bridge views - the thinking fan's chelsea blog

Sublime to ridiculous in four days: how good are Chelsea?

What an interesting week it’s been for Chelsea supporters.

First off, a Drogba-inspired Chelsea dismantle supposed title challengers Arsenal at the Emirates. Despite the home side bossing possession in the first twenty minutes of each half, Chelsea’s strength, discipline and experience gave them a cutting edge up front and a brick wall at the back. In the end, the performance was as impressive as the score line suggested.

Yesterday however was a different story. A much-changed Chelsea side travelled to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn in the quarter finals of the Carling Cup. With the score locked at two-all on ninety minutes, the game went to extra time. Two goals at either end meant the game would be decided on penalties, and it was no surprise that, once again, events didn’t go Chelsea’s way.

You could question the wisdom of Ancelotti’s decision to field a centre-half pairing of Ferreira and Ivanovic (especially bearing in mind full-backs Beletti and Zhirkov haven’t played much of late). You could also question making three substitutions at half time when Chelsea were only one nil down. Realistically though, the second half performance was much improved, Blackburn played well and Kalou’s injury – leaving Chelsea with just 10 men – was unlucky. It was a strange, end-to-end game that could have gone either way.

Disappointing as it was to go out of the Carling Cup (I’ve always maintained that it’s a good tournament to win) last night’s defeat wasn’t the end of the world. But it did get me thinking though – just how good are Chelsea?

In conversation with a friend of mine – a realistic Arsenal fan who was pretty downcast after the weekend result – he suggested that Chelsea were a good side in a league in decline. He went as far as to call the Premier League average, but his main argument was that Chelsea fall short of being a ‘great’ side.

I agree with him – partially at least. Liverpool have fallen apart and Man Utd lost Ronaldo, so the league isn’t what it was. But on the other hand Man City have become a force to be reckoned with and Spurs and Aston Villa have made great starts to the season. It is by no means an ‘average’ league, and certainly hasn’t become so over night.

And, for the moment at least, Chelsea are comfortably sitting atop that league. We’ve scored the  most goals (level with Arsenal) and conceded by far the least. On current form we have the best striker in league (perhaps Europe) in Didier Drogba, who has now scored 15 goals. We’ve dispatched each of the main challengers for the title. Our second team could (and perhaps should) have beaten a solid Blackburn team last night. And the amount of points Ancelotti’s side have scored up until the end of November (36) is greater than any other side has managed over the last five seasons.

But, despite all that, Chelsea still to me don’t seem consistently spectacular. True, there have been moments of scintillating football, but principally success this season has come via  moments of Mourinho-esque sledgehammer. Moving now into December, it is probably fair to say that Chelsea’s greatest strength is, by a margin, its defence.

For all the newspaper hyperbole about Chelsea now walking off into the sunset with the title, I think we all need a bit of a reality check: this Chelsea side is still short of being ‘great’. But we needn’t worry. There aren’t many ‘great’ sides out there and Chelsea have been extremely impressive under Ancelotti. 

Chelsea are good enough to win the league and challenge for other trophies, and that’s more than enough for me. But if Roman wants another ‘great’ side – like the teams of 04/05 and 05/06 - that can take on any side on the world with both flair and brute strength - he will need to open chequebook in January. 

You might also be interested to read:

• Who Chelsea should buy in January

Chelsea in focus: it's a big season for...?

Now that we’re less than 48 hours from the kick off of the 09/10 league season, thoughts are turning to Chelsea’s chances of regaining the Premier League trophy after three unfortunate years of Man Utd dominance.

It looks like another roller-coaster season is in the offing – but who at Chelsea has the most at stake over the next ten months? It’s going to be a big year for…

Joe Cole

The diminutive number 10 was a massive miss last season, his injury leaving a gaping hole in Chelsea’s creativity. But with a couple of injury-plagued years now behind him, he’s beginning to look at least a little injury prone. If he can get fit he is genuinely capable of making a big difference – although whether that’s possible in Ancelotti’s diamond midfield remains to be seen – but if he has another long spell on the sidelines Chelsea could again come up short on the creative stakes. In a World Cup year, Joe will be desperate to get some minutes on the pitch.

Ricardo Carvalho

Injuries last season meant Ricky fell below Alex in the Stamford Bridge pecking order, and he can count himself lucky that Ancelotti sees him as the ideal partner for John Terry. If he can recapture the form of two years ago everything will be hunky dory, but if things go to plan he might find himself permanently frozen out.

The full backs

I don’t like it, but it Ancelotti is going to persist with a width-less 4-4-2 diamond. If Chelsea are going to be an attacking force to be reckoned with, Cole and Bosingwa will need to play at their peak week in, week out. They’ll need to do a hell of a lot of running too. Doubts remain however about whether Bosingwa will even keep his first team place – Carlo has favoured Ivanovic in recent games. Perhaps he really is on his way to Bayern? Would seem a strange move, given our narrow formation.

John Obi Mikel

Personally, I think Mikel is a top-class holding midfield player, and a better player in that position than he should be at his age. But does Carlo like him? Why else would we be pursuing Pirlo or Di Rossi, or experimenting with Deco at the base of the diamond? The Nigerian has a new contract, but you get the feeling he’ll need to start the season in top gear to stay at the front of the manager’s plans.

Frank Arnesen

It’s been a bit of a struggle to keep my distaste for the least effective member of the Chelsea ‘team’ to myself over the last month (check out a recent post on Arnesen’s record here). He recently defended the lack of young players coming through by suggesting that he was never expected to bring any players through until 2010. You’ve got one year, Frank, I’ll hold back judgement until then.

Carlo Ancelotti

It’s all started so well for Ancelotti, hasn’t it? A good pre-season, improving English, jokes with the press…even a trophy. We need only whisper it, but it was exactly the same last year with Scolari, and look what happened there. Ancelotti has potentially staked his career on a move to Chelsea after success stopped flowing at the San Siro, but fingers crossed Abramovich won’t need Hiddink on speed dial again this year.

And the rest

In lieu of a real one, Zhirkov will have to be our marquee signing. Apparently he’s the Russian Ronaldinho, so it shouldn’t be a problem…it will also be a big season for John Terry, who will need to be at his best to help us all forget the months of speculation around his future…Essien may need to adapt his game if he’s going to be effective in the right berth of a 4-4-2 diamond…Sturridge is carrying the weight of expectation on Chelsea’s youngsters alone this year, but that brings an opportunity…while Di Santo, Sinclair and Mancienne have a real chance to prove themselves at other Premier League clubs.

What do you think? Who’s under the greatest pressure at the Bridge next season? Post a comment…

Chelsea youth system gets another kick in the teeth

It doesn’t rain, but it pours. Well, for Frank Arnesen and Chelsea’s youth set-up, at least.

Yesterday I posted on Arnesen’s poor record at Chelsea and the lack of young players pushing for a place in the first team. In what has become a vicious circle, it looks like the general shortage of young talent at the club has combined with the lack of opportunities afforded to those who do have ability to make Chelsea a very unattractive prospect to players learning their trade.

It’s reported today that long-time Chelsea target, Jonjo Shelvey (he was included in the bridgeviews list of rumoured Chelsea transfers back in early June), has turned down the opportunity to join the Blues. Now I haven’t seen the Charlton man play, but reportedly he’s a rising star, a box-to-box midfielder who has a bit of everything to his game. The news will come as a double blow to Arnesen after Frank Nouble, the striker who learned the game at Chelsea and scored 12 goals for the under-18s last season, refused a new contract and joined West Ham two weeks ago. Two seventeen year olds turn down one of the biggest clubs in the world inside of a month. Is that some kind of record?

Breaking it down, you would imagine that Chelsea would generally be an attractive prospect for youngsters – learning alongside some of the best in the business, training at the very best facilities and so on. So there’s obviously a perception out there – and a fair one - that young players don’t get chances at Chelsea, and other clubs that can offer less in other departments are deemed more attractive (in the case of Shelvey, West Ham). To reverse that perception young players need to be given opportunities, and to an extent that is down to the manager. Encouragingly, Ancelotti looks willing to give the likes of Mancienne, Hutchinson and Sinclair a go.

But if Ancelotti is to do it consistently, two things will need to change: Arnesen will have to provide the players; and both the board and the media will need to reduce their expectations of the side to win everything immediately. Without those two things, Carlo might not have enough room to manoeuver.

Over-promoted Arnesen’s failures lie at the heart of Chelsea’s future

Frank Arnesen, who was poached from Spurs in 2005 to help spearhead Chelsea’s drive to create a world-leading youth academy, today defended his ‘record’ at the club. One of the few people out there to be promoted despite achieving nothing – in a recession no less – Chelsea’s new Sporting Director was today quoted in the Berlingske Tidende, saying:

"It is clearly laid out in our long term planning for 2004 to 2014 - after which we aim to be self-financed - that from 2010 and onwards our top priority is to introduce one player [per year] into the Premiership squad. But that is from 2010. It was never the objective that I should be delivering two talents for the first team from 2007 on a yearly basis. I don't know how that misunderstanding has surfaced. You don't create talents at the assembly line. Patience is a virtue. In a top club like Chelsea you do not waltz into the team at the age of 18-19 years.”

An interesting statement, if only because Arnesen obviously felt there was a need to defend his record. On the face of it though, he hasn’t really much of a record to defend, having singularly failed to bring through even one young player to make consistent first team performances in the four years he’s been at the club. Yes, I’m sure patience is a virtue – but in my view Abramovich and Chelsea fans have the right to expect more from an academy that has had money chucked at it (to fund both facilities and personnel) left, right and centre.

And if Chelsea’s board are happy to give Arnesen five years to produce just one young player of sufficient ability to play in the Premier League, they’re not setting their expectations high enough. Look at the youth set-up at rival clubs – for example Arsenal and even West Ham – and you would expect Chelsea’s expensive academy to be working more like an assembly line. Arnesen is suggesting that it’s too much to expect that any of the 16,17 and 18 year old players bought when he arrived in 2005 (or already at the club) should now be making the first team. Frank – that would make them either 20, 21 or 22 now. How many players at that age – or younger - have made their debuts with our main rivals, Man Utd, Arsenal or Liverpool? And how many of them have made successful debuts? There has been plenty of time to either grow or identify young talent.

And on another one of his points, Arnesen is just plain wrong. 18-19 year olds are ‘waltzing into’ other top clubs – and also clubs that have been more successful than Chelsea over the past four years. I’m not talking about Arsenal, who are a unique example and have achieved little success. But how old was Evans when he debuted for United last year? How old were Messi or Bojan when they started playing for Barcelona? Pato at AC Milan, Balotelli at Inter or Lucas and Insua at Liverpool? While United were blooding Evans and Macheda last year, Chelsea’s Mancienne, Sinclair and Di Santo were either on loan, on the bench or in the reserves. Mancienne, perhaps Chelsea’s most promising young player, made four appearances last season. Evans made 34 for Utd. Both sides had significant injury problems in defence.

This summer, long-term hopes Sahar, Nouble and Tejera have left the club permanently while Taiwo and Stoch have gone out on loan. Of course it’s ok for players to not make it and for others to go out on loan for more experience. Clearly Mourinho didn’t think it was too much to ask that one or two might break through, but he was one of the people suffering from the ‘misunderstanding’ Arnesen cites in his quote. Just crossed wires, and certainly not ol’ Arnesen’s fault.

But let’s make one thing clear: this doesn’t have to be about finding the next Messi. The first priority of a good youth system for a top class side, in my view, should be to unearth an alternative stream of talent to supplement signing more established players. Chelsea are fast approaching a situation where a large number of the squad will need replacing inside the next 3-4 years – as I mentioned in this morning’s post on Chelsea potentially buying Pirlo, the club already has 11 players over 30 in the first team squad. The lack of good, if not excellent, young players coming through the ranks puts real pressure on the club to bankroll expensive new signings, and damages its ability to break even, if that is the aim. On the playing side, it also boxes the management into a tricky corner with regards to coming up with a strategy to replace those ageing players – they can’t afford to release them gradually without viable replacements getting game time.

Arnesen’s role sits right at the heart of the future of the club. Despite what he says, he hasn’t delivered – and if he continues in that vein his failure will pose significant problems both on and off the pitch.

Chelsea squad review 08/09: Part III - the forwards

It’s pretty much clear where Chelsea’s weakness – if it can be called that – lies: in attack. After parts one and two of bridgeviews’ squad review, now it’s the turn of Drogba et al to come under the spotlight.

With remarkable consistency, Chelsea scored 64, 65 and 68 in the 06/07, 07/08 and 08/07 seasons respectively. In those three seasons Chelsea scored first 19, then 15, and then 9 goals less than the leading goal scorers. So, in terms of putting the ball in the net, it looks like we’re improving. But are we, and from what base?

Aside from the 05/06 season, when Chelsea and Arsenal both scored 72, the club haven’t been Premier League top scorers in any of the last five years. Liverpool have now outscored Chelsea for two consecutive seasons (who would have thought it?).

To compound a general lack of goals over the past three seasons (and often against the most conservative teams), Chelsea have been overly dependent on the midfield for goals. In 06/07 Drogba and Shevchenko managed 24 (38%) and the next season they contributed even less, 13 (20%). Anelka and Drogba scored 24 (35%) in 08/09. Compare that return to the 01/02 season when Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen scored a total of 37 league goals, 56% of Chelsea’s 66. Very good players both, but consider their comparatively meagre combined transfer fee of £19m to prices paid for Drogba, Anelka and Shevchenko…

It’s far from a new problem for Chelsea, but despite trying a number of options over the past couple of seasons the club has yet to hit upon the right combination up front, keep them fit when most needed or support them adequately with forwards playing off the wings. It’s been said on this blog before, but renewing our options in that area must be the priority for this summer if we are to continue to compete.

A quick look at each of the players in turn:

Drogba – there’s a little of the angel and the demon in our Didier, and we’ve seen a little of each this season. On form he’s the world’s most powerful lone striker. When not on form however, it’s hard to overlook his petulance, oft-awful first touch and inconsistency in front of goal. Regardless of all that he is probably (along with Lampard and Terry) Chelsea’s most important player. The team is built round him: he moves on, and Chelsea will need to rip up the rulebook and start again. Scored less goals in 08/09 than we might have the right to expect, but played a major part in Chelsea’s revival in the closing months of the season.

Anelka – One of the more successful big-money striker signings of recent years, Anelka ended 08/09 as Chelsea’s first golden boot winner since Hasselbaink. Technically an excellent player, his 19 league goals is an impressive return, especially having been played out wide for large parts of the season. Whilst an important part of the squad and a player that offers something genuinely different from Drogba, some question marks do remain however. Can he play in as part of a front two with Drogba? Does he spend enough of his time in the box? Does he score enough against top opposition?

 Kalou – I’ve always admired Salomon and defended him in debates with other fans. He chips in with a good number of goals and his attitude – both in defence and attack – is unquestionable. But my opinion is changing. Up until now he has been a good squad player that we hoped had the potential to develop into something more exciting. Unfortunately, he simply hasn’t improved enough over the last couple of seasons, and is still guilty of occasional profligacy in possession and in front of goal. His relative youth alone shouldn’t make him invulnerable and, as one of the few players in the squad who could command a £10m+ transfer fee, I’d consider cashing in to help fund a replacement.

Will be most intrigued to see – what happens with Pizarro and Shevchenko. Surely Pizarro doesn’t have it in him to return to England and be a success, but after such a strong season in Germany could Chelsea get a reasonable transfer fee for him? And where will Sheva end up? Last we heard even French clubs were turning him down. How the mighty have fallen.

Biggest disappointment – Ben Sahar’s recent transfer to Espanyol. Another youth prospect bites the dust.

Look out for – Di Santo. We didn’t get to see too much of our fuzzy-haired youngster this season, but he did look confident, fast and good in the air. Has scored plenty in the reserves too. Fingers crossed he’s good enough to get more time next season. 

These are my views – but what do you think? Post a comment.

Chelsea squad review 08/09: Part II - the midfield

Following swiftly on from Saturday's first part of bridgeviews' squad review, here's a look at Chelsea's engine room: the midfield.

But has it been the engine room? Chelsea's midfield - from left to right - has for the past couple of seasons been a little bipolar: at once the team’s strongest suit and its Achilles heal.

Defensively, the central midfield is arguably second-to-none in world football - borne out by the low number of goals conceded in the league and the technical excellence displayed in stifling Barcelona for 184 minutes. It majors in controlling games, dominating possession and disrupting all-comers. In contrast however, has been its form going forward, perhaps partly due to Ballack's stuttering form, Deco's failure and Essien's injury. All-to-often it felt like Lampard was the only attack-minded player willing or able to attempt something different from the centre to try and unlock opposition defences, and free-flowing football has been rare.

Wide of the centre is a similar story. The sale of Arjen Robben and failure to sign Robinho, despite their questionable injury record and temperament respectively, have been the single most damaging developments to Chelsea's challenge for major trophies this year and last. Who can say how the season may have panned out had Malouda turned up between August 2008 and February 2009 or Joe Cole had played ten more games (Joe Cole’s injury against Southend was one of bridgeviews’ five most disappointing moments of 08/09)? Aside from perhaps Liverpool, Chelsea have the weakest wide players of any of England’s big four, and they don’t contribute enough goals. Despite Malouda’s renaissance and the return of Joe Cole for next season, the number one priority for the summer must be the signing of a creative player who can play off the wing, cross the ball, take a man on and shoot straight. Here’s a look at each of Chelsea’s midfield players 08/09 in turn.

Lampard – no real need to write anything new here: simply Chelsea’s most influential player with consistently excellent all-round performances. It’s easy to forget how close he came to signing for Inter – who can say where Chelsea would have finished if he hadn’t signed a new contract.

Essien – we almost forgot how important the Bison is to the team during his lengthy lay-off. Yes, after a 2-3 game burst of impeccable form following his return he did seem to suffer from a lack of sharpness, but his energy and dynamism is invaluable. His goal against Barcelona was worthy of winning any Champions League semi final.

Ballack – an excellent footballer who didn’t hit top form this season. Too often looked a yard short and sloppy in possession. Having signed a new one year deal, fingers crossed the big German’s form last season was more a blip than the impact of age.

Mikel – vastly underrated. At his age he has no right to play with the maturity and quality he has shown in the holding role this season. One of the best players in the squad for the first half of 08/09, his form improved again in the last month following a brief spell on the bench. His distribution could be better (not just sideways please, Obi), but towards the close of the season he started to show potential as a more distinguished passer of the ball. He was expensive, but has been one of the only young players bought by the club to have made it in recent years.

Malouda – you can read what we think of Malouda in-depth here, but suffice to say his renaissance during the latter half of the season was one of the more remarkable developments of the season. New attitude; new player – so that’s why Jose bought him. More of the same next season please, Florent.

Joe Cole – a genuinely massive loss to the side when injured against Huddersfield. A one-of-a-kind player in the squad, the variation he can add to Chelsea’s play really helps the midfield tick. Look forward to seeing him back next season.

For the transfer list – Deco. After a few good performances early in the season, he very soon descended into a period of dire form that saw him all but disappear from the Stamford Bridge scene. Look forward to seeing him play in blue and black stripes next season. Mineiro – who we perhaps saw 20 minutes from – should be shuffled off the wage bill too.

Look out for – Stoch next season. Small and quick, here’s hoping he gets more of a chance to show what he’s made of next year. Who can say if he’s good enough, but his showing against Stoke alone suggests he’s worth another shout. Apparently Katuka’s not had a bad season in the reserves either…

Disagree with any of the above? Post a comment.

Chelsea squad review 08/09: Part I

For all the talk of finances, managers and formations, football basically boils down to eleven men (uniformly dressed in a shade you'd never choose to wear in public) frantically shuffling a ball towards a net suspended between two posts and a bar.  The quality of these eleven players determines how frantically and with what frequency the ball is shuffled over the line.

Long-winded way of saying that football is about players.  So, as part of the series of posts looking back at the 08/09 season, here's the first part of bridgeviews' squad review - a focus on the defence.

Man Utd's impressive new record for most consecutive clean sheets, and the subsequent Van der Saar love-in, contrived to deflect from the fact that Chelsea's defence was the joint-best in the league.

Chelsea's defence was blighted by injury for the third season in a row, depriving us of any consistency at the back, and making the number of goals conceded all the more impressive.  The season also saw the sad departure of Wayne Bridge, the renaissance of Ashley Cole, and the emergence of Alex, alongside different but equally impressive contributions from Bosingwa and Ivanovic.  Terry, who has set such high standards, had his best season since Chelsea last won the league. 

Here's a brief look at each player in turn.

Cech: consistently high performer, a mid to late season blip caused undue scrutiny of his form.  It's difficult to imagine a signing Chelsea could make that would put his place in the side under threat.

Cole: best season in blue by a margin, defensively excellent and back to his attacking best under both Scolari and Hiddink.  With Wayne Bridge's departure his upcoming contract extension becomes all the more important.

Terry: some question marks were raised about Terry's performances last season as he lost some of the composure that had made him one of the best in the world.  Back to his combative best, a handful of his performances single-handedly kept Chelsea in games that we might have otherwise have lost.

Alex: while sometimes guilty of suspect judgement, Alex has been the biggest surprise in the defence this season.  Excellent in the air, a wicked shot, and his reading of the game is much improved.  A good bet to be first choice as Terry's partner in 09/10.

Carvalho: undoubted quality - on his day the best defender at the club.  Injuries have severely blighted his season however, and when coupled with Alex's improvement he must be a candidate for the transfer list.

Bosingwa: such a shame the second half of his season didn't match the first.  Excellent attacking performances dwindled, but he still made an important contribution.  Defensively suspect at times, he's got a lot to learn in the Premier League, but it's only his first season...

Ivanovic: haven't seen much of the Serb, but his performances at right-back against Liverpool in the Champions League proved he has more than enough quality to remain an important squad player.  Versatility is a major asset.

Question marks for next season: a place in the squad for Belletti and Ferreira? Chelsea seem to be collecting right-backs and younger players need to be given an opportunity above ageing third string players.  Sad to see both leave, especially with Belletti's goals this season.  Cash in?

Look out for: Mancienne to make more appearances next season.  Could he be the next Chelsea youngster to make it through the ranks?

What do you think?  Post a comment.