GatlingGun

23 Carlo Cudicini 17 José Bosingwa 2 Branislav Ivanovic 26 John Terry © 18 Wayne Bridge 12 John Mikel Obi 21 Salomon Kalou 20 Deco 8 Frank Lampard 15 Florent Malouda 39 Nicolas Anelka Subs: 40 Hilario, 19 Paulo Ferreira, 3 Ashley Cole, 27 Mineiro, 13 Michael Ballack, 16 Scott Sinclair, 11 Didier Drogba

We lost a game in the Premiership. That`s it. Now, lets take home three points from Hull on wednesday. Chin up.

Yeah, he completely neutralized everything Villa was attempting, and their top scorers Carew and Agbonlahor was as if missing in action. Probably one of the best debuts i`ve seen for Chelsea, at the very least.

Well, it looks like Wisey`s got other plans for our number 25: http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/foo...sea_connection/

Thank you, but when the rain starts pooring it looks and feels depressing. Thankfully I`ve got my Chelsea in all the grey afternoons and evenings.

Yup, TBB. That`s what I`m saying. IF Drogba and Anelka find the chemistry together. Still I just cannot keep my feeling about Di Santo away. I think he is going to shine this season.

We all sit baffled in our homes thinking we lost a gem of a player in Robinho, but it is not as bad as everyone is playing it out to be. Now lets have a look at qualities vs quantities. We`ll start at the very back with our world class goalkeeper Cech, with decent covers like Cudicini and Hilario. Do not forget that Rhys Taylor is looking like being our 2nd og 3rd keeper over the next few years. In defence we`ve got the two best british left backs in Bridge and Cole. Ferreira can also provide decent cover here. On the other side Bosingwa has come in to strengthen our only real weakness, the right back. Although we have not seen his best yet, we will sooner rather than later, with Belletti and Ferreira lurking as good cover. JT, Riccy, Alex and Ivanovic. Alex has proven to us what kind of player he is, a world class centre back with goalscoring tendencies. In addition to i.e. Mancienne, Cork and van Aanholt being the most promising prospects for the future. I really cannot see any lack of quality or quantity in defence this season. In midfield we`ve got probably some of the best ones in the world, all with different qualities that can change a game. Mikel, with his excellent control of the ball always seem to find an open Chelsea player, whether it is a safe pass to the back or a through pass for the strikers or wingers. Essien, with his excellent tackling, interceptions, strenght, pace and flair causes a havoc in other teams defence and offence. Probably the most versatile player in the world. Lampard controls every game, and rarely plays a bad one. His great crosses and through balls gets our strikers and wingers into good positions, and he often get to goalscoring oppurtunities whether it is from 25 or 5 yards. Ballack offers much of the same as Lampard but another dimension with his accuracy in free-kicks and his goalscoring abilities in the box, mainly with his headings. He scored lots of important goals for us last season, but he seems to thrive more in the big matches. Deco. Again a new kind of midfield player. Tries tricks with flair, tackles hard(sometimes too hard) shoots from distance. Our new dead-ball specialist. He offers something we have missed since Zola left us five years ago. This is probably the best midfield quintet in the world. Our problem this season will be how our wingers will do. We`ve got Joe Cole, Malouda and Kalou. Hopefully Sinclair will give them a push for the starting line-up, as I definitely see him as a better choice then Florent. Kalou is playing like a star for his nation and as a disgrace for us. Maybe it is because he is a star for his nation and still a talent for us? Lets not put too much pressure on him. He`ll come around. Joe Cole always plays with his heart outside his shirt, but for the most part the quality on his crosses are "sh*te". Someone`s gotta learn that boy how to cross. On the other hand, he adds someting to the team, as Deco, that we haven`t seen since the spring of 2003. Almost always England`s best player during internationals. In front we`ve got Drogba, Anelka and Di Santo. Sounds frightening, eh? If Drogba and Anelka can sort out the chemistry they will be a deadly pair of goalscorers. With the excellent prospect of Di Santo as cover. Kalou also showed in pre-season he can cope as a striker. So, who is this Robinho anyway?

Anyways, our next game cannot come quickly enough. We have to beat Man City, it is an extremely important game for us. We cannot lose out to City in the transfer market and then on the pitch later on. Lets show them they can`t go from 9th and mediocre to a present Chelsea.