and this ability makes him sharp shooter.

Falcao would have been the perfect buy for the Blues with the Hulk transfer saga yet to end. Falcao has quite a hefty price tag as well as reports suggest he's been rated around €50 million, even at Porto his trasnfer clause was around €45m and the clubs now getting concious of what they buy thanks to the FFP rules,it coule be possible that the Colombian starlet doesn't move anywhere this summer.

What do you think readers should the Blues try and chase Falcao? or stick and negotiate with Hulk until he comes?

Till then KTBFFH as always....

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Chelsea Transfer News and Rumours Latest

TRANSFER NEWS/RUMOURS UPDATE - 25 JUNE 2012

Following is a roundup of Transfer News/Rumors from various sources: (Disclaimer: Credibility of the Sources are debatable.)

Chelsea Turn to Newcastle United Striker, Demba Ba, as Blues Refuse to Stump Up £38m for Hulk. ~ CaughtOffSide

Huntelaar link part of Blues' Hulk plan. ~ EatSleepSport

Florent Malouda Offered To Fluminense? Apparently, he had said before that he would like to play in Brazil at some point in his career. Also, he a Brazilian wife. ~ WAGNH

Wigan have reportedly lined up a replacement for Victor Moses, who continues to be linked with a move to Chelsea. ~ CrunchSports

Chelsea Can't Let Hatem Ben Arfa Sign with Arsenal. ~ BleacherReport

City joins Chelsea in the race for Diego Godin. ~ ABola

Blues Must Avoid Low-Ball Offers for Fernando Torres. ~ BleacherReport

Once rumored with Chelsea, Lewandowski has sparked Real Madrid's interests. ~ Bild

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For the Latest Updates

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TRANSFER NEWS/RUMOURS UPDATE - 24 JUNE 2012

Salomon Rondon to Chelsea rumors growing. ~ Full Story Here

Manchester City Join Chelsea in race for Diego Godin ~ DailyStar

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TRANSFER NEWS/RUMOURS UPDATE - 23 JUNE 2012

Debuchy is one of Di Matteo's preferred options, and Chelsea's interest could seriously hamper Newcastle's chances of landing the in-demand Lille defender. ~ The Northern Echo

Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie has completed a move to SV Werder Bremen following the end of his nation's UEFA EURO 2012 campaign. ~ UEFA

It was wildly rumored, a lot on twitter, than Chelsea's scouts were out to watch Gebre Selassie against Cristiano Ronaldo. This news came the very next day.

Manchester United and Manchester City look set for a massive transfer snub - with Javi Martinez close to joining Bayern Munich. ~ TalkSport

Although, it maybe a long shot, Javi Martinez previously linked with a Chelsea Transfer going to Bayern could mean a possible exit for Schweinsteiger. Maybe he and Roman shared more than just a joke, the last time the duo met during Euro 2012.

Chelsea are on the verge of completing the signing Porto striker Hulk after owner Roman Abramovich ratified the £35 million deal. ~ Squeaky

Guardiola urged to snub Chelsea for Bayern as Spain chief Del Bosque advises Barca legend. ~ Sportsmail

Brendan Rodgers is hoping to agree a minimum £10m deal for the Roma striker Fabio Borini this summer, having coached him as a youngster at Chelsea and having signed him on loan at Swansea. ~ Guardian 

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TRANSFER NEWS/RUMOURS UPDATE - 22 JUNE 2012

CHELSEA are ready to ditch plans to buy Brazilian forward Hulk after a bidding war started for the player. ~ Fulham Chronicle

"According to the newspapers, the Hulk would already be output. But I can guarantee now is that the Port has not received any proposal for it" - Da Costa told the radio Antena 1. ~ Globoesporte

Also according to Globoesporte, Hulk's termination fine is € 72 million (U.S. $ 186.7 million)

Pep Guardiola’s agent has rubbished reports linking the former Barcelona boss with a switch to Bayern Munich.

Chelsea recently appointed Roberto Di Matteo as their permanent manager on a two-year-deal but it is believed his contract may contain a break clause which can be activated after a year, allowing the club to make a move for Guardiola next summer. ~ TalkSport

United, City and Chelsea want Huntelaar ~ ABola

Pinto da Costa, president of FC Porto, said today, on arrival in Warsaw, that Porto was not contacted by any club to sell Hulk. ~ O Jogo

Pinto da Costa guarantees no offers for Hulk yet. ~ ABola

"No proposals have come from Hulk" ~ DN Desporto

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TRANSFER NEWS/RUMOURS UPDATE - 21 JUNE 2012

Hulk Update:

Hulk refused Paris Saint-Germain. Says if it is not Chelsea, then he will remain at Porto. ~ O Jogo

Porto striker Hulk 'wants to sign for Chelsea over French club Paris Saint-Germain' ~ Telegraph

Heart Set On Chelsea – Hulk Snubs Paris Saint-Germain. ~ InsideFutbol

Hulk prefers move to Chelsea over PSG. ~ Emirates247

Porto striker Hulk issues come and get me plea to Chelsea despite interest from France. DailyMail

P.S: We are proud to say we feel vindicated by our assessment of Hulk to Chelsea Transfer Saga. This is the STORY we had posted a day back on it, an objective assessment of Hulk's transfer. Many of the sources out there seem to be echoing our views.

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TRANSFER NEWS/RUMOURS UPDATE - 20 JUNE 2012

Galatasaray are lining up a £10million offer for Chelsea and Everton target Oscar Cardozo. ~ TalkSport

Fiorentina issue hands off warning to Chelsea over Jovetic. ~ MailOnline

Chelsea up bid for Moses after £4m rebuff as forward tells Wigan he wants out. ~ DailyMail

Chelsea’s hopes of landing Rafael da Silva have been hit by the news the defender is set to land a new deal with Manchester United. ~ CaughtOffSide

Bosingwa offered to Barcelona as former Chelsea full-back seeks new club. ~ MailOnline

The Competition: A Look At Chelsea's Title Rivals For Next Season

The Premier League: The most competent league in Europe.

The Barclays Premier League is considered by many to be the best football league in the world. Not only does the League have some of the world's finest players, it's one of the world's most watched leagues & has a number of quality teams that enjoy large fan-bases around the world. Results are often unpredictable, which makes the league all the more enjoyable to watch.Over recent years, Chelsea have emerged as regular contenders for the Premier League title. Last season though, we didn't even finish in the top 4. I expect this season to be different, with quality players having already arrived at the club & more players yet to sign. Of course, winning the League again won't be an easy task. There are a few clubs in England that have enough quality to win the League. Having said that, let us now take a look at 3 clubs who I think will be Chelsea's direct title rivals:-

Manchester City: Champions '12 

1) Manchester City- The defending champions. Manchester City have been a major force in English football since 2008, when they were taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The club spent millions of pounds buying quality players. They won the Premier League last season by beating QPR in their final match, making it the first time that the Premier League had been decided on goal difference. Their current squad is full of quality players like Edin Dzeko, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri & Joe Hart besides others. A squad like that means they will definitely be title contenders next season. Throw in the fact that manager Roberto Mancini has large resources at his disposal & one can expect them to add a few more players to their squad, despite being relatively inactive in the transfer market so far. Expect them to be Chelsea's toughest & most direct title rivals for next season.

Manchester United: Champions '11

2) Manchester United- The most successful English club in the Premier League era, Manchester United have been a major force in English football for a long time now. The club holds the record for the most no. of top-division titles (19) & came extremely close to adding a 20th League to their trophy cabinet last season, only to be thwarted by Manchester City at the very last minute. Despite finishing 2nd in the League, 2011-12 was not one of United's better seasons as they won no major trophy at all (if you exclude the FA Community Shield which they won in the beginning of the season!). However, credit must be given to United for fighting right till the end, although I could also criticize them for squandering the lead that they had in the Premier League. Nevertheless, the addition of Shinji Kagawa & Nick Powell show that Sir Alex Ferguson is preparing his team to win yet another Premier League title. Chelsea must not make the mistake of underestimating them.

Can Arsenal end their trophy drought? 

3) Arsenal- Before you begin to question my sanity, let me finish. It's true that Arsenal last won a major trophy in 2005 (The FA Cup). It's also embarrassing that many Arsenal fans actually consider finishing above Spurs in the League an achievement (High expectations, huh?). But Arsene Wenger has shown he means business this season, with the signing of Lukas Podolski already complete, & deals for French players Olivier Giroud & Yann M'Vila expected to be complete after Euro 2012. The club already have quality players in Alex Song, Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Robin van Persie, Mikel Arteta & Jack Wilshere besides others. The addition of Podolski, Giroud & M'Vila will only strengthen their squad. Plus, I'm sure Arsene Wenger would want Arsenal to end their trophy drought sooner rather than later (right?). While I don't see them as favourites for winning the Premier League trophy, expect them to spring a few surprises along the way. Who knows, maybe they'll win the Capital One Cup...

There are other clubs who will not be easy opponents, but I don't expect them to be major title contenders. Spurs managed to finish 4th last season, but I don't think that will happen again. Newcastle United had an impressive 2011-12 season, & it will be interesting to see if they will be able to replicate those performances.  Liverpool haven't been title contenders in a while now, & I don't expect them to challenge for a major trophy next season, despite having a new manager in Brendan Rodgers. One thing we can expect is another good season of football in the Barclays Premier League. I cannot wait for next season.


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Blue wave coming towards football!

Now that we have won the Champions League, it feels like a heavy load is off our back. No more “You guys have never won a Champions League” claims from the anti-Chelsea fans. We’ve got it now. The Holy Grail is in our cabinet. Last season was a huge success for Chelsea. The season which media predicted would be our worst season went on to become our best season. However, they were right in one thing. We failed in the premier league by losing a battle for a Champions League spot. Maybe this time that would be overshadowed by our famous Champions League win. But fighting for the Champions League spot is below our grade. That’s probably Arsenal and Tottenham’s level. We should be up there at the top. We should be challenging for the title.

Winning the Champions League and FA Cup, however reassures our spot in the list of world’s best football powerhouses. Next season would be the best opportunity for us to prove that we can be consistent at top level. We would be playing in the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup next season. Including those we will take part in 7 tournaments (including the community shield). From them, Premier League should be our main priority. We need a big squad for that. We need rotation in it. Youth needs to step up. Legends should keep leading them with examples. I think we are really good at that part. And with Roman’s huge wallet, I think next season would be more than just gold for us. Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts, because there is a huge blue wave coming towards football. I meant a royal blue wave. A dark blue wave. Definitely not a light one.

Here’s why


Eden Hazard

Ligue 1’s best player for the past two seasons. Owns twenty goals and fifteen assists from last season. Sought after by the biggest footballing giants. But he said, “I’m signing for the champions league winner”. This talented 21 year old can play both as a winger and as an attacking midfielder. However he prefers the latter. Many of the football experts praised this skilled Belgian international. He has got an awesome dribbling, an eye for the goal and creates chances as well in the meantime. He is known for his creativity, speed and technical ability. Described as a “fearless, explosive attacking midfielder who can change the game with a turn of pace or a dribble” and also “a defenders’ nightmare”. He has drawn comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the man for Chelsea next season.

Marko Marin

This guy impressed me first at the FIFA World Cup 2010 after coming on as a sub in a game with a set of dribbles and drilling the defense lines. 23 years old, a German international known as the German Messi for his great dribbling skill. He is described as a player who can decide a game on his own. Quite like Hazard, but he is less physical and is injury prone as he spent most of the last season in the sidelines. This might be a problem. But his effective skills as a winger or as an attacking midfielder compensates for that. He is known for his acceleration, dribbling, agility, creativity, versatility, technical ability and as an assist maker. Chelsea bought him from German side Werder Bremen for $8M. He can bring back the spark from the wings that Chelsea had during the Mourinho days.

Hulk

Now that Drogba and Kalou are gone we need another striker. And I believe Hulk can be the exact replacement. But Porto could be quite reluctant to sell him, especially to Chelsea as our history with them is not at the best condition. Aged 25, this Brazilian international has the power to smash in goals and is quite effective in front of the goal. He lives up to his name Hulk (actually a nickname from his father). He is Chelsea’s first choice to replace Drogba. But Malaga’s Salomon Rondon, Fiorentina’s Stevan Jovetic and Wigan’s Victor Moses are also in the queue.

Mathieu Debuchy

Team mate of Eden Hazard at Lille. Can be teammates again if the transfer happens. This French international has impressed football eyes in this year’s European Championship playing as a right back for France. He has scored 15 goals in his career which is quite impressive for a 26 year old right back. We need him to replace Jose Bosingwa who is released by Chelsea. Debuchy is known for stability, consistency and positioning which currently lacks at Chelsea. He also has ability to move forward with the ball in the opposition half and provide good crosses infront of the opposition goal. And if needed he can act as a defensive midfielder. I think we should buy him instead of Van der Wiel.

I believe that’s all the shopping we need. Already our squad is crowded and if needed there is January transfer market. And we have skilled youth players in Islam Feruz, Lucas Piazon, Ryan Bertrand who is ready to step up whenever they are given the chance. With this squad, the legends and Roberto Di Matteo, I think we are in for a treat next season. My preferred line up:

Cech

Debuchy/Ivanovic           Luiz/Cahill            John Terry           Cole/Bertrand

Ramires/Meireles            Lampard/Mikel/Essien

Mata                                     Hazard                                  Marin

Torres/Hulk

Feel free to comment in your preferred line up. By #LimCFC

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