With nearly a third of the season gone Chelsea are now not only clear favourites to win the Premier League, but are also delighting the pundits with energetic displays of attacking potency coupled with the kind of arrogant flourishes usually reserved by clubs assured of domestic success. Following on from the stability imposed by Guus Hiddink during his short reign in the latter half of last season, Carlo Ancelotti has imported his specialist brand of defensive solidity and goal scoring fluidity in the form of the midfield diamond he used to such great effect with AC Milan. Able to call upon the likes of Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, John Obi Mikel and Michael Ballack, the Italian has not only got his team playing the kind of free flowing football that won them their first title for fifty years under Jose Morinho, but has also managed to remind Roman Abramovich just why he has spent such a large amount of money on stockpiling an endless supply of elderly central midfielders over the last five years.
Having qualified for the last sixteen of the Champions League with two games to spare whilst also moving five points clear of Manchester United (who have retained the title since 2007) after a narrow victory at Stamford Bridge many are tipping the Blue’s for their most successful season yet. Whether or not Chelsea can overhaul United’s domestic dominance and finally succeed in Europe will depend on a number of factors however, namely the fitness of key players and a temporary cessation of UEFA’s ban on transfer activity.
Balance and leadership
Whilst no one would doubt that Chelsea are a club blessed with a wealth of talent they rely fundamentally on a core spine stretching through the team providing balance and leadership on all areas of the pitch. From Petr Cech in goal to John Terry at the heart of the defence, onto Frank Lampard in midfield and Didier Drogba upfront, these four players form the nexus around which Ancelotti can adapt and deploy others based on the particular challenge provided by the opposition. Without either one of these ‘constants’ however and Chelsea are liable to doubt and miscommunication, reverting to a state of nervousness that has cost them success in recent times.
As ever the 2009-2010 season has seen Terry lead with passion and expertise from the back, seemingly unperturbed by yet another change of manager. Some pundits and fans have raised questions regarding the scale of influence Terry enjoys in the changing room, with rumours abounding that Mourinho and the ill-fated Filippo Scolari were forced out after disagreements with ‘Mr Chelsea.’ Yet his undying commitment to the cause remains unquestionable with his rapid recovery from the personal heartache of Moscow in 2008 proving Terry is very much the combative captain both Chelsea and England require. Ancelotti has been rewarded for wisely afforded him the respect and responsibility he craves and team spirit now appears more positive than at any time since 2006.
Defensive solidity
After a shaky few seasons Petr Cech also now seems to be returning to some semblance of his ‘best.’ There has always been a sense that after his hideous clash with Stephen Hunt in 2006, which resulted in a fractured skull now protected by a ‘scrum cap,’ that Cech had lost the confidence and physical presence that had made him the best keeper in the world. Clean sheets against Liverpool and Manchester United coupled with the best defensive record in the league indicate that both Cech and his defenders have regained the assured confidence that made them such as force under Mourinho.
Meanwhile Frank Lampard remains the mainstay of a midfield brimming with talent and experience. With Michael Essien and Mikel sitting in the holding role of Anceloti’s diamond, Lampard provides the integral link between defence and attack, with Ballack, Joe Cole or Florent Malouda providing creativity. Lampard has been central to Chelsea for many years now and along with Terry provides the kind of leadership that is central to winning in Europe.
Attacking prowess
It is upfront however, where Chelsea have really moved on this season, with their two frontmen developing a fruitful, free scoring partnership n tandem with the midfield. Whilst Nicholas Anelka has been outstanding, especially with regards to his movement in wide areas, the star of the show is undoubtedly Didier Drogba, by far and away the most consistent striker in world football at present.
Castigated for his hysterical reaction to defeat in the semi-final of the Champions League last season, Drogba appears to have returned with a calmer mentality and matured sense of determination. Most impressive has been his loyalty to the cause; he is clearly just as happy making assists as he is scoring, and recent comments in the media tying himself to Chelsea for the rest of his career, suggest somewhat ominously for his opponents, that the player finally feels settled after years of speculation regarding a move to the continent.
Whilst everything currently appears rosy in the Stamford Bridge garden, Chelsea do not yet possess the necessary depth to challenge for a domestic and European double, with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona certain to improve in the knock out rounds. The Blues ultimately remain an efficient but aging team who lack the individual spark of brilliance that will sustain a prolonged European campaign.
Further recruits needed?
One need only look at the example of Manchester United who were inspired to two consecutive Champions League Finals by the consistent excellence of Cristiano Ronaldo, to understand what it now takes to win a European Cup. Whilst Chelsea would love to sign Atletico Madrid’s Sergio Aguero or Bayern Munich’s Frank Ribery in the January transfer window now that the Court for the Arbitration of Sport have temporarily lifted UEFA’s ban on transfer activity, it remains to be seen whether these players will be good enough to justify Abramovich’s undoubtedly sizeable layout.
As football has proved over time, nothing is ever certain, and one would be a fool to bank on Chelsea emerging from the season victorious, despite their impressive start. Keeping core older players such as Drogba and Terry fit will be vital, as will the acquisition of a truly creative attacking midfielder. Ancelotti also intriguingly has previous with AC Milan, often squandering comfortable positions in key games; just ask the excitable Liverpool fans who were there in Istanbul circa. May 2005. Chelsea are currently in a similarly secure state, but Ancelotti and his players will all know there is an awfully long way to go before the final whistle blows on what will undoubtedly prove to be arduous campaign.