Numerous Chelsea Stories today

Rhys Evans on SNet:

Rhys Evans is a man in a hurry. Chelsea's England Under-21 goalkeeper, who is currently on loan at Leyton Orient, is bristling with ambition and has more targets than an over-burdened schoolteacher.

He talks constantly, about his hopes, dreams, team-mates and rivals, but his burning ambition is laced with a healthy realism, which is just as well. Brisbane Road is no place for a prima donna.

'I just want to do as well as I can,' he told Soccernet. 'I want to be England No.1, and No.1 at a Premiership club that is challenging for trophies. There's no point aiming low. If I only get as far as Division One, then at least it's better than Division Two or Three.'

Evans is a good talker but could become an even better goalkeeper. His next big target is to become the first-choice keeper for the Under-21s, and he will move a step closer on Friday when he sits on the bench against Yugoslavia at Bolton's Reebok Stadium.

Liverpool's Chris Kirkland and Paul Robinson of Leeds are above him in the pecking order, but Evans has more international experience than both of them. The 20-year-old has 45 England youth caps, a record for a goalkeeper below senior level.

Evans said: 'Robinson is the man in possession at the moment and I'd like to be in his position. He's a good keeper and has a chance to stake his claim in the senior side. I bet he's well chuffed.

'Kirkland is a year above me so he'll probably start, but I'd like to get part of a game. Just to be involved is nice.'

Evans's immediate target is to get regular first-team football at club level. He made 11 loan appearances for QPR last season, which whetted his appetite. But he was keen to escape Stamford Bridge after only starting this campaign as Chelsea's fourth-choice goalkeeper.

He said: 'I came to Orient for first-team football, it's as simple as that. I didn't want to go back to the reserves and there's no point rotting on the bench.

'With the transfer window, you're only allowed one loan a season so I had to get out before the end of August. I've only got one year left at Chelsea and wanted to put myself in the shop window.

'I need to be playing wherever I go. If Chelsea offered me a new contract as their number-two keeper then I'd definitely take it, otherwise I'll be looking to leave. I'm still settling in at Orient and this is the best bunch of lads I've ever played with. Everyone really seems to care about each other and I've never really experienced that in football.'

Evans is on a two-month loan at Orient but wants to stay for the rest of the season. Despite his reluctance to return to Stamford Bridge, he has no problem with Chelsea and retains great affection for Ed de Goey and Mark Bosnich.

'Ed is a quality keeper and always gave me advice on positioning and technique,' he said. 'We're still in touch and he tries to help me even though he doesn't see my games.

'I'm not really sure what happened with Boz. I was on the bench for his first few games and he looked top-class. I'm not sure if he fell out with Claudio Ranieri or lost confidence but something must have happened. He is very determined and I'm sure he can bounce back.'

This is pretty straight forward. His contract is up in a year and unless we offer him the #2 jersey he will leave. Ed's contract is up in a year and hopefully he will be released. Bosnich needs to get some more time starting in the reserves to make him more attractive to any potential suitor. Sell him in the January window, his wages are too high for a #3 or even #2 keeper. We have our #1 in Carlo, we wouldn't have given him a 5 yr, 35k per week deal to sit on the bench as the #2. So the resolution:

Now until January:
Carlo #1
Bosnich #2 to get back in form and be in the shop window
EDG #3
Evans on loan at Orient

January:
Sell Bosnich to anyone, any fee is a profit
Bring Evans back from his loan at Orient to be #3

Summer:
Promote Evans to #2
Release EDG
Buy a cheap #3 keeper or promote from within

 

Terry on SNet

Chelsea defender John Terry is targeting a return to action with the reserve team next week as he insists that he has now fully recovered from his summer knee operation.

Terry's rehabilitation after surgery was hindered by his recent court case, in which he was cleared of all charges arising out of a nightclub incident.

His presence in court meant that his training suffered and he has since been working hard with fitness coach Ade Mafe to get back to full sharpness.

This week, while most of Chelsea's first-team squad are away on international duty or on a short break, Terry has been working out at the club's Harlington training ground.

'When you come back for pre-season training then you're all in it together and when you feel tired, you gee each other up, so it's a lot more difficult on your own,' he told Chelsea TV.

'My knee is perfect now so hopefully I'll be back in training with the first-team when they get back on Thursday.

'I'm ready for that. Hopefully the manager will say I'm fit and I can play in the next reserve game next Monday and then it's just up to the manager when he picks me.

Not much here. Good news though, he could be back in the first team in less than a month.

 

I must have been seeing things

if I think 2 stories = "numerous". I need more sleep. Anyway, what does everyone think about Lamps being excluded from the England squad? It's a shame in my opinion. But I guess it just means he will be fresh next week for Blackburn and Dunn will hopefully have been out running for 90 minutes over the weekend.

 

thanks Monkee

I was running scared over the weekend. I had dreams of black helicopters tracking me down to haul me off. I feel much safer this morning.

Sorry for the mistake, I did not know that was aginst the site rules. The only rule I was aware of was to put the [ R ] in threads where I discuss specific match results.