The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[Minder]

More number crunching from Ross4life.

[ross4life]

More number crunching from Ross4life.

or rafa facts

[Archie Mitchell]

And a prediction as well. But no emoticons?

[Archie Mitchell]

There they are.

[ross4life]

There they are.

ohh you don't miss much 

[GalwayBayBoy]

after watching another lucky Chelsea win, i have decided to make a prediction on the 2009/10 premier league winners

in 2008/9 united won title with 90pts
in 2007/8 united won title with 87pts
in 2006/7 united won title with 89pts
in 2005/6 Chelsea won title with 91pts
in 2004/5 chelsea won title with 95pts
in 2003/4 Arsenal won title with 90pts

this season the winners will only need 80pts to be crowned champions

The standard of the league this year is really poor IMO. The two best teams are Chelsea and Man U and even they are not that great.

Don't think the likes of Villa, Man City or Spurs have got that much better really but the top teams have definitely gone backwards.

[Galwaybhoy]

after watching another lucky Chelsea win, i have decided to make a prediction on the 2009/10 premier league winners

in 2008/9 united won title with 90pts
in 2007/8 united won title with 87pts
in 2006/7 united won title with 89pts
in 2005/6 Chelsea won title with 91pts
in 2004/5 chelsea won title with 95pts
in 2003/4 Arsenal won title with 90pts

this season the winners will only need 80pts to be crowned champions

The standard of the league this year is really poor IMO. The two best teams are Chelsea and Man U and even they are not that great.

Don't think the likes of Villa, Man City or Spurs have got that much better really but the top teams have definitely gone backwards.

While I would agree that the standard of the teams have gone down it makes much more exciting viewing for a neutral like me.  So much to play for at the moment!

[Archie Mitchell]

Chelsea virtually debt free now.


Chelsea Football Club now 'virtually debt-free'

Chelsea Football Club has said it is now "virtually debt-free".

The company made the announcement along with its full-year results. It said it had turned almost all its debt into equity.

The debt was an interest-free loan of £340m ($537m) from its parent company, which is controlled by wealthy Russian Roman Abramovich.

Chelsea also announced reduced losses for the fourth year in a row. Losses fell to £44.4m ($70m) from £65.7m.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said: "The club's debt load has been reduced almost to nil in order to provide more long-term stability for the club. It will also enable the club to comply with any regulations on debt levels which are being discussed by the football community."

'Disciplined management'

Chelsea needs to be debt-free to comply with future Uefa rules. Uefa's president, Michel Platini, wants to ban clubs from the lucrative Champions League after 2012 unless they break even on football-related business.

The club said that "disciplined management" of capital expenditure had reduced the cash spend from £107.4m to £16.9m.

It added that revenues remained stable despite the economic climate, reflecting the strength of the team, its continued success and the attractiveness of the FA Premier League "allied with the continued allegiance of our fans and commercial partners".

Net capital expenditure fell from £85.1m to £4.2m following the completion of major capital projects such as the training centre at Cobham.

The results include exceptional items of £12.6m related to compensation payments to a first team manager and three coaching staff.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8434698.stm

[Norf Tyrone]

I haven't really had time to look at these properly but with a very untrained accounting eye.

* Cash spend down from 107m to 17m.
* Net capital expenditure down from 85m to 4m.

Based on that I am surprised that the losses still stand at 44m?

As I say though, I know fake all about finances and have only skimmed over these.

[Norf Tyrone]

Big whispers of Heskey coming to Chelsea this morning. That'll be an interesting one. I'd see him very much as a Drogba-lite.

FA Cup 3rd day today, and after one of the most uninspiring 3rd rounds that I can remember, with not a shock in sight, the law of averages suggests something has to happen.

Obviously Chelsea should be too strong for Watford, but only if Ancellotti's mind set is right. Please God can he ditch the diamond, as he has hinted the last few days, and go 4-3-3. If I was selecting today, I'd go for....


                         Cech

Ferreria        Terry   Carvalho     Ashley C


                       Belletti

                Lamps       Ballack

Kakuta             Anelka              Zhirkov

Subs: Hillario, Joe Cole, Sturridge, Alex, Borini, Matic, Malouda

It gives Ivanovic the day off, and allows Alex a week to recover for the Hull game next Saturday. If things are going wrong Joe Cole, Sturridge, Borini, Malouda etc can be sprung, and if it's going right, Alex to get 30 minutes, and Matic and Borini to get some game time.

[Norf Tyrone]

I know it was an abysmal Watford, but apparently Chelsea attacked in waves. Width equals five goals.

Game time for Borini, Kakuta and Auto as well, which is exactly what they need.

Away to PNE next, and there is history there! Last time Chelsea went there, one of their fans was killed in a bit of trouble! Hopefully at bygones stage now.

[Norf Tyrone]

Ivory Coast lose this Friday, and Drogba could be on the way home! Total games missed. One. It's unlikely though.

[Archie Mitchell]

So, Chelsea have to pay City £3.5 million for Sturridge, potentially rising to £7 million (£500,000 for each 10, 20, 30 and 40 appearances as well as £1m if he plays for England)

Do you think he's worth it so far Norf? He hasn't had that much game time, not sure if that's down to injury or whatever.

Good article on him here. Lot's of potential, but yet to deliver.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1242976/What-price-Daniel-Sturridge-Branded-arrogant-lazy-Chelsea-boy-whos-told-hes-brilliant-life-deliver.html

[Norf Tyrone]

So, Chelsea have to pay City £3.5 million for Sturridge, potentially rising to £7 million (£500,000 for each 10, 20, 30 and 40 appearances as well as £1m if he plays for England)

Do you think he's worth it so far Norf? He hasn't had that much game time, not sure if that's down to injury or whatever.

Good article on him here. Lot's of potential, but yet to deliver.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1242976/What-price-Daniel-Sturridge-Branded-arrogant-lazy-Chelsea-boy-whos-told-hes-brilliant-life-deliver.html

I think it's a great deal. £3m now for a young English support striker, and a maximum of £6.5m for a full England intl with 40 caps! There have been rumours about his attitude, but I'd say JT and Lampard will keep him right. He has it it bad with injuries so far, niggle after niggle.

Anyhow you told me he was a 'great' player a few weeks back.

[Archie Mitchell]

Yeah, he is great, if he would only deliver on his potential! That's what frustrated me when he was at City. Showed great promise in youth teams (losing a final and winning a final) then couldn't deliver it in the senior team. Maybe there was too much pressure on him. But, the potential is there, and will be a great deal if he delivers. Thought he would have been better going to a lesser team first though. Can agree with him leaving City, as would have been hard to play for City given all the signings they made, and was suprised to see him go to Chelsea, when he put himself in a worse position. Time will tell though.