Chelsea camp should be now a desert, for most players are now busy with Euro 2012, and the remaining must be holidaying in their homes or away. A mammoth task lies ahead the caretaker-turned-manager Roberto di Matteo to scramble the team back and set the pieces correctly to affirm his talent. He would badly need to win atleast the premierleague this time to shoo away critics who find refuge in the copious way luck has favoured di Matteo and Chelsea.
The old guard is now disintegrated, two remain of the three. Chelsea can never again dream anything parallel to the Drogba-centric way of attack. The one that sunk Barcelona FC and FC Bayern Munich. The one that slowly flourished much to the anguish of all tiki taka fans, not because they hated it really, but because it routed most of their games against Chelsea FC with Didier Drogba in the squad. Lampard is no more the lone CAM that propelled the blues, in fact he is not a CAM anymore, he has found solace alongside Jon Obi Mikel right ahead of the other mainstay, John Terry. It is a good sign that Lampard has retreated, primarily because his brilliant interceptions at the back and meticulous passes that follow make the Chelsea counter attack the most dreaded among its kind. More than upon anything else, a Chelsea fan can bestow his hopes on counter attacks. It is more strengthened when they have a magician sprinter in Ramires and an intelligent playmaker in Juan Mata. The second reason why Lampard is better suited at CDM is that his shots are not that powerful as they used to be, and fans are kept waiting for a hundred Lampard volleys before he puts one through to the net. However, he is at his best in spot-kicks even now. Ramires and Mata could move up and down the flanks while the promising Eden Hazard would don the role of the CAM.If he does not prove worth the buy, Roman Abramovich will again be forced to do another of his hasty machiavellian spends, for his midfield will have strong wings with no support in the middle.
It is an inpermeable defense that keeps the Chelsea engine going, no matter what, the quad core of Ashley Cole, John Terry, David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic stand guard in front of the tall giant who checks the net. John Terry, vilified by his infamous acts of rage on and outside the pitch, will definitely find it difficult to get time to attend practice sessions as he would be busy attending trails for allged racial abuse of Andon Ferdinand. And thanks to Wayne Bridge who is now no more than a recluse, out of Terry's way. The inspiring Ivanovic has been a real asset to Stamford Bridge ever since his induction to Chelsea from FC Lokomotiv Moscow in 2008. Real Madrd FC are rumoured to be on hot trail behind the Serbian, although Ivanovic announced that he wouldn't wish to talk about his move to Madrid, much to the relief of the blue fans. But rumours have stirred up so much steam which corroborates this move a likely predicament to the Cobham camp. If it happens, then Luiz will have to move to RB from his current role at RCB, and Cahill will move in to the starting eleven, at RCB. Jose Bosingwa is lacklustre now, and he does not match Cole in speed or precise tackling. The tag of the number one goalkeeper in football was snatched away from Petr Cech by the likes of Edwin Van der Saar and Iker Casillas a few years back. But now the Czech is on an ascent again - he was astounding in the 2011-12 season, especially in its climactic finish.
Up front, the resurgent Fernando Torres now stands as a lone man, leaving a choiceless formation of 4-2-3-1 to di Matteo. Only in the closing games of previous season did Torres find some breathing space, and kept his contract intact with the blues. A disappointing closure to the season would have forced Abramovich to declare 50 million pounds an utter waste. And facebook would soon have declared Torres as their brand ambassador, much to the amuse of the trolling community. Alas, Torres decided to end all these taunts, with his elegant goals in the Euro 2012 group match against the Republic of Ireland. If Hulk is captured before the transfer window draws to a close, Chelsea will be strong in every aspect which the game demands. Fresh young blood in Ramires, Hazard, Cahill and Luiz will ensure an explosive season for Chelsea which will mark a milestone in the club's transformation from a business enterprise to an institution of the beautiful game.
Here is the best Chelsea line-up for 2012-13.
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