Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun has set his sights on a return to action when the Premier League champions travel to Stoke next month.

The Israel international suffered a torn Achilles tendon on only his second start for the Blues back in September.

Former Liverpool and West Ham schemer Benayoun has already taken his first steps back on the training field and believes he could be fit to feature for Carlo Ancelotti's men in the coming weeks.

He told the Jewish Chronicle: "I'm feeling really good and progressing well. I hope to return to full training with Chelsea within a week or two.

"My hope is to be match fit towards the end of the month."

Verdict

Benayoun revealed his devastation at being told he would be ruled out for several months in the early stages of the season

The Israel captain, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Anfield last summer, said: "It wasn't easy to be given the verdict about the injury.

"But the moment I'd undergone the operation and the surgeon told me about other players who had fully recovered from the same injury and returned to play, I began to feel calmer.

"I really believe in myself now and I've been running for quite a few weeks, sometimes with the ball."

Source: Sky Sports

We really could have done with this guy over Christmas glad he's near a comeback

Good news, like Ramires he never stops running or putting in the effort. We've lacked that this season in my opinion and it will be good to see what ge can offer.

Good news, like Ramires he never stops running or putting in the effort. We've lacked that this season in my opinion and it will be good to see what ge can offer.

Very good news, and with the return of Alex also imminent we will now have 2 great additions to our squad for the run in, with both players fairly fresh and raring to go.

Where and when will he play at this point? I guess he will be a back up for Lampard, but that's it. He isn't going to play up front at all and he shouldn't play before Ramires or Yuri. Essien and Mikel will hold down one of the central midfield spots. It will be tough to find time for him. Hopefully we do though, because we could use his creativity.

Where and when will he play at this point? I guess he will be a back up for Lampard, but that's it. He isn't going to play up front at all and he shouldn't play before Ramires or Yuri. Essien and Mikel will hold down one of the central midfield spots. It will be tough to find time for him. Hopefully we do though, because we could use his creativity.

He could play behind the strikers, he could play either wing, he could play in a midfield 3. He is a great player to have on the bench if a change of formation is needed due to his flexibility (positional, not yoga like....)

It looks as if Yossi Benayoun will be match fit by the end of the month. His return will afford us a number options. We need some creativity in midfield. It will be interesting to see how he hooks up with Fernando Torres.

Apparently he'll be available to play against Stoke City on Saturday April 2nd.

It looks as if Yossi Benayoun will be match fit by the end of the month. His return will afford us a number options. We need some creativity in midfield. It will be interesting to see how he hooks up with Fernando Torres.

Apparently he'll be available to play against Stoke City on Saturday April 2nd.

Benayoun and Torres do have a good understanding. Yossi understands Torres' movement and Torres understands that Yossi will be looking for his movement. Yossi was a frequent supplier of a great final ball for Torres to run onto and do his thing.

Example:

10-25-09 Yossi pass to Torres result GOAL

Benayoun and Torres do have a good understanding. Yossi understands Torres' movement and Torres understands that Yossi will be looking for his movement. Yossi was a frequent supplier of a great final ball for Torres to run onto and do his thing.

Example:

10-25-09 Yossi pass to Torres result GOAL

I can see Yossi been the key to getting Torres back to his goal scoring best

Benayoun and Torres do have a good understanding. Yossi understands Torres' movement and Torres understands that Yossi will be looking for his movement. Yossi was a frequent supplier of a great final ball for Torres to run onto and do his thing.

Example:

10-25-09 Yossi pass to Torres result GOAL

There is no doubt Benayoun and Torres worked in tandem in Liverpool's 4-2-3-1 formation, with Torres as the lone striker. I am looking forward to see how they perform for us as I believe Carlo will use a different formation and hopefully they'll have no problem adjusting to it.

I can see Yossi been the key to getting Torres back to his goal scoring best

The key man to Torres scoring goals is Torres, or am I missing something?

The key man to Torres scoring goals is Torres, or am I missing something?

I think he means out of all our squad the player that understands best how Torres plays is Benayoun.

Edited March 4, 201115 yr by dkw

I think he means out of all our squad the player that understands best how Torres plays is Benayoun.

Exactly what I meant

Edited March 4, 201115 yr by Bobbywoodhogan

fair enough, but surely Torres should be able to score regardless of who his team mates are, after all we paid £50 mill for him, not for him and someone he likes to play with. If that was the fact then we should have bought The Star Fish as a joint package.

Exactly what I meant

Get in....

fair enough, but surely Torres should be able to score regardless of who his team mates are, after all we paid £50 mill for him, not for him and someone he likes to play with. If that was the fact then we should have bought The Star Fish as a joint package.

I agree. I think the posts were just a reflection that he and Yossi already know how to play with each other having played together for 3 seasons. It seems he is starting to gel with the team and hopefully the goals start against Blackpool.

A top class striker is a combination of a player able to make something happen out of nothing (which he can and hopefully starts for Chelsea soon) and dependent on his teammates to provide quality service. IMHO part of service means knowing where to be as a striker and knowing where the striker will make his runs as a player providing service.

Am I making sense? I've been drinking a lot of caffeine today.

fair enough, but surely Torres should be able to score regardless of who his team mates are, after all we paid £50 mill for him, not for him and someone he likes to play with. If that was the fact then we should have bought The Star Fish as a joint package.

Well he did score for fun with Liverpool......

I guess theres 2 ways of looking at it. You can just expect a 50mil investment to recoup itself purely because it cost 50mil or you can do what you can to try help the investment reach its full potential.

At the very least, having a familiar/friendly face that provided him with many assists in he past should be a big psychological boost for Torres.

Benayoun should be a big boost for the squad, and had he been fit this season I think Josh would be on loan right now.

Sorry, not buying that. Friendly face, someone to make him feel at home (ok, to some extent, a player needs to adjust and settle in to a new club) but to say we should surround him with his hone comforts is a no, no. If the double winners cant supply him, or anyone else with the service, support he needs, then who can?

By the way, I think Torres is a top player.

Sorry, not buying that. Friendly face, someone to make him feel at home (ok, to some extent, a player needs to adjust and settle in to a new club) but to say we should surround him with his hone comforts is a no, no. If the double winners cant supply him, or anyone else with the service, support he needs, then who can?

By the way, I think Torres is a top player.

I agree with you. I don't think anybody (or at least me) are saying we need to move Liverpool players over en masse to give him support. Hell, for a large portion of this season he was getting no service at all and they've played with him for 3 seasons. Chelsea is a team filled with quality players who should be able to incorporate a new player into their midst and Torres should be able to incorporate himself. I would love for it to happen overnight but as we can see, it's happening match by match for all to see and critique. Like Torres says in his Chelsea interview (to paraphrase): if the team is winning and getting 3 pts that's what really matters BUT.... he's a striker and he was brought to score goals, he understands that.

Sorry, not buying that. Friendly face, someone to make him feel at home (ok, to some extent, a player needs to adjust and settle in to a new club) but to say we should surround him with his hone comforts is a no, no. If the double winners cant supply him, or anyone else with the service, support he needs, then who can?By the way, I think Torres is a top player.

Im sure the double winners would of been giving him great service...... sadly we havent seen much of that team for nigh on 4 months now. We should judge Torres based on the team he is playing in now, not what they were last season.

Since Torres has been with us, if we discount the FA cup he was tied for and the Sunderland match that occured the day after we signed him and thus didnt play him, we have scored 4 goals. 1 penalty, 1 assisted by the other team, 1 from a fortunate bounce in the opponents box, and the other assisted by Lamps...... What about those stats screams "Torres is fluffing good chances?"

The team has a combined 27 assists in the EPL this season, the vast majority coming in the early stages of the season. Not 1 in the league since Torres has signed, just 1 in the CL....... In perspective, the double winners had 71 assists in the EPL last season........Drogba and Lampard alone equaled 24 assists in the EPL that season.

Dont forget Torres had a legit and beaty of a volley goal discounted..... and he is signed with us for a few seasons, not months.... of course we should do what we can to make him comfortable. Would you rather protect/help a 50million investment or just throw it under the bus?

Had half a hunch that Yossi's move had something to do with Torres's desicion to head to the mighty blues (along with the prospect of winning something), think their link up play in the future ought to net us some important goals just as Lampsy and Drogs have done for us in the past.

Benayoun and Torres do have a good understanding. Yossi understands Torres' movement and Torres understands that Yossi will be looking for his movement. Yossi was a frequent supplier of a great final ball for Torres to run onto and do his thing.

Example:

10-25-09 Yossi pass to Torres result GOAL

I hate seeing the dippers score, but that is a great goal. Superb pass.

I was really looking forward when we signed him, very under rated player. He can bring us a number of options, include as the right wing in our 442. He may not be that fast or as energetic as Rameries, but a lot more creative and capable of scoring a few goals.

Any sign of yossi nearing a return??

I understand Yossi is back in "light" training and should be fit for first team action by the start of April. It will be interesting to see him linking up with Torres, i think there is a statistic somewhere saying that Yossi assisted about 40% of Torres's goals at Muderville when they were both there and both started.

It's weird though.

Concievable Benayoun could be gone in the summer.

He's had a tough break.