Chelsea FC - Supporters' Rally

[no_faith]

instead of getting malouda, shd get ribery, younger in age.

[JWNY]

Originally Posted by no_faith

instead of getting malouda, shd get ribery, younger in age.

He prefers German sausages and non Champions League football after signing for Bayern Munich

JWNY

[Glen2712]

Originally Posted by no_faith

instead of getting malouda, shd get ribery, younger in age.

At least Malouda could provide some cover on the left side midfield for the injury prone Arjen Robben.

[no_faith]

alamak bro Glen2712, we still got jole cole mah.

3 left winger, 1 right winger. will swp be in the regular line up?

[Glen2712]

Originally Posted by no_faith

alamak bro Glen2712, we still got jole cole mah.

3 left winger, 1 right winger. will swp be in the regular line up?

Joe Cole's gd but also another injury prone..... wad's swp? Shawn Wright Philips?.... that lad has finally began prove his worth towards the end season of 06/07, lurve his death one touch goal against West Ham...... it's still vivid in my mind!


Just my 2 cents worth, unless he hits a rich vein of form then I reckon he'll be in the regular line up... (no offence to the SWP's fans out there)


It'll be interesting to see how Malouda can pair up with Robben/ Cole/ Shawn; taking/switching each flanks as we've already seen the combination flank plays of Robben/ Cole/ Shawn for the past few seasons...


Cheers!

[no_faith]

bro glen2712, imno, we will see the combination flank play of malouda/robben/shawn where cole will be better off as a super sub.

sumtimes i see he played full 90min, the performance was so so only.

[JWNY]

now we got 3 die hard supporters!!

JWNY

[no_faith]

Alves waits on Chelsea bid
Daniel Alves is waiting for Sevilla to accept Chelsea's offer for him.

The Brazilian international is the subject of a €20million (£13million) bid from the English giants - but Sevilla are thought to be wanting €30million (£20million) for the highly-rated full-back.

Liverpool and Real Madrid have seemingly been put off by Sevilla's demands - but Chelsea are being persistent and still hold out hope of luring the 24-year-old to Stamford Bridge.

However, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon is known to have told Sevilla that The Blues have other targets and will soon move on if they do not receive a positive response.

Alves's agent Jose Rodriguez Baster has now insisted that they want Sevilla to accept Chelsea's bid.

"Daniel wants to see an agreement between the two clubs," Baster told the Spanish press.

"We need to see if the president [Jose Maria] Del Nido considers it, but we cannot really say anything as we are not certain.

"We just hope that Del Nido understands that this would be good for all parts, we can see this already."

hmm...commented dun wan spend big money but now like cant resist the temptation of Roman's pocket.

why buy another flamboyant right back where we have one waiting?

i have confident with the 2 RB.

[Glen2712]

Originally Posted by no_faith

hmm...commented dun wan spend big money but now like cant resist the temptation of Roman's pocket.

why buy another flamboyant right back where we have one waiting?

i have confident with the 2 RB.

Bro no_faith, which 2 RBs?


Paulo Ferreira and Khalid Boulahrouz are the 2 RBs which come to my mind and the 2 LBs will be none other than Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge. Glen's still on loan to Portsmouth.


Here's my POV (Point of View, no offense Bro no_faith )


Looking @ both club and international levels, Alves has a lot to offer for the Blues (of course if the Blues can secure this deal first) his long range passes/ crosses are superb, and not forgeting his attacking prowess coming from a full back.


Sure, he's ain't Roberto Carlos but Alves is @ the moment (I can't think of another full back), is the next closest attacking style of a full back a club like Chelsea or any other top club can benefit from. With both Alves and Ashley, it'll be exciting; providing that extra width/ support/ attacking option.


Yes, with that said, the Blues do already have 2 RBs, but Boulahrouz hasn't really been able to perform last season. Let's just say Mourinho; in fact it's very apparent, doesn't have much faith in Boulahrouz after his horrible textbook blunder. So Alves is a good option.


Now flashback last season, we all remember how the injuries of Terry and Carvalho (and of coz Cech) had such devasting rippling effect to the entire defensive unit. Getting Ferreira and Essien forming a makeshift central unit of defence initially clearly exposed Chelsea defence limitations/ shortcomings, in turn showed the whole league/ the entire European continent, how thin their cover for central defence (if not the entire defence) was.


Not too mention Essien's introduction into the defence affected the midfield; causing one option less in the central park of field. Clearly, the defence had inevitably affected the midfield. It was catastrophic. (I'm sure you agree too) The Blues weren't prepared for a crisis like this at all.


Now with the inclusion of Ben Thaim, this will indefinetly provide cover not only the center of defence but also on either side of defence. Now hypothetically, should any of the full backs picked up injuries, imagine both Ashley and Wayne out together in any part of next season. (Thank goodness Ashley and Wayne are injured but now on the road to recovery during this off season). Now we don't want another disastrous impact this time round coming on either side of defence, do we?


Then should Alex gets his first team calling, I'm sure the chemistry between these 2 Brazilian internationals will be very promising, if not, at the very least encouraging for the Blues. Let's sidetrack for a while: Imagine Chelsea's wing play approach, topping up with the extra attacking dimension coming from the full backs, now if that ain't excites you, I don't know what can.


Clearly we can see the primary approach/ objective (rather an obvious one to me) Chelsea has taken for the coming season; that is to bolster up its entire defence unit. Making it nice and tight, yet attractive with a tinch of Brazilian flair.

[Glen2712]

Drogba lobbying helped me join Chelsea - Malouda


France midfielder Florent Malouda, who is due to become a Chelsea player on Monday, says former team mate Didier Drogba used his influence to persuade the London club to buy him.


Malouda, whose Olympique Lyon club said on Sunday they had reached a deal with Chelsea, and Ivory Coast striker Drogba once played together for French side Guingamp before moving on to more prestigious clubs.


'Didier pushed a bit, a lot even,' Malouda told Monday's issue of French sports daily L'Equipe. 'But then, at Chelsea, that's not enough to recruit a player.'


Apparently upset that the talks were dragging on, Malouda left Lyon's training camp in the French Alps last week.


'The (Lyon) president had told me he would let me go and I knew he would be true to his word but the problem was the time it took,' Malouda said. 'He (Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas) is a tough businessman but everybody knew I would leave.'


A left-footed attacking midfielder, Malouda, who is both technically gifted and physically strong, said he was a Chelsea fan.


'They were my number one choice for many reasons,' he said. 'I saw several matches there as a spectator and I always enjoyed it very much. There was also the coach, who really wanted to have me, and life in London, because I want my family to feel at ease.


'The most important thing was I felt they really wanted me. I also feel the kind of football they play suits me quite well.'


Malouda, who had joined Lyon for 6.5m euros in 2003, should move to Chelsea for a transfer fee of around 20m euros, a Lyon source said.


The 27-year-old has won four French titles with Lyon and was voted best Ligue 1 player last season. A member of the France squad who reached last year's World Cup final, he has played 30 internationals, scoring three goals.


Real Madrid had also expressed an interest in a player regarded as one of the finest France has to offer.

[Glen2712]

Chelsea sign Malouda as Boulahrouz exits


Florent Malouda has agreed a four-year contract with Chelsea but Khalid Boulahrouz will not join him on pre-season tour in America as discussions continue over a move from Stamford Bridge.


Boulahrouz, the 25-year-old Holland defender, was brought to the club last summer for around £7million but has been out of favour and made just four appearances after the turn of the year, with Sevilla among the interested clubs.


'Discussions are ongoing with several clubs,' read a statement from the club.


Boulahrouz was expected to provide cover across the Chelsea defence but boss Jose Mourinho often fielded the likes of Geremi or Lassana Diarra, both midfielders by trade, at right-back.


Mourinho also has Glen Johnson returning from last season's loan to Portsmouth to bolster numbers in defence, Tal Ben Haim has also arrived and Alex could join from PSV Eindhoven before the start of the campaign.


Boulahrouz was not on the plane to America, but Malouda will make the trip to California now his move from Lyon has been sealed.


The fee for the France winger is undisclosed but he has been valued at upwards of £13million since featuring for his country at the World Cup last year.


The 27-year-old is a former team-mate of Didier Drogba from their time together at Guingamp and also played alongside Michael Essien when he moved to Lyon.


Chief executive Peter Kenyon stressed last week that Malouda's arrival would not compromise the position of Arjen Robben, despite the winger being linked with a move to Real Madrid.


The Holland international appears more concerned with building his fitness up for a new season, and he told the London Evening Standard: 'There has been a lot of talk about me going to Real Madrid but I am on the trip to Los Angeles.


'I am really looking forward to starting training again and getting the fitness back. I am still a Chelsea player.'


Chelsea are putting the final pieces together as they mount a challenge to win the Barclays Premier League title back from Manchester United and also look to at least reach the final of the Champions League.


Goalkeeper Petr Cech believes Chelsea could be challenging in the two domestic cup competitions as well, as they were last season when they were in the hunt for a 'quadruple'.


'If we avoid injuries, it is realistic,' said Cech in Czech newspaper Sport.


'We had injuries last season and it was always in the same places. It is difficult to win four trophies, but if we managed this, it would be an extraordinary achievement.'


He added: 'I believe our signings will quickly gel in and will be our advantage.'


Cech, meanwhile, looks set to continue wearing his protective headguard following his fractured skull suffered against Reading last season.


'The doctors recommended to me to wear it also in the next season,' he said.


'It would be better if they said that I could take it off, but on the other hand there is no sense in risking.


'I have no problem with it, I got used to it very quickly.'

[Glen2712]

Misfit Boulahrouz heads to FC Sevilla on loan


Chelsea have agreed to a loan deal for Khalid Boulahrouz to join Sevilla for one year.


The 25-year-old Holland defender was brought to Stamford Bridge last summer for around £7million from Hamburg but has been out of favour and made just four appearances after the turn of the year.


While Chelsea's squad travelled to America at the start of the week as they step up their pre-season preparations, Boulahrouz stayed behind while negotiations continued with the La Liga club who have won the UEFA Cup in the past two years.


'Chelsea and Sevilla have reached an agreement for the one-year loan,' read a statement from the Premier League club.


Boulahrouz was expected to provide cover across the Chelsea defence but manager Jose Mourinho often fielded Geremi or Lassana Diarra, both midfielders by trade, at right-back.


Mourinho also has Glen Johnson returning from last season's loan at Portsmouth to bolster numbers in defence, while Tal Ben Haim has also arrived and Alex could join from PSV Eindhoven before the start of the campaign.


In Ben Haim, Mourinho feels he has a versatile defender who could 'save his skin' over the coming season.


Injuries harmed the Blues as they surrendered the Premier League to Manchester United last season, and Israel international Ben Haim will offer extra cover next term after moving from Bolton on a free transfer.


'We tried to have him last January because we were in big trouble at the time but it was not possible,' said Mourinho.


'He was an important player for Bolton and they wanted to keep him until the end of the season.


'But now we have him and we have him because we like him. He's a good central defender but also a good multi-functional defender.


'He can play right-back and left-back in case we have the need and during the season, so we're very happy to have him.


'I'm sure about his qualities but after three training sessions together it's even easier to know the player and after six hours training together I like him even more.'


Mourinho believes his squad is in better shape than a year ago, with only Michael Ballack staying in London to recover from surgery and new signing Claudio Pizarro, of Peru, being given extra time off following the Copa America.


'Last year was a disaster because we started the season with half a team,' he said. 'And after that, every two to three days, some players arrived depending on their performance at the World Cup.


'We had players who were out in the last 16, out in the quarter-finals and then finally the Portuguese and the French guys because they had reached the semi-final stage. It was a disaster.


'This season we are starting with everybody. Only Pizarro is not here and Ballack with injury.


'Everybody here is working very hard, the motivation is there. Everyone is training like they play, almost, with their attitude, intensity, concentration and strength. The training is becoming very real.'

[Glen2712]

Robben leaves door open on Blues future


Real Madrid target Arjen Robben believes he will start the season as a Chelsea player but has left open the possibility of a move to the Spanish champions.


Holland international Robben, who is stalling on a new contract with the Stamford Bridge side, was talking as Chelsea began pre-season training in Los Angeles ahead of a three-game tour in California.


'I'm happy where I am now,' Robben said.


'I've travelled here for the first day's training and it's been good in training. I'm really happy to be back and starting again.'


Asked if he would be starting the season as a Chelsea player he replied: 'I think so.'


But on the subject of signing a new contract he added: 'I don't know. We will see what the future brings. I haven't signed a new contract yet, things haven't gone really well, but we'll see what it brings.'


Robben said he had not been unsettled by speculation that he was Madrid-bound.


'It's not about [being flattered by interest from other clubs]. I think for any individual player it's good when there's interest from any big club in the world. It just shows that you're a good player and I always see that as a compliment.


'It was the same when I was at PSV in Holland before I went to Chelsea. There were a lot of clubs interested in me but it's just good for the confidence.'


Contrary to indications the club would keep him out of the action in a bid to protect him from injury ahead of any possible transfer, Robben added he expected to play for Chelsea in pre-season.


The Blues take on Mexican side Club America in Stanford on Saturday, and World Series games at the Home Depot Center in Carson against Korea's Suwon Bluewings next Tuesday and Los Angeles Galaxy the following Saturday in what is expected to be David Beckham's debut for the American club.


'We have six games now until the first game of the season and playing in them is part of the training. I expect everybody will play 45 minutes on Saturday because it's part of training.'


As for his participation in the Champions League as Chelsea player, the first game of which starts after the August 31 transfer deadline, Robben was less sure.


'That's far ahead isn't it? That's September.'


Florent Malouda is set to link up with Chelsea on their tour of America after agreeing a four-year contract, although Khalid Boulahrouz will not join him as discussions continue over a move from Stamford Bridge.


Chief executive Peter Kenyon stressed last week that Malouda's arrival would not compromise the position of Robben.

[JWNY]

Originally Posted by Glen2712

Clearly we can see the primary approach/ objective (rather an obvious one to me) Chelsea has taken for the coming season; that is to bolster up its entire defence unit. Making it nice and tight, yet attractive with a tinch of Brazilian flair.

I like Alves but if he is too expensive, Micah Richards would still be a good choice for us and Glen Johnson should have matured now having played a full season elsewhere.

JWNY

[Glen2712]

Jose wants Robben, Malouda in tandem


Jose Mourinho believes Florent Malouda can help Chelsea regain peak form - alongside fellow winger Arjen Robben.



The Blues begin their pre-season campaign with a friendly against Mexican giants Club America in northern California tomorrow night, the first of three friendlies in the United States.


Mourinho plans for every member of his squad to play 45 minutes against Club America, which means a a run-out for contract rebel and Real Madrid target Robben and a debut for Malouda.


The France international signed from Lyon in a deal confirmed by Mourinho at a press conference in Los Angeles last night to be worth £13.5million.


The possibility of the two wingers playing in tandem is something that excites the Chelsea boss.


'We have competition almost in every position and I think that is very, very important,' Mourinho said.


'I know that everybody is watching Florent and Robben in the same squad but you have to remember that, in my opinion, the best football we played in the last three years was when Robben and [Damien] Duff were playing together in the same team.


'So why can't Florent and Arjen play together?


'Yes, there is competition between them but yes, they can play together in the same team.'


Mourinho believes Malouda's time winning championships with Lyon would help him adapt very quickly to life at Chelsea.


'Florent is one of these players that you don't need to present. Everyone knows his qualities and what he did in the past with his club, Olympique, and in the French national team,' the Chelsea boss said.


'And I want to make it very, very clear that he's not here to replace anybody. I understand that many people think that's why he's coming but that's not the objective.


'The objective is to have a very good player with a very good mentality and who can very easily adapt in my opinion to the needs of English football.


'And he's a player with ambition because the reason why he wants to leave a very good club like Olympique and come to Chelsea is because he wants to change his life.


'I don't think it's a question of one more pound or one less pound in his bank account, I think it's just a new life and a new career and to try and reach his ambitions.


'Every player has his own personality and I don't want to compare him with anybody else but players like [Michael] Essien or Didier [Drogba] - their personality is not very different.


'They are competitive, they are stronger physically but that is not a problem. He is a mature player, he's 27 and has experience in the international team and he's very adaptive to play with responsibilities.


'At Lyon, he's played to be champion, he's played to be champion with France and so to play to be a champion with Chelsea is I don't think a big change in his career.


'I think he's ready to cope with the pressure.'


Malouda is a former team-mate of Drogba at Guingamp and of Essien at Lyon as well as a France squad member alongside Claude Makelele.


Those contacts helped Mourinho to assess how suitable a person Malouda would be to fit into his squad.


'He played before with Didier and Essien and also with Maka in the national team so we know a lot about him,' Mourinho said.


'We got some inside information about him, not as a player - as a player we already know him - but as a person, his mentality, the way he can adapt to the group. And I think already he feels very, very much at home.


'He knows a lot of the players, he can speak some good English and there are a lot of French-speaking players so it is very easy for him to adapt and our squad is much stronger with a player like him.'