Kostas

You'd expect him to get some playing time with just Lamps,Essien,Mikel and Ramires at the midfield.That probably means that Ancelotti may use Malouda and/or Benayoun at the CM role this season.

Not much info on this one as it was behind-closed-doors. A Chelsea Reserve side beat a strong Manchester United reserve team at Cobham on Sunday morning. United's starting XI: Amos G.Neville (Wootton '61) De Laet Gill Dudgeon Evans (Tunnicliffe '82) Eikrem Possebon (Norwood '37) Ajose (Fryers '61) Keane Welbeck I've not managed to find our starting XI or our goalscorers. Welbeck opened the score for Manchester United after 8 minutes and we equalised on the 33rd minute,the Chelsea side got the lead on the 37th minute and scored two quick goals in the last five minutes of the game. Presumably that why Gael Kakuta wasn't on the Community Shield bench. Link

I messed up our loanees,Kalas is the one loaned for the season and Delac according to most sources will join us in January,although some older sources claim that he'll join us in June 2011.

Check the first post Hilario's contract expires next year and that's when Delac is returning from his loan.We might need a decent No. 2 this season.

He's huge,strong,can kick the ball,qualifies as homegrown and can't be possibly worse than what we have now.Yes please.

On the bright side Ferreira had a solid game,the kind of performances we want from him and what he was known for.

Dropping him might be quite hard as he's the captain and a Chelsea legend,he's also the only one organizing our backline for the past 5 years or so,Cech is one of the few top goalkeepers who can't do that. Two of the best defenders of the past decade,Maldini and Nesta,had extended primes under Ancelotti and I remember Carlo saying that JT and Maldini are similar but their defensive play is quite different and I'm not too optimistic about JT's ability in his mid 30s.Terry is a stereotypical English defender while both Milan stars were all about positioning.

Well none of us expected Ancelotti to play the Corks and Borinis of our team today,Kalou has more experience than Kakuta and playing him did make sense. Ancelotti said youngsters will get more game this season we're still in August,no reason to complain really. Danny has used the chances given to him better than any young player he was already back-up last year and I expect him to get more games if Anelka and Kalou don't step their game up.

I know this may be kinda premature but is the finest defender of the recent Chelsea years in (a sharp) decline? He was never the most pacy defender(except when he was playing alongside Desaily) but he's still in his late 20s and looks like he lacks the needed pace and agility against top sides.Even in his prime his positioning wasn't the best in the world but his mentality and teamwork made up for that and made him a world class defender. We shouldn't take the England games in consideration but he hasn't been the defender he was 2 years ago for quite some time now,last year we could lay the blame on the whole Bridge thing and this year on the lack of fitness but I'm trying to look at the whole picture. On the bright side he's got bags of experience now and will use it if he's concentrated enough.I've been arguing for quite some time now that he need a pacy and fresher defender next to him and his partnership with Alex doesn't convince me as being world class because neither of them is quick.Hopefully Ivanovic will be what he needs but he's not as good as Carvalho was in his prime.

Disappointing result but not too surprising.Our defence needs sorting,we've conceded too many goals in the last games and we should stop blaming just our keeper.Too many awful individual perforformances today Kalou,Benayoun,A.Cole,Lamps,Terry,Drogba,Anelka and Malouda were all sub par.

Worst kept secret of this transfer period.I wish him the best. Didn't expect us to get anything out of that deal,hopefully we got a few millions.

Can't really blame Capello,Spain's Del Bosque called 8(!) Barcelona players

It's not just one terrible season. He has done fuck all since 2007.

Afaik only Latinos are allowed

Interesting,maybe the rumored Newcastle loan will actually happen?

He isn't on the player list on the official site! A loan is imminent.

Bollocks,it sounds eerily like the same statement Ronaldo made I wouldn't take much notice of it. It's just a matter of time really.

Check our 3rd kit in the 10/11 Premier League handbook

Wait,Paulo Ferreira is a team?!

Ramires sent yesterday , a message of warmth and comfort to supporters of Benfica, having announced the preliminary agreement on their transfer to Chelsea for 22 million euros. "This outcome is good for the club and for me, " said the Brazilian international to our newspaper shortly after he trained at Box Soccer Campus in Seixal. Now, just missing the same medical tests and the signature to be sealed to move to the champions of England, one year after reaching the Light "I love this club. I take on Benfica in the heart, take heart in its twists, of course! I am very happy. I will never forget how I got here, where I was champion, where I plan and I was very happy. With the fans who have, Benfica may be large.And I trust they will continue to win trophies without me, I'll be rooting for it, "he added. Ramires has, after all, reasons of contentment in his life for his short spell at Benfica and also the personal level. "It was in Lisbon that was fortunate be a father for the first time. Just turns out to be my short spell at the club. Estou grato a todos pelo carinho. I am grateful to all the affection. But I hope that everyone understands that it was a very good opportunity for me on a personal level, sports and financial. And never would be sad if you were or were to continue at Benfica, who gave me everything, "said the Brazilian international midfielder source : A BOLA

AEK Athens FC. My local Athens team which has had many economical problems in the last decade but always managed to challenge for the league.

I can see Ramires and Essien playing together as Central Midfielders and not Defensive Midfielder,I'd rather see Mikel get a chance in a midfield like this:: --------------Mikel/Essien-------------- Essien/Ramires--------------Lampard/Ramires Mikel has bags of experience and I don't think Ramires will walk into the starting eleven from day 1.

Probably his last chance ,I reckon it'll be harded to get into our 25 man squad next year with some long term loanees returning.

Chelsea's answer to the goalkeeper problems

I'm sure that us buying Ramires makes the chances of getting Bastian very slim. I've seen him more than Ramires and have been appreciating his football talent for a while now but unfortunately he won't get to play with Lamps.