Loan Interest

[EskWeston 696]

As we enter the New Year, many of our players out on loan are returning to Stamford Bridge, with an important spell of first team football under their belts. Here we take a look at the players' involvement for their temporary clubs over the past couple of months.

Since the last catch up in mid-November, Scott Sinclair completed his spell at Queens Park Rangers, and has returned to first team action with the Blues, starting against Liverpool in the Carling Cup, and coming on against Newcastle in the Premier League win last Saturday.

Scott made nine appearances for the Hoops, scoring a header in the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace in November.

Also at Loftus Road were Ben Sahar and Michael Mancienne, with the former playing the last of his nine Rangers games in the 2-1 defeat to Palace in early December. The young forward struggled with injuries during his time there, while Mancienne has been a more regular figure.

Mancienne has made 12 appearances in defence for Rangers, the last being in late November in a 3-1 defeat at Stoke. His loan deal continues until the end of the season, but is ineligible for Saturday's FA Cup tie with us at the Bridge.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Jack Cork (pictured) returns from struggling Scunthorpe, who currently sit in the relegation zone.

It is all been good experience for Cork though, who has been a regular since returning to the side in November after injury. He scored the Iron's goal in their 1-1 draw at Coventry, and in total made 17 appearances at Glanford Park.

Jimmy Smith is another Chelsea prospect that has been plying his trade in the lower reaches of the Championship, but has seen results improve at Norwich City since new manager Glenn Roeder took charge.

The Canaries are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run, of which Smith played in five, including a 1-0 win against Cork's Scunthorpe prior to Christmas.

In League One, left-back Ryan Bertrand has impressed at Oldham Athletic, having made 24 appearances in all competitions for the Boundary Park club, including the 3-1 win at Leeds on New Year's Day, which will be his last.

Anthony Grant has been a regular for Luton Town since his temporary move in November, but his progress has been hindered recently due to a red card at Bristol Rovers on Boxing Day.

Before that game he had made four appearances, with the Hatters winning three and drawing one of those games. He will return to Chelsea on Saturday.

In November, Adrian Pettigrew returned from his loan spell at Brentford in League Two, where he enjoyed a regular run in the first team, the last of his 14 appearances coming in a 1-1 FA Cup first round draw at Luton on November 10.

Overseas, Phil Younghusband has helped Danish side Esbjerg FB into eighth place of the Danish Superligaen as they head into a winter break, while Khalid Boulahrouz has been in and out of the Sevilla side that has begun to recover from its poor early season form.

In Italy, Hernan Crespo's Inter top the table after 17 games, and the Argentine has contributed two goals in his six league appearances.

Source: Chelsea FC

[love cfc 0]

They all back to Chelsea?? :huh:

[EskWeston 696]

Jack Cork has had his loan extended till the end of the season. But i believe that Sahar (Definately) Bertrand, Smith and Pettigrew have all returned for the time being. I think in Bertrands case they want to send him back out to a better club.