And Away We Go

So Gameweek 1 of the campaign saw Jose got off to a routine start: 6 points out of 6 to leave him a happy one, but nothing special, considering the manner of victories and strength of opposition (Hull and Villa).

It was certainly a good start as we bagged 2 crucial victories before heading into an early title-decider of a match with United at Old Trafford this week and then a blank gameweek due to European commitments.

However, those anticipating an onslaught of goals or our boys turning up the style felt the victories lacked a certain oomph.

Firstly, the striker conundrum, which has plagued us since The Drog hung up his boots, has yet to be resolved. Pre-season man-on-form Lukaku had to watch from the bench as both Torres and Demba Ba were given a chance to prove their respective cases for being Chelsea’s first choice front men. Both did not convince.

Torres showed better movement and link-up play with the midfield but Ba cut a periphery figure and looked out of place. Both games Lukaku, the one anointed as the Next Drogba, looked dangerous but perhaps not intergrated fully yet with Mourinho’s style.

It’s still early days but one feels that if Mourinho wants to put together a team capable of challenging on all fronts, he needs to solve this last piece of the jigsaw.

Personally, I would go for Lukaku as the first choice. We have talented attack-minded midfielders like Hazard, Oscar, Lamps, Schurrle, De Bruyne, Mata and Moses who can all get involved in the final third and can shoot. A big and strong target man who can hold up play, knock-down aerial balls and tear defences apart with brute strength and speed would be ideal to lead the line. Lukaku can be moulded into that role. Right now, his physique favours such a role but his mindset is in between a predator type striker (Dzeko / Soldado) and all-action front guy (Suarez / Aguero) who wants to be involved in build-up play.

Perhaps the only setback for Lukaku is his work ethic in tracking back and harassing teams who wants to play out from the back. Torres is relatively more hard-working in that sense whilst Ba is an out-and-out striker.

Who knows, Mourinho may just have given Torres and Ba their final chance to impress, all the while knowing that he will pen Lukaku’s name down on the team sheet at Old Trafford. One can hope.

Style-wise, Chelsea still hasn’t settled on a particular one yet. The strains of Mourinho DNA still linger in the Chelsea team, especially the defence. Terry, Cole, Lamps and Cech seem very comfortable hunkering down to play defensive, counterattacking, solid containment style football. However, the new boys with their rapid one-two’s, flicks into space and creative probing game shows glimpses that Chelsea may be evolving into a slightly more open and attack-minded nature.

Mourinho must quickly settle on a style: either go back to Chelsea of 2004-2006 or alchemise the old ways with the new personnel into a new system.

Personally, I feel going back to the past is not the way to go. Chelsea of back then played that way due to the personnel he had and the way the Premier League played at that time. The Chelsea of today would be wasting the ball skills of its current crop of dribblers and attacking wizards if it were to revert to its standard issue.

Mourinho must somehow forge steel and silk to create a team who can attack with flair yet “do a Stoke” when necessary.

Also, defence looks a bit lacking in depth when the calendar busies itself up. Centrebacks of Terry (old, injury-prone these days), Cahill (solid but naïve when it comes to tiki-takaish teams), Ivanovic (very solid, attacking but sometimes prone to mistakes) and Luiz (swashbuckling ball-player with leadership qualities but prone to gross indiscipline) would just barely make it once we start fighting on 4 fronts (league, FA Cup, Carling Cup and Europe). That is why Mourinho cannot afford to let Luiz go (to Barcelona, if rumours are to be believed). And he still needs another cover. An utility type player who could play across the back 4. We need him by the next January transfer window.

Well, those are the only problem areas I foresee. Midfield looks abundant with talent and there has not been much chopping and changing with the main team throughout summer, which bodes well for team fluidity.

Season really starts this weekend with the clash at Old Trafford. Let us hope we can put 3 points (essentially 6 in a title-fight) between us in our favour.

Normal Service Resumes

Oh, what a summer it has been.

Weekends will be quiet no more as English football resumes today with the Community Shield. And so, once more after months of inactivity, this blog comes back to resume full service to coincide with the beginning of English Premier League season 2012 / 2014. 

It has been a brilliant close season, if you're a Chelsea fan. Couldn't have asked for more with the return of the prodigal son aka Jose Mourinho aka Special One. One would hope that Roman has realised the folly of his ways and comes full circle with the re-appointment of the man who created the Chelsea team of today. With much trepidation, one would hope that the managerial musical chair has truly stopped and that Jose would be given the comfort of job security to truly re-start the Chelsea dynasty. 

There could be no more a better time to start a dynasty than now. Let's examine the competition.

The best manager in the world (and arguably of all time) Sir Alex Ferguson has finally called it quits after 20 odd years of dominance. Manchester United have failed to strengthen and looks to be reliant on peaked Robin Van Persie, the man who literally and single-handedly won the title for them last season. The Devils would be hoping that players like Nani, Ashley Young, Valencia and Kagawa can shake off the horrible / patchy form of last season to help service the predatory RVP. The Devils are also hoping wonderkid Zaha would live up to the usual English press hype of being the next wonderkid. Finally, the Devils are hoping that new manager David Moyes (who has not won a proper silverware at the top flight before) can translate his shoestring budget management of Everton to taking charge of arguably the most popular franchise in the world. 

As you can see, United are going through a phase of great transition. They may click, they may not. My personal opinion is that they need at least 1 season of Moyes being in charge before any judgment can be passed. This season would be a time for him to stamp his mark, mould the team in his image and try to win over the fans and players that he is top managerial level. I suspect silverware is not really his main priority (at least for this season), but he would be careful not to fall out of the top 4 or face the ire of global mocking. Prediction: United 3rd place, possibly Carling or FA Cup finalist.

Manchester City, too, are another team with a new manager in the form of Manuel Pellegrini. He is an astute tactician, no nonsense fella who knows his stuff, but has no experience in the English game and still an untested quantity outside of Spanish football. He is a different proposition from the flamboyant Mancini, and plays a more solid but direct attacking game compared to his predecessor's erratic tinkering and defensive style. However, City have recruited well in the summer. Strike force has been bolstered by the hardworking and deadly Jovetic together with a top marksman in the form of Negredo to combine with Aguero and Dzeko (who seems to have found favour with his new manager). Supplying the frontline will be new boy Jesus Navas, arguably one of the last few quality, traditional sideline-hugging wingers of our time, David Silva (who will be hoping to put a woeful last season behind him and return to his vintage 2011/2012 season form) and the unpredictable yet brilliant (when the mood strikes) Samir Nasri. City have also bolstered the centre of the park with the acquisition of Fernandinho, a quality centre midfielder who would certainly be able to allow Yaya Toure freedom to bomb forward and do some bombing up on his own. 

City seems very strong and a true title contender. Very solid if they can click (which is highly probable given that they are not dismantling or rebuilding but instead just bolstering their weak spots). Prediction: City probably 2nd place if not title winners.  

Other worthy challengers could be Arsenal and Spurs. The Gunners could be a worthy challenger if they can land Suarez. They have a creative and flair squad with Cazorla, Wilshere, Rosicky, Arteta, Walcott and Ramsey playing their own brand of English tiki-taka but lack penetration with Giroud, Podolski and Gervinho lacking the killer instinct. Suarez would be the last piece of the jigsaw. They seem a bit threadbare in the heart of defence too, so if they can land someone in the mould of Ashley Williams, they would have much needed depth in that department. Prediction: Arsenal 2nd or 3rd place.

As for Spurs, it appears that AVB's geekery is finally taking shape. With the right personnel to execute his philosophy of fast tempo, pressing, high defence and mobile but direct attacks, AVB's Spurs seem solid. The landing of Soldado without much fanfare or attention may be a masterstroke signing. The directness and fox-in-the-box predatory finishing of the Spaniard is what Spurs has been lacking the past few years. However, much of Spurs' hopes depends on whether Madrid lands Bale. Without Bale, they would still be top 4 challengers. But if they can pull of a miracle by convincing Bale to stay, Spurs may even push for the title. Prediction: 3rd or 4th.  

Which leaves one last prediction to be done: the fate of our boys in Blue.

Call me optimistic because I am a huge fan of JM, but I think this is our season for the taking. Anything less than winning the title would be an underachievement given the relative calm summer we have had compared to the other rivals. We have bolstered the depth with the return from loans of Kevin De Bruyne, Michael Essien and my personal favourite Romelu Lukaku, the acquisitions of high potential Van Ginkel and Andre Schurlle, and the safe hands of experienced Mark Schwarzzer. 

Add all that to the maturing of the Hazard, Mata and Oscar combo, with Luiz, Terry, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole and Azpili providing a solid defence with shield in the form of Ramires, Lamps and Mikel, we finally look like genuine title favourites.

As for Rooney? Well, he will be nice to have, but I don't think this particular squad needs him. Mour needs to turn Lukaku into the new Drogba that he is destined to be, and ensure that our creative players feed this monster constantly, and we would be the team to beat.

I am rarely that optimistic about chances, especially before the season begins, but here's my prediction: Chelsea to win the title and perhaps 1 or 2 cups (UEFA would be nice).   

With great powers (and squad) comes great responsibility. Mourinho has no reason or excuses if he falters. 

Let the season begin.