This season (although only 4-5 games old) is already shaping up to be a close title race. We have yet to field what I would consider our first choice XI with any consistency. It would be nice to have Riccy and JT together. It would be nice to start Joe Cole and have the option of Sheva off of the bench. Ballack would add the depth in midfield that I'm not sure Sidwell will provide (I pass on judgement for the timebeing). Ferreira/Belletti's years are critical - having a solid RB would free up Essien to his most dangerous position. This should be the most exciting team we have produced and one that has the depth to win the title. Man Utd have a very good team when Rooney and Ronaldo are fit and will be (IMHO) our main rivals for the long haul this year but you can't fail to be impressed by the Scouse so far. Torres seems a handy buy and lets be honest they outmatched us at Anfield. Do they have the horses for a long challenge? I'm not so sure. Arsenal, post Henry, are dark horses. A young improving side who don't worry me this year but will undoubtedly be contenders for years (despite their choice of William "Me Me Me" Gallas as captain). Do you doubt we can/will win? Who do you see as the main rivals as the season progresses? Hopes for Europe?
Early season predictions can often be influenced by early season jitters. United will, no doubt, be the main rivals, they're stock full of class players. All that has been required of them so far, has been to muddle through the injury and suspension of those two, and not fall too far off the early season pace. Job done there. I will refrain from passing judgement of the scouse, a thumping win against Derby means nothing, even less when considering that hapless spurs trounced them at home also, added with a rather fortunate win at Villa park and a game against Sunderland don't instill in me the idea that they are quite there yet. Perhaps they are, but it's just too early yet. Arsenal will be no dark horses - they're playing for third or fourth, end of. Chelsea now, thats a different kettle of fish. We are not as strong as in previous seasons, this is unquestionable. We are also suffering from poor transfers in and the releasing of better players. Funny thing is, it's not this seasons transfers in that are causing such a gap in the quality of Chelsea 07/08 from previous seasons, it's last seasons transfers that are causing the most harm. Our players brought in this season are fine squad players, it's the two duds we have from last Summer, that have caused the drift away from the undoubted best team in England. We were lucky against brum, goalkeeping errors as much as good play being highly involved in the winning margin, we had but 5 good mins against Reading, got stage fright at Anfield and failed to appear at Villa Park when clinical finishing was required. Where will we finish? Too early to tell, those are just my thoughts (so far) on the teams that will finish one through four.
Even though I would like to change some of my preseason placings I still hold firm to my placing Chelsea 3rd. Our signings ranged from baffling to mediocre. Our best player thus far, apparently, is someone who most of us wanted to never see in a Chelsea kit again and whose touch and finishing still need mountains of work (not mention hasnt scored a goal yet this season). We have yet to play the football we are capable of for more than 5 minutes. I have Man Utd & Liverpool finishing above us. Man Utd will recover from this blip and will play like a team possessed because they know they cant afford another slip like this. Liverpool look dangerous and hungry. Both have the bench power to overcome any major injury crisises or slips in consistency. Its going to be a long season, I fear
Hopefully, we won't get relegated. My heart and my head tell me we are going wo struggle this season. I kept telling myself for the last 2 seasons that I'd like to see Chelsea at 100% or close to that at its game. Thus far, I think our best games were maybe 80% at best of what this team is capable of. We will be close on domestic and European fronts, but unless someone outside of Lampard and Drogba step up big time, we won't win the 2 trophies that we know we want to see lifted.
First, you weak willed bastards with Clan pulling his hair out over too many far too early defended 1-0 wins. The next month or so depending on how long Lamp is out will be critical I think to our hopes, especially so if the reports of Drogs being out 2-4 weeks prove accurate That is our main weakness, lack of depth of world class first team strikers, and strikers that can hold up the ball and play by themselves upfront,there being none other than Drogs, and perhaps JT, unless Sheva can adjust and regain some past glory and hopefully a bit of his pace (hopefully part of his lost step or two last yera was due to his carrying a knock from the world cup). Stil think Sheva if he plays with j. Cole and another winger in the 4-3-3 can score some goals though we will have to move the ball up on the ground and flanks. Second problem is lack of clever and gamebreaking players, need at least one more. No doubt we have slipped a bit due to some bad business, and can't say I said so at the time but Ballack especially and Sheva may have been our worst business since Veron, but I still think we will be by far the most consistent and the best defensivly, along close behind with the scousers. Manure is very very thin behind their top 4 defenders, injuries there could really hurt their cause. I do think it will take a bit less points to win the League with the improvement of 2nd-3rd tier teams like Everton, tots, Villa Blackburn and perhaps Newcastle but still very little room for error though, manure being the strongest competition, scousers will be a lot closer but probably a bit too inconsistent on the road to really threaten yet as will be Arsenal but both very very tough head to head. I also think we may need to buy one or two, including a physical and fast striker for the ANC, the second critical challange to our hopes. Wish we would have bought Bent
If we'd gotten Martins and Alves instead of Pizarro and Belletti, I'd be willing to bet a lot on us winning the title this year. As things stand, though, there's no way to call it. We lack depth up top behind Drogba, and our midfield will struggle to produce a lot of quality attacks while Lampard is out injured. Add to that the fact that no RB has established himself as reliable, which means that Essien may once in a while have to be removed from the midfield role in which we need him so badly. Overall, we're title contenders, no doubt. But I don't think we're the favorites, and I am less confident now than I was at this point last year, or even than I was at the beginning of June. Our transfers were not good, and we'll need several things to fall into place to win it. First, Kalou needs to learn how to finish. Second, Sheva needs to be in form in January. Third, we need our backline to stay healthy. Fourth, we need Joe Cole to really bring some creativity to the table in Lampard's absence. If those all happen, we'll be champions. If any one of them doesn't, we'll be looking at a really close race up until the end.
Yeah I agree with Clan's assessment that the problems weren't this summer's transfers, but last. Pizarro, Sidwell, TBH, etc make fine backups because they are content to be that, and having squad players that dont whine about playing time and are content with playing a role prove to be useful. The problem is with Sheva and Ballack having worked out like they have, now these squad players need to play bigger roles far more often than Id like to see. Hopefully Kalou improves from his slow start and blossoms further this season, we really could use his pace in the lineup. Come January we will really need to examine our strike force and bring in help, because playing without Drogba, right now, is a very scary thing. We certainly have a team capable of winning it, but a lot will have to go right.
Ahh so much negativity. Mark my words now . Sheva will make an amazing comeback and score 25+ goals. Drogba his usual 33 despite not being there for 2 months. Ballack will be a monster in the mid-field plus his aerial threat. Lampard and essien their usual best. Malouda will score a hat-trick against Man U at Old Trafford. Pizarro will score the crucial goal against pool to knock them out of the CL. Terry, carvalho and cech will let in only 14 goals the whole season. Sidwell will be the match-winner in the CL finals. Belletti will be bigger than alves by the end of this season. Sinclair will be the new Henry. And we will win the quadruple. This is going to be true.
I have a feeling we are headed for 3rd. ANC is a killer. I figure we need at LEAST a 10 point lead on United when we head into January or we will be left behind. Hope I'm wrong.
A respectful 3rd. When we get healthy I fully believe the boys will make the best of this situation. Even if some are looking to leave I HAVE to believe as a fan of this club that they'll show up and bust their ass.