[web]http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/chelsea/article2076394.ece[/web]

Last paragraph.

IMHO this is CAN be a blessing in disguise. Jose has also mentioned we are to get back to 4-3-3 and if we play 4-4-2 we play with wingers. This is brilliant news.

I think Ferriera has been given his spot back and i think we will see a VERY STRONG season from him.

One concern is, Jose mentioned we have 4 wide men, Joey, Robben, Malouda and Kalou - there was no mention of Sweepy .. i hope he doesnt get frozen out again .. i dont see him getting a game other than on the wing.

Another concern, probably the only real one, is that both our left backs are injured. Ashley is due to be back soon .. lets just hope he's fit and strong for the start of the season.

Cant wait to see the midfield of Mikel(maka) - Essien - Lamps again!!!!!! Oh how we have missed it!!!

Robben and Joey on the pitch together!!!

can the season start tomorrow!!

SWP was not playing on the wing in the second half last night.

I don't think Jose is going to use him in a 433 as a winger.

Malouda and Kalou were on the flanks and Cole and Robben in the first half.

SWP was somewhere in the middle!

May be he doesn't see him as a winger and therefore omitted to mention him?

Or perhaps he is further down the pecking order than we thought!

As for Ballack, I agree his injury could be an absolute blessing, it will allow Jose to ignore him and play other players in there to see what he can come up with in terms of formation. The heat is then off him to have to pick Ballack and frankly I did not miss him at all last night.

I have a feeling from Jose's recent comments he is no longer one of the "untouchables" and if this makes Ballack sweat more for the cause then that's fine by me.

Ballack has not done enough to be called untouchable in my book.

I know SWP didnt play wing last season .. actually, Chelsea didnt play with wingers last season if you think of it.

Anyway .. with Sidwell in and the emergence of Mikel and Diarra .. and with 4 names mentioned as wide men .. where will Sweepy get a game?

It's good news if we are going back to 4-3-3, under that formation we are at our best imo.

Ballack needs to prove he's worthy of a place in the team for next season.

Jos? reinforces the idea that Ballack won't be an automatic starter as he was last season:

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hli ... &channel=&

is there any chance that we can give ballack and sheva a break this season. even before its kicked off the knives are out. there chelsea players, if they play i will support them and hope they come good.

is there any chance that we can give ballack and sheva a break this season. even before its kicked off the knives are out. there chelsea players, if they play i will support them and hope they come good.

I'm with you. I also don't think neither Ballack nor Sheva really deserved all that crap they got last season. One has to ask; would Drogba have scored all those goals if Sheva hadn't been there? I doubt it.