Month: December 2012

‘A 10 year old controlling a Playstation character’. That’s what Gary Neville had to say about our big-haired Brazilian, after an inept performance live on Sky Sports last season.

Fast, strong, and towering at 6ft 2, he certainly fits the mould of your typical central defender. Although that is where the comparison stops. Put a ball at his feet, and he looks straight at the opposition goalkeeper, whether he fancies a mazy run, or a 40 yard strike, not many people know quite what goes on inside that head of his.

After a first win in eight games in the Premier League, it seems our rut may well have ended, and what better place to build confidence than at the Club World Cup this week.

It has been clear that goals were the problem, scoring them that is, as we only managed six goals in the seven games where we failed to record a win, compare that to nine in the last two, notably with Fernando Torres getting four of them.

Congratulations Andre Villas-Boas. Just moments after the ‘achievement’ of qualifying from the Europa League stages, knocking out the European giants of NK Maribor, and Panathinaikos, our former manager couldn’t resist talking about us in his post-match interview.

It is the fact that we have been awarded a Europa League spot that seems to have ruffled his feathers,  as he piped up saying “I think its extremely unfair” whilst sounding awfully like a disgruntled private school kid who had been told he couldn’t stay up to watch Match of the Day.

When a player is dubbed the next star, regularly they fail to live up to expectations. We’ve seen the next Diego Maradona, Pele and Zinedine Zidane come and go and it’s only now that the former duo finally have two stars fans are willing to call their natural heir. Then there is the man believed to follow in the footsteps of ex-Chelsea front-man Romelu Lukaku.

The powerful Belgian is currently on loan with West Bromwich Albion for the season having signed for the Blues 18 months ago. However, after initially failing to make an impact, his time at Hawthorns has seen fans finally bear witness the full potential of the teenage startlet.

Its hard to call the Chelsea managing position a career. The past 6 managers have notched up just 330 games together since Jose Mourinho left in 2007, a rate of just 51 games per boss.

With Rafa Benitez’s contract rumoured to be just until the seasons end, he will be lucky to rack up a half-century of games in charge, that’s if Roman hasn’t sent him his P45 before then. Comical chants, and the bedsheet brigade were out in force during his opening game, making it clear that he isn’t welcome at the Bridge.

Islam Feruz is a scoring sensation for both Chelsea reserves, Scotland U19s and U21s, and is tipped for big things in the future.

He is tipped for big things, and at just 17, some are already calling for him to be introduced to the first team set-up. You have to remember, a certain Wayne Rooney was just 16 when he scored that goal against Arsenal all those years back.

Successive 0-0 draws, followed by a 3-1 defeat, and its because his squad are tired, quipped Rafa Benitez this week. He claims that the Chelsea squad is simply not big enough, and those that are there, are just too tired, having to compete in a Champions League campaign alongside the domestic cups.

In fairness, he may well have a point. Di Matteo’s start was great, but just 19 players had been used by Chelsea this season, and Marko Marin became the 20^th last week, which is the lowest total in the league.