All I want for Christmas is … a few defenders

Ahh, it’s almost that time of year when the festive frollocks begin and woman go crazy in the shops. Handbags in the face, trolley’s in your heel – and that’s just when you wear the same stuff as her to the work’s Christmas doo.

But Christmas also means transfers and a chance for Chelsea to dig deep in their pockets and maybe buy or loan a few well needed players.

It seems Chelsea’s season hasn’t really started the way supporters would have hoped. Fourth in the league, big loss at home to Arsenal, falling to league newbie’s Queens Park Rangers and not keeping mainly clean sheets at all. And I think many of us know where the weak link is: centre-back and right-back.

Last season, Branislav Ivanovic was, for me, Chelsea’s top player down the right. But since Andre Villas-Boas has taken over, he prefers to play fellow Portuguese Jose Bosingwa, with ‘Branny’ switching to centre-back every other game. David Luiz also looked a great signing last season, but again he seems a bit dodgy under AVB. So, it looks like Alex and JT are the best central pairing, but for the occasional mix-up and slip they like to torture Blues fans with. 

Therefore, on top of my Christmas list – apart from socks – would be a new centre-back in the shape of… ooh, let’s say Gary Cahill? And also the removement of Bosingwa to the bench? Not possible, ok, socks it is.

There has also been a few rumours that Napoli striker Edinson Cavani is wanted by the Blues. A welcome addition to the squad, but would we need him?

Both St Nic (Anelka) and Didier Drogba will be out of contract in the summer so I’m guessing that’s two strikers gone already. Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge has the attacking wings sorted, Fernando Torres will probably take centre stage and Romelu Lukaku will park himself on the bench with Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou (if he’s not already been sold.) So the answer is probably no, but still a good buy nonetheless.

However, I think teams may need to watch the space in next year’s January transfer window ‘cus Chelsea will be on the prowl. Anything better than Ricardo Quaresma please though Santa.

Aaron Aquilina
@P_D_L_P