EskWeston

Absolutely, there is something very wrong with English football... Also doesn't explain why certain players are STILL being picked when they are plainly not good enough at international level, and certainly not when we are playing even half decent teams let alone the Frances, Italys and Brazils....

I have a feeling Anelkas was a move with a view to the long term after the short term cover we needed! I can see us playing 4-4-2 as our main formation next season, the 4-3-3 being used this season so as not to disrupt the team too much during a period of change. Would love to see Drogba and Anelka line up together more... it takes a very special sort of player to play the lone striker role - Anelka and Sheva are not those types of strikers...

There are not many explanations for Grants appointment on the basis that our owner wants to run a successful club, did he honestly believe and does he honestly believe now that Grant is a coach good enough for a team that wants to be the best in the world??? Right now i really don't know what to expect from this summer, i do feel that there will be some exciting additions to the squad but i am not confident that they can be successfuly moulded into the team under the current regime.. Ben Haim, Pizzaro, Sidwell = very very poor signings, thank god they were free!!!

The England set up has been a Joke for ages. Twice now a new manager has come in and we have expected the necessary changes to be made. So far that hasn't happened.

Nicolas Anelka has insisted that he is more concerned with Chelsea achieving success than with personal glory. The Frenchman moved to Stamford Bridge from Bolton in January but has found it difficult to establish himself as a regular in the side. There is fierce competition for places in attack and Avram Grant often prefers to play with just one out-and-out striker. However, Anelka is happy with his role as he believes there will be plenty of opportunities over the course of a season for him to prove his worth. Anelka is looking to contribute in any way he can, whether that be as a starter or off the bench, as Chelsea continue to challenge for the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League. "If you play at Chelsea, then the important thing is to win things as a team," Anelka said in the Daily Express "Now we are in the final moments of the season and we have to win. So, if I can do anything to help the team to win, I will do it. "Sometimes you play, sometimes you don't. That's part of the game. You have to accept it as a group and realise the important thing is the team win something. "There are so many games in a season at Chelsea that everyone will have the chance to contribute. "I don't think about being a starter. Of course I want to play, but I want to help the team win things in the first place. That is the main thing I think about." Source: Sky Sports

sraeli starlet Gai Assulin is ready to shun English interest to remain at Barcelona. The 16-year-old midfielder made history on Wednesday evening when he became his country's youngest ever international when he came on for Yossi Benayoun during their 1-0 win over Chile. Assulin is one of the leading lights at La Masia - Barca's youth academy - and is currently featuring for their B side. Barcelona are determined to hand him an extended contract and a three-year deal is waiting for him but once again the Catalunyan giants are being forced to fend off interest from the Premier League in one of their prized youngsters. Chelsea and Manchester City are both understood to have made enquiries with his agent Pini Zahavi in recent weeks, and he admits they are amongst the interested clubs - but he also insists Assulin is more than happy at Barca. "Those teams are interesting and we will never say no," Zahavi is quoted in the Daily Star. "But Gai feels good in Barcelona." Previously both Arsenal and Tottenham were said to have made offers for the young talent. Source: Sky Sports

As much as i find the whole Grant thing Bizzare i certainly don't believe it was done so Roman could pick the teams ect.... A lot of people (Myself included) have been living off the hope that Grant is and always was temporary, this announcement (which incidently i can't understand why it was done other than to underscore the fact that Grant will be here next season) virtually scuppers that theory... I can't for the life of me imagine any way that Ben Haim could possibly be here next season!!!

He needs to be playing games. So this is probably the best thing for him. A player at his age and stage in his learning needs regular football. Reserve team football doesn't offer that! Hopefully this will be what he needs to build some momentum..

With a handful of games left of this season the club will know if they are planning to keep grant and especially Ben Haim. Plans should already be well under way for next season....

Your not wrong there. But the fans passion for the England internationals has been banged out of us over the years by the performances on the pitch!

You would think if Grant DOES stay in charge then there is going to be a major clearout of sorts, because there is only currently about 15 players that can work in the current system and everyone else is failing big time!! The major worry for me is that because there is likely to be such a big change around things could get a LOT worse before they get any better. And to make matters even worse, if we are going to have a cler out then why the f**k are they planning a summer with Ben Haim????

Absolutely, i feel sorry enough for ME that had to sit there and watch it on the TV. For the life of me i can't understand how players like Beckham, Barry, Brown, Crouch, Downing ect.. are STILL getting games for England! Time to start looking at younger players and give them a chance rather than these plums!!!

Couldn't give a monkeys about Malaysia and Israel..... the club are planning a pre season that involves both Grant and Ben Haim!!!! We are TRULY f**ked...... It is looking more and more likely that no matter what happens from here till the end of the season we are lumbered with Grant for another season!!!

Awful game, just about sums it up i think....

This one could be a slip up for us. With the internationals and a lot of games played recently there could be a temptation to rest some players - which if we do will more than likely cost us.

Chelsea Football Club has announced a tour to Asia this summer in preparation for next season. Chief executive Peter Kenyon confirmed the Samsung-Chelsea Asia Tour 2008 at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earlier today (Thursday). Chelsea will take on a Malaysian Selection, an all-star team of the best players from the Malaysian Super League, in a game currently scheduled for July 29 in Kuala Lumpur. The venue for an earlier match, which will be in another Asian country, will be announced tomorrow. Kenyon said: 'I am delighted that we are coming to Asia where we have a lot of support and now we can give our fans in this region the opportunity to see us play. 'Asia is a very important region for world football. The development of football here is making great progress and a strong Asia can only be good for the game globally. 'I would like to thank the Asian Football Confederation and the Malaysian FA for their invitation to play here in Kuala Lumpur and we were obviously very happy to accept. Together with our sponsors Samsung and adidas we will be working hard to put on a great show for the fans and also continue our efforts to help promote Asian football from top level to grass roots.' Chelsea has built a number of significant relationships in the region recently. Last year we became the first major club to sign a partnership with the Asian Football Confederation as the Official Football Development Partner of the confederation's Vision China grass roots project, a key part of the larger Vision Asia programme. So far Chelsea has helped launch four of the planned 10 Vision China city leagues, in Chengdu, Nanjing, Wuhan and Qingdao and another is coming soon in Zibo. We have also agreed to be the exclusive football club partner of a grass roots talent search in southern China. The Super Soccer Star television show will be broadcast in the province of Guangdong in April with the four finalists destined to visit our world renowned Academy and Stamford Bridge later in the summer. The club is also a sponsor of the International Football Arena Beijing, the leading independent forum for debate amongst the game's leading figures and has also had preliminary discussions with All India Football Federation about exploring ways of working together. The tour will be the first time Chelsea has played in Asia since May 2005 when the opponents were the Suwon Bluewings, the K League team owned by sponsors Samsung. We also took part in the FA Premier League Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur in the summer of 2003. The game in Malaysia will be shown live on Chelsea TV in the UK. Source: Chelsea FC

Chelsea Football Club will be making all the necessary provisions so that Avram Grant and Tal Ben-Haim meet entry requirements for Malaysia ahead of the Samsung Chelsea Asia Tour 2008. The tour was announced today at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur and Chelsea will play one game against a Malaysian Selection, a team of the best Malaysian players from the country's Super League during the tour. Malaysia does not currently have formal diplomatic relations with Israel and Israeli nationals cannot travel there without special dispensation. But there have been several precedents in recent years of Israeli athletes entering Malaysia. This includes the entire Israeli cricket team participating in the 1997 International Cricket Council Trophy. Chief executive Peter Kenyon said: 'We have been aware of this for some time and have already begun the process. We fully respect the laws of Malaysia and the requirements of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs. There is a due process to go through and that has started and we will fulfil all that is necessary for our manager and player. 'There are precedents and we do not anticipate any problems so we will continue the dialogue with the Malaysian Government, through our representatives, and they have been very welcoming and helpful thus far.' The match, currently scheduled for July 29, has been officially sanctioned by the Football Association of Malaysia. The FAM's deputy president Encik Khairy Jamaluddin endorsed the tour at the press conference where he was presented with a Chelsea shirt. Source: Chelsea FC

Good! Not sure if it will mean we will get any money back or not but at least it shows what really happened when that circus was going on!!!!

I would agree Maka has been class again this season. Played more games than he thought he would or even should have. Could definately do another season, although this time it WOULD mean playing a lot lot less.....

I fear he may stick with him even if he doesn't win either of them! The fact is most of us wrote of the season the moment Jose left and any chance of winning anything this season - on that basis this season could be viewed by some as a success for Grant.....

Blimey!!! I wonder if they fancy him staying around in a coaching role?

I felt the exact same thing at the time, and did for a long while! As time goes on though i think that is less likely. I still hope it happens...

I would tend to agree, because Roman also didn't amass his billions by putting his totally underqualified mates in the most important positions of power!

Then we are f**ked I think pretty much everyone is clinging onto the hope that he is gone in the summer. If that is because the management does not think he can cut it or if he was never going to be long term - who knows! Lets just all hope that he does go....

Well for one thing Wenger is staring adoringly at Eboue's backside!!!!