The £200k per week last resort?

Last week it was confirmed that Ashley Cole has signed a one year extension to his current contract with Chelsea, ending months of speculation that he would be following team-mate Frank Lampard out of the exit door at Stamford Bridge this summer.

Rumoured to have been offered £200,000 a week, were the Chelsea hierarchy right to pay this amount to keep their 32 year old left back?

Is this Marin’s chance?

Whilst there is no doubt about Marko’s budding talent, the time and space that would have otherwise afforded him the freedom and opening to fully polish his artistry to the hilt, have unfortunately been remote in Chelsea colours this season.

Not long ago, we were all moaning about the dire need of attacking midfielders/wingers in the mould of Silva, Modric, Ozil & co, creativity-personified with a burst of pace and astuteness to come with it.

Digesting what is left of the 2012/13 season.

It’s a sad state of affairs when Chelsea fans are looking ahead at August when we are barely into the New Year, but a culmination of crazy decisions and poor performances has left us grasping at thin air for trophies, and one of the remaining two of offer, the FA Cup, was hanging in the balance as we avoided the upset of all upsets against Brentford yesterday.

Ironically it was Fernando Torres who gave us that equalizer, and whilst a few believers may think he will now find the form to fire us to a league trophy, that ship has sailed with me.

Quality, but not in quantity.

Rafa Benitez has told Roman Abramovich that his squad simply isn’t big enough, and with just 20 outfield players to his name, you can kind of see his point. Add to the mix that we’ve been involved in eight competitions this season, it certainly does all add up.

Two of them players are Ferreira and Malouda, so you could probably argue that the number is ever lower. Both Mikel and Moses are away on AFCON duty, and with Romeu and Luiz currently injured, it hardly takes Albert Einstein to work out where our problems lie.

Benitez wants three titles, but not the Prem…

Chelsea’s interim manager Rafael Benitez is by far the least popular man at Stamford Bridge and he might be a little more so after admitting his side can no longer lift the league title this season.

The European Champions trail leaders Manchester Unitedby 13 points prior to Sunday’s game at home against top of the table strugglers Arsenal and Benitez has written off the club’s title challenge for another season, “In terms of the league, I don’t think we can do it”.

Keep Cole, now sort Lampard out.

Just today, Chelsea finally renewed Ashley Cole’s contract. I, for one, never saw that coming as we were all caught up in the Chelsea-must-sign-Lampard saga, and Cole putting pen to paper is such a huge relief as I can’t imagine the loss of a world-class player like him.

Lampard, however, has not renewed his contract with Chelsea yet, which is pretty disturbing. We’ve heard rumours of him signing for L.A. Galaxy recently, sparking up more controversy about his future with Chelsea, if he has one.

Can Jose help us out with a bargain?

Ballon d’or winner, World Cup winner, three times in the UEFA World XI, and a list of personal achievements that stretch nearly as long as his gangly 6ft 1 frame. Hardly a resume of a player that at just 30, could be leaving the Galacticos of Real Madrid this summer.

Return of the little great?

The Roberto Di Matteo saga has left Chelsea fans with a sour taste in their mouths towards the Chelsea hierarchy, and although it may be true that he wasn’t the long term solution for the clubs vision and goals, it has been plain to see, the man who replaced him certainly isn’t either.