Chelsea FC: Latest News

Chelsea Confirm First Transfer Signing After Sealing Deal With Bayer Leverkusen For Gokhan Tore

Chelsea have confirmed their first transfer signing of the January transfer window after signing Turkish youth International Gokhan Tore from German side Bayer Leverkusen for an undisclosed fee. The 17-year-old German-born attacking midfielder, joined Bayer Leverkusen as a youth player in 1999, but although having featured at both Under-17 and Under-19 level for 'The Werkself' hasn't featured for the senior team. Tore has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Luis Felipe Scolari's side, which will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2012.

Anelka: Ferguson The Difference Between United & Chelsea & Liverpool.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has praised Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, with the French International that the Scot was the major reason as to why the Red Devils were one of the top clubs in the world and often said to be better than Chelsea and Liverpool.

The Blues striker said: "United don’t have a notably better or more complete squad than Chelsea or Liverpool.

"But Ferguson is so smart and so impressive.

"He keeps spotting and signing precisely the right players to complement what he already has and give balance to his squad.

"Then, what is massively important and difficult, Ferguson somehow teaches them to understand and demonstrate the special spirit of his club.

"He has been there doing it for a long time. But he keeps on succeeding.”Chelsea are all set for their trip to Anfield tomorrow for their Premier League clash against Liverpool, with Anelka going on to reveal that the failure to bring back all three points to Stamford Bridge would be catastrophic in terms of the rest of the campaign for Luiz Felipe Scolari's side.

"Failing to take all three points would be a catastrophe in terms of what lies ahead for us during the remainder of the season," he added.

Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal & Liverpool Tracking 'Edu'? - Watch Him In Action

Nigerian international Striker Chinedu Ogbuke known also as Edu has impressed for Germany’s surprise package and early pace setters in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim, with the 22-year-old reportedly being tracked by Premier League Champions Manchester United as well as Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.

The striker first came to prominence for Norwegian club Lyn Oslo where both Ogbuke and fellow current Chelsea player John Obi Mikel signed for the club at the same time. After scoring an impressive 14 goals in 29 appearances, Ogbuke made the move to Germany, where he has maintained his impressive scoring ratio of 18 in 39 games since signing in August 2007. Six of those have arrived this season.

Should any transfer materialise, Old Club Lyn stand to gain a windfall, having sold the player to Hoffenheim, with an agreement of a sell on clause. Indeed, Lyn director Erik Langerud commentated” He is an attractive player for many clubs, Hoffenheim too. He might leave now, in the summer or next summer." Should the striker’s form continue in the same vein, a move to the Premiership would look increasingly likely.

With the futures of both Chelsea’s Didier Drogba at Stamford Bridge and United's Carlos Tevez unclear plus both Liverpool and Arsenal lacking sufficient firepower, should Hoffenheim decide to sell a battle between the Premier League's 'big four' could ensue.

Chelsea FC: Where Lies The Fault?

well, i was listening to arguements from some fans the other day and someone said the coach is the main problem and Scolari Fillipe was only a world cup coach another fan disagreed and said the problem is that our attack is out of form though the defense and the mid-field is well co ordinated. The point is one way or the other, they were both right.

For instance i tend to see the problem this way:
- The players are not motivated which is also the fault of the coach
- The attack is out of form and lacks strategies.

The past few matches we've played, Chelsea has just been struggling to win or draw sometimes. the game doesn't seem bad most times at least we know we have potentials to win but something then happens and we dont. Another big problem is that we've not outplayed any big team this season and that is not a good sign.
The question now is 'How can we tackle this?
-The players need motivation and must see every match as a must win and play with every determination
- we need fast wingers and players that can run at defenders to make our game less predictable.
-our strikers (Drogba and Anelka) needs to brace up their game or should have to watch from the bench.
In short something needs to be done before Feb 24 when we meet Ranieri and his team or else we'll lose flatly.

Manchester United VS Chelsea Fc

Last Sunday was a terrible day for Chelsa when we witnessed Manchester United bashed Chelsea at the Old Trafford in a fair game. how did it happen no thanks to Vidic Rooney and C. Ronaldo with their amazing attacks which was extra ordinary compared to what the blues displayed.

From the blues website after the match

AFTER THE WHISTLE: TALKING TO JOSE

Posted on: Tue 13 Jan 2009

Chelseafc.com likes to grab a few words with Chelsea figures from the past when they attend our matches for whatever reason, and Sunday was no exception.

The whole world must know by now that José Mourinho was one of the spectators at Old Trafford, studying Manchester United in preparation for Inter's Champions League tie.

Our former manager spoke to us literally seconds after the whistle for full time, and was asked whether hearing Chelsea fans in song once more had stirred the odd emotion in him.

'Stamford Bridge, when I go back there for the first time, will be a real emotion because that was my home,' he said.

'Here is always a feeling, is always an emotion, but it was not my home. My home was Stamford Bridge so I look forward to going there again one day.

'Maybe we [Inter] can beat Man United and maybe Chelsea can beat Juventus and maybe we can see each other in the later stages.'

Being someone who expressed Champions League wishes in the past that proved more like accurate predications (we're thinking of his 'I want to play Barcelona' one of 2004/05), we was asked when he thought we might meet again.

'If possible, in the Final,' he smiled, 'but if it is in the quarter-final, I will be happy because it means that we both go through very difficult ties.

'I know that Man United is a team of great potential but I trust myself, I trust my players. Of course Man United is full of talented players but based on our organisation and our mentality, we can do it.

'Today was similar to the Man United team I know very well,' Mourinho observed, adding that he expects to make another two or three live scouting visits, including the Man U game away to Gianfranco Zola's West Ham.

'I will go one day to Stamford Bridge for sure,' he promised. 'Football is a small world and I will go around and around. I played against Porto, I played against Barcelona. I will play against Chelsea one day.'

Since the chat on Sunday, Mourinho has once more been in contact with Chelsea. He wishes the fans to know that despite what is suggested in some media stories today, his pre-Coppa Italia press conference yesterday contained no comment on Chelsea's play. He simply stated that he had concentrated on future Inter opponents Manchester United, not on how Chelsea performed on Sunday.

**********

The analysis of the events of Sunday afternoon will go on for a while yet, with thoughts of what would have happened had scores been kept level until half-time considering a fair first-half display, tempered by the knowledge that Edwin van der Sar between the Man U posts hadn't really been tested.

But it is at the other end of the pitch and the defending from deadball situations that is at the centre of a lot of debate at the moment. After the Whistle noted John Mikel Obi's comment to this website that it felt to him that: 'This season we haven't really conceded goals from open play. They are all set pieces.'

So we decided to take a look and he's not too inaccurate with that statement.

Take the Barclays Premier League alone and our opponents have scored eight times from deadballs and four from open play.

The open play foursome were Darren Bent's goal for Spurs from a ricocheted Frank Lampard clearance, Park's tap-in after a Cech save for Man United at the Bridge, Alonso's deflected shot for Liverpool, Man U's second at the weekend and van Persie's first for Arsenal, which as Mikel points out, was from an offside position anyway.

Of the set-piece damage, it has only been Robinho's direct attempt at the target, with help from a flick off the wall, that has not involved a free-kick from a wide position, a corner or a throw.

For the record, Chelsea have scored 34 league goals in open play, six from deadballs, one of which was a penalty.

**********

After the Whistle also listened to words from another figure from the management side of game who was at Old Trafford. Former England boss Graham Taylor was working for national radio as a summariser and was among the many trying to make sense of what they had seen. He spoke on wide issues after the game.

'I have seen Chelsea live more than any of the top clubs and at the start of the season I thought this is it.

'Chelsea are not in crisis, I don't like that word anyway when football is concerned, but it is not flowing like before.

'I'd like to see more width in the play,' he suggested. 'It is alright saying we like our full-backs to get forward but we saw for instance when Manchester United played at Stamford Bridge, how Hargreaves and Park stopped the full-backs. If your full-backs aren't getting forward, where is your real width to your play?

'The view that Drogba and Anelka can't play together, the second half performance would support that,' he added. 'I didn't see anybody making a run for the other one to get into the spaces.

'Is that the manager's fault or do you have to look at the players?' he asked.

'You would expect Chelsea to win at Southend but you have got to work to win, you've got to get it right.

'Forget the fact about whether Chelsea have big name players or not. The more confident you feel, the better you will perform. As a man-manager, you can help people with confidence, but only if the attitude is right. The attitude is not a manager's responsibility.'

**********

There were not many smiles to be had at Old Trafford but After The Whistle did allow ourselves just one small one at the sight of our former captain, the great Marcel Desailly, who was working for French TV, desperately searching for a misplaced pass to give him access to the commentary position.

We rather suspect that if anyone could have convinced the man on the door of his identity, Marcel could, although with us not knowing if there is a French word for 'jobsworth', maybe he has had past experience to the contrary!

Underrated Premier League XI

Mark Schwarzer - Fulham
After over a decade of consistent service to Middlesbrough, Roy Hodgson got one of the best free transfers of the summer in Mark Schwarzer. Excellent displays against Arsenal, Wigan and Liverpool have underlined just how good a signing he has become.

Michael Turner - Hull City
The new Michael Dawson? He's been solid so far this season and his fellow professionals have not been shy about it. A future England defender, but will it take a big money move to a more fashionable club for him to get noticed?

Ryan Taylor - Wigan
A young defender who only cost 3/4 of a million pounds to Wigan back in 2005, he's played 8 games this season and scored twice, a good return by any means, including a wicked free kick against Newcastle. Wigan have won their last 3 games and look to open 2009 with a bang.

Sylvain Distin - Portsmouth
Almost ever present so far this season alongside Sol Campbell, he's always been a hard worker, but was his last ditch tackle against Adebayor at the Emirates a "come and get me" plea to other clubs? Portsmouth are definitely up against it this year only 3 points above the relegation zone and sinking. It will need for him to remain at Fratton Park for Portsmouth to have a chance of staying up this year.

Tony Hibbert - Everton
A no nonsense defender, brought through the academy at Everton, having had last season disrupted by injury, he's played 8 times so far this season for the Toffees, showcasing the style of football he's been known for in past seasons. An old-school type, who's type of play is a breath of fresh air.

Mikel Arteta - Everton
A free kick specialist, who has to wonder what he needs to do to get a Spain call up. For the 2 million pounds that Everton paid for him from Real Sociedad, they got a hell of a deal.

Matthew Taylor - Bolton
Every game that Taylor has scored in so far this season, Bolton have won. After 6 years service to Portsmouth, Taylor is now coming up to 1 year playing for Gary Megsons unfashionable outfit, but boy is he doing it well.

Geovanni - Hull City
Discarded by Man City at the end of last season, he starter this one just as he did last. In recent weeks his goal tally may have dried up but he did way in with important contributions in the wins against Arsenal and Tottenham. He's the catalyst for the leagues surprise package so far this season.

Stephen Ireland - Man City
He's having a break out year after all the controversy that surrounded him last year. In the match against Hull on boxing day, Ireland weighed in with 3 assists and a goal, a tremendous effort and his best performance arguably in a City shirt.

Amr Zaki - Wigan
Unheard of before Steve Bruce signed him on loan from some obscure team in Africa, but 10 goals in 16 appearances have got the likes of Chelsea sniffing around during the transfer window. A superb brace against Liverpool at Anfield in October has been the highlight of his season so far.

Jason Roberts - Blackburn Rovers
Perhaps a surprise inclusion, only 4 goals so far this season but his contribution in a lagging team that is Blackburn Rovers will be very important over the coming months, for them to avoid relegation. He scored a great header against Man City that had everyone thinking they'd have 3 points only for defensive frailties to set in and City grab a draw.