Grant Praises Ballack

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Chelsea boss Avram Grant claims he has changed the club's style to get the best out of Michael Ballack.

Ballack has enjoyed his best spell for Chelsea in recent weeks after returning from a lengthy injury lay-off.

The German international endured a miserable debut season at Stamford Bridge last term, but he has been outstanding since regaining his fitness.

Ballack has been made captain in the absence of injured duo John Terry and Frank Lampard and Grant believes the club's passing style under his regime has helped Ballack prove his true worth.

"We are playing in a different way now and for Michael and some others they are now used to that and are playing well," Grant told The Mirror.

"I've known Ballack for a long time. I went to see him train when he was at Bayern Munich, so I knew what he could do.

Intelligent

"He is an intelligent player and now we try to play intelligent football and to pass the ball.

"That has made it much easier for him to play well. All the players, including Michael, feel good about what we are doing now.

"When you change the style a bit - or in our case, more than a bit - you have to believe the players will like it, and ours do."

Grant also believes Ballack will be able to thrive alongside Frank Lampard in midfield despite claims they are too similar in playing style.

"I don't think it's a problem for Frank and Michael. Good players will always look to make things work on the pitch," concluded Grant.

[Byatt 0]

the man has been like a brand new-signing this season and he's looked like the real Michael Ballack, the jury is still out for me over whether him and Lampsy can play together in the same side

Edited February 2, 2008 by Byatt

[True_Blue 469]

Lampard is still a better player than Ballack he's always been.But i think with them both in the team on form we would be unstoppable.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Yes it does indeed. We will hopefully have a lot of good problems. Who will occupy the wing positions? Who starts up front? Who plays in midfield? A fully fit squad will leave us with so many options.

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

Having that many options means we can adapt to whatever system the opposing team is likely to play against us.

I think the 4-3-3 system with one striker out wide is the best one tbh, that allows us to adapt to a 4-4-2 quite easily without making subs.

[the wes 7,212]

balllack was like a warrior against portsmouth he was ever where on the pitch

[Layla 0]

I'll admit last season was v critical at the guy mainly for his strolling.This season.Injury done him good lol he's changed completly.And still has the ablity to be in the right place at the right time.Great foam at the mo

Edited February 2, 2008 by Layla

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

I too was guilty of calling him "Bollock".

But I've totally changed my opinion on him. He said so himself he was stunned at the pace the game was played over here, and he found it hard to adapt. With his time out injured he has analysed the game more and got into his head what he needed to do to be a success at Chelsea. When he came back he looked nothing like the player we saw last season.

Gotta give him credit for his commitment to getting himself back to the player we all know he can be.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Well the speed of the game in England is the one major difference between the Premier League and the Bundesliga. I suppose that made his transition period longer but I do agree, injury seems to have done him some good. But he is playing very well at the moment - Lampard's injury has been a blessing in disguise. It has meant Ballack has had to prove his worth to this team and take up the mantle of captain on occassions, and it has done him the world of good. At the start of the season on the old CFC-Fans website, I said that Ballack would be instrumental to any trophy we win this campaign, and that faith is beginning to look well placed.