If you’re a woman reading this article, please, don’t get too excited, this isn’t an article on where to find the best water holes for grabbing a bargain in January. No. This, is an article of more importance, of epic proportions, of serious topic. This is the January sales.
January marks the opening of the ever illusive transfer market, playing host to a number of rogue players being moved on, and summer sales gone wrong, being frantically pushed out the exit. Sure there are some dead ringers, for example Tevez moving on in January, but our main focus will be who comes and goes through the blues’ revolving doors.
Incoming – The Kings road boy’s are always linked with the cream of the crop, but let’s take a look at who, or what, we need bringing in during the window. As of late, Chelsea’s defence has faltered, and seemed some what frail, but with a defence that boasted a stern wall last season, things just don’t seem the same, maybe it’s the absence of Alex, or JT’s off pitch dilemmas. Who knows.
Goal keepers, the last line of defence between the sticks, and although Cech is one of the best in the world, I feel his time is slowly, but surely coming to an end, and who do we have in the shadows waiting to pounce? Ross Turnbull. No offence to the man, but he’s no where near the standard Chelsea needs. I feel the acquisition of Thibault Courtois
We’ve been linked with a number of Porto’s defenders, Pereira and Rolando being the two prominent candidates, but i’m not so sure we really need anyone. I think centre backs John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are a force to be reckoned with, with Alex waiting patiently in the wings. Where as Bosingwa and Cole, two of the fastest full backs in the world, don’t need replacing. However, the one defender I feel we need to utilise more to his potential is David Luiz. In his first year at Chelsea, what an impression. Scoring brilliant goals against the Mancs, i feel his new role should be a Defensive Midfielder, as his attack is just as good as his defence. If we we’re to add to our defence, i’d like to see maybe a younger fullback, Van Der Weil comes to mind, and a younger central defender, maybe along the lines of Bayern Munich’s Badstuber.
Concerning the Blues’ midfield and attacking options, additions don’t exactly need to be made, with strikers galore, and midfield dynamo’s alike, Chelsea’s attacking options and attacking displays have been exciting and close to the category of ‘beautiful’, so as far as any changes to these two area’s, I think the only thing we need to see happen is a maybe the introduction of an out and out winger, someone of Ashley Young’s calibre, who can threaten teams full backs and deliver decent balls in, as well as offer pace to our game, apart from that, only few departures could be expected in January.
Which brings us onto who I think should be leaving the books in January, or the summer of ’12. In Midfield, we boast some creative, world beating players, with the new boy Mata making an insanely sensational start, and the revolution of youth making their presences known in McEachran and Romeu, Players such as Lampard and Malouda have foudn their status’ reduced to benchwarmers, however, I feel their times are closing in on the end. The one role that has never been filled, is the ‘Makelele role’ – which was vacated by our own little ‘terrier’ Claude Makelele. Obi Mikel tried to fill his boots, but you just feel theres not many that can. As for filling this void, I don’t think any money needs to swap hands, just look to David Luiz. Like I said before, his attacking as well as defender attributes can offer a chance for the Maka role to be filled, as well as introduce a new element to Luiz and Chelsea’s game.
All-in-all, alterations to the blues defence should be made, and hopefully will, just a tiny bit though, with the introduction of a winger or two to add width to our game, the new era of Chelsea FC is still in motion, i just prey Abramovich allows AVB time to let this change happen.
By Warwick Tuatara