The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[paco]

They must have really big plans letting all those players go. Transfer market will be exciting this year. Need to get over the World Cup first though!

[Eastern_Pride]

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

ENGLAND: Hart (Manchester City); Johnson (Liverpool), Terry (Chelsea), King (Tottenham), A Cole (Chelsea); Lennon (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Gerrard (Liverpool), Milner (Chelsea); ; Rooney (Manchester United); Crouch (Tottenham).

Do the Irish Times know something we don't?

[Norf Tyrone]

I always like Benayoun but I'd prefer to see Kakuta and/ or Stoch given a lash.

Benayoun, 30, said: "Ancelotti wants me for next season and now everything depends on Liverpool. Chelsea will have to pay some £6m but I believe that in the end I'll be moving there."

Looking like Benayoun could be announced tomorrow. I like the lad, but not sure the strategy of letting Cole and Stoch and getting him in?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

I always like Benayoun but I'd prefer to see Kakuta and/ or Stoch given a lash.

Benayoun, 30, said: "Ancelotti wants me for next season and now everything depends on Liverpool. Chelsea will have to pay some £6m but I believe that in the end I'll be moving there."

Looking like Benayoun could be announced tomorrow. I like the lad, but not sure the strategy of letting Cole and Stoch and getting him in?

Absolutely NT, there's no way in the world that Benayoun is a better player than Joe Cole.

[Norf Tyrone]

I always like Benayoun but I'd prefer to see Kakuta and/ or Stoch given a lash.

Benayoun, 30, said: "Ancelotti wants me for next season and now everything depends on Liverpool. Chelsea will have to pay some £6m but I believe that in the end I'll be moving there."

Looking like Benayoun could be announced tomorrow. I like the lad, but not sure the strategy of letting Cole and Stoch and getting him in?

Absolutely NT, there's no way in the world that Benayoun is a better player than Joe Cole.

Wages?? Chelsea need to comply with UEFAs new rules regarding wages being less than a certain percentage of turnover and with Cole being well behind Malouda now in pecking order they wouldn't wanna be paying 100k (its obscene when ya say it out loud)!! a week to someone outside first team. Would Benyoun command half that?? say 50k a week that saves Chelsea the not inconsiderable sum of 2.5mill a year. I'd say you see a lot of teams being facing up to this dilemma in the near future.

No doubt that's a large part of it Boycey, but I don't think those new rules come into force until 2010.

On that, apparently shifting Ballack, Cole and Belletti saves Chelsea almost £300K a week!! 

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Ballack signs for Bayer Leverkusen.

[Norf Tyrone]

Time to kick start the double winners thread again. The transfer market has been very quiet as of late, but I'll expect one or two additions before the season starts. A midfielder among the priorities.

Anyhow. Pre season starts today at Crystal Palace in what will be a shadow squad. Most of the World Cup players are still absent, and not risked will be Benayoun, Bosignwa, Zhirkov, and Mancienne. Add in Kakuta, Borini, Sala, Mellis and Delac in France are the Euro 19s, and maybe I should bring my boots.

Anyhow the good news is.... Essien is back!

[Norf Tyrone]

Petr Cech (capt)
Jeffrey Bruma
Alex
Patrick van Aanholt
Ryan Bertrand
John Mikel Obi
Michael Essien
Nemanja Matic
Josh McEachran
Franco Di Santo
Daniel Sturridge

Subs: Hilario, Ross Turnbull, Ben Gordon, Nathaniel Chalobah, Jack Cork, Conor Clifford, Daniel Philliskirk, Michael Woods, Kaby Djalo, Milan Lalkovic, Scott Sinclair


Good to see young Irish lad Clifford in the squad. I think that Chalobah is only 16.

[stiffler]

Heard good reports about Clifford.

Is he likely to feature at all this season, maybe carling cup?

[Norf Tyrone]

Heard good reports about Clifford.

Is he likely to feature at all this season, maybe carling cup?

Dunno. He definately has a chance, but looks a bit light yet. If Chelsea sign 2 or 3 more midfielders he'll get pushed back, but in the current situation he'll get the odd bench place. Year on loan to beef him might help him.

[Norf Tyrone]

Petr Cech (capt)
Jeffrey Bruma
Alex
Patrick van Aanholt
Ryan Bertrand
John Mikel Obi
Michael Essien
Nemanja Matic
Josh McEachran
Franco Di Santo
Daniel Sturridge

Subs: Hilario, Ross Turnbull, Ben Gordon, Nathaniel Chalobah, Jack Cork, Conor Clifford, Daniel Philliskirk, Michael Woods, Kaby Djalo, Milan Lalkovic, Scott Sinclair


Good to see young Irish lad Clifford in the squad. I think that Chalobah is only 16.

Chelsea won 1-0 with an Essien goal. For the record, young Chalobah played, and he is 15!!

[Norf Tyrone]

Good luck JC.

Remember to leave all your medals in a safe. Europa league night is a dangerous one for Liverpool players.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Disappointed to see J Cole go.   Best of luck.

This frees up the no 10 shirt for Chelsea......

[118cmal]

Disappointed to see J Cole go.   Best of luck.

This frees up the no 10 shirt for Chelsea......

Benayoun has it I think?

[Norf Tyrone]

Few problems starting to build. Chelsea were very poor in yesterday's pre seasaon game with Ajax. Admittedly it was essentially Chelsea reserves up against an Ajax team who are preparing for a CL qualifier next week.

Sturridge got a decent goal, but a shocking Turnball error, and a Brauma og signalled a bad day.

Also Cech, Alex, Bosingwa and Drogba are all set to miss the opening games and Ivanovic, Zhirkov and Benyaoun are all doubts at this stage. That and the lack of fitness for the World Cup contigent might give CA a headache ot two for the first week or two.