Friday, October 25, 2013

Crucial win


Crucial win 


What an amazing performance to silence all the critiques and doubters Chelsea had. Chelsea won 3-0 away from home at FC Schalke 04 at the ground where Jose Mourinho first lifted the Champions League trophy with FC Porto.

Schalke passed the ball and it was met with an on rushing Chelsea player to defend it. Where was Julian Draxler? In Branislav Ivanovic's pocket. Azpilicueta did extremely well at LB. Jose Mourinho got the tactics absolutely spot on!

Next around the corner is Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. City have been very inconsistent, demolishing Manchester United 4-1 and the week after, losing to Aston Villa 3-2 without Benteke.  This is the game that lays the mark that Jose has arrived. We must win to keep on track. Cancel out Sergio 'Kun' Aguero and Yaya Toure and you've cancelled out the majority of the City team. Some rumours have it to believe that Ashley Cole is fit to face Man City and Vincent Kompany has been ruled out of the match. This will be a major boost to Chelsea. I hope Mourinho gets the tactics spot on again and increases our unbeaten run at home and this season.

Here is how I think Chelsea should line up against Manchester City:

                  Cech
Ivanovic Terry Cahill Cole
      Ramires Lampard
Schurrle Oscar Hazard
             Torres

I believe this is our strongest XI for this current season. We have options to rotate the current squad if needs must.

The game will kick off on Sunday 27th October at Stamford Bridge. 

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Striker Conundrum


Striker Conundrum 


    I will attempt to find a striker who would finally, finally complete the final jigsaw to Chelsea's striking problems. Lukaku is on loan, so let him be for a season. Torres seems to be getting back to his best but whenever  anyone even remotely thinks of it, Fernando immediately stops performing. Eto'o is performing below par, having so much experience with  FC Barcelona and Inter Milan at the top level, he looks 17 not 32. Chelsea need a striker at the top, who stays in the middle, not a player who drifts on the wing and in the 'CF' position. Eto'o was only given a one-year contract at the start of the season and I think that's how it should stay. Ba, has been extremely inconsistent - one game, he's instrumental, the other, you wonder if he's still on the pitch. During the January transfer window, Chelsea should simply invest in a striker. I have five propositions to fit the bill.

Javier Hernandez, 25 - Manchester United
   Forget Rooney. This one is more likely. He sits on the bench, 4th choice and wouldn't have a sky-high price. Pacy, goal scorer and has a great reputation. An estimated guess of £15-£20 million. Still a young player too who hasn't reached his peak. Clinical goal poacher. Someone to put the ball in the net. If I were Mourinho, I'd buy Hernandez in the January transfer window.


Robert Lewandowski, 25 - Borussia Dortmund
   This is certainly the player Roman Abramovich should fight tooth and nail to sign a contract at Chelsea. Latest reports coming out of the Lewandowski camp say that he hasn't in fact signed a pre-contract with Bayern Munich and wishes to test himself in the Premier League. Costing absolutely nothing in transfer fees, as his contract expires in the summer, Robert Lewandowski is free to speak to any club in January. Powerful, pacy and knows where the goal is, I would be happy to see him in a Chelsea shirt. Although this wouldn't help in the current season, having signed Lewandowski on a pre-contract, would be exciting news for any Chelsea fans and maybe, the Chelsea strikers would up their game in order to be within the club next season.


Karim Benzema, 25 - Real Madrid
   Maybe an outside bet to wear the Chelsea blue, but I wouldn't be ungrateful if he arrived. His performances for the Los Blancos (The Whites - Real Madrid) have been below par and he has been warned that if his performances do not improve, he could be shown to the door. Rumours speculate that Real Madrid are wanting to sign a striker in the figure of Luis Suarez so this may pave the door for Benzema to be sold for a cheaper price than expected, in the region of £20-£30 million.


Radamel Falcao, 27/29 (depending what you believe) - AS Monaco
  Unlikely as it would seem, having just transferred in the summer, Falcao would be an excellent purchase. Some rumours have it to believe that super agent, Jorge Mendes installed a clause in Falcao's contract which sates that if Chelsea FC or Real Madrid are willing to pay £50 million in January 2014 (the same amount that AS Monaco payed Atletico Madrid in the summer 2013) then Falcao would be allowed to speak to the clubs.


Loic Remy, 26 - Newcastle United (on loan from Queens Park Rangers)
   Almost never going to happen but I see a deadly striker in Loic Remy. Albeit, it's just October, Loic Remy is the second highest top scorer in the Premier League with a below-motivated Newcastle United side languishing in 11th place. Without a shadow of a doubt, he is able to find the net and causes chaos for defenders. He would be a gamble for The Blues but not an expensive one. An estimated £10-£15 million should be enough.