90 Days is too long to wait for a new season to start :)

Chelsea looked good today despite the 2 goals Birmingham pulled off. Those 2 goals still baffle me - the defense didn't look terribly shakey (except Glenn Johnson getting beat easily for the 2nd goal). Ben-Haim is a fine substitute for JT, but we can always use JT. Pizarro looked threatening, Lamps was solid, and Malouda continues to impress me.

However, the biggest surprise to me was Shawn Wright-Phillips. He was fantastic! Brilliant even! I have been his biggest critic the last couple of years and I am still wary of him but if he wants to continue this form, I'll be the first to stand up and cheer. Earlier in the preseason Jose Mourihno mentioned that he had a "new" position for SWP - that being an "inner" winger. Basically a winger but one who stays inside a wider winger (in today's match, Glenn Johnson). Perhaps its that, perhaps he found some new training, perhaps he's seen the writing on the wall. No matter, I love it.

A great start for Chelsea fans - some beautiful football played today.

No team I have ever pulled for has won in penalty kicks. I hate them.

Nonetheless, there are many positives to be taken from Chelsea's performance against ManUre yesterday. Before that though, I must say that its highly disturbing to see so many players injured AGAIN.  I'm even starting to wonder if there is something wrong with the training or medical programs at Chelsea. It has to be something other than bad luck - there's just too much of it.

But back to the match. For having so many players out I thought Chelsea performed very well. Malouda is continuing to find a fan in me and I thought Pizzaro had a decent showing despite it being a short-lived one. Ben-Haim was careless a few times in the box but provided the one thing we missed last year - cover for John Terry. Lesson learned, eh Jose?

There is still time to heal before the season gets rolling and time to settle Robben's wide-eyed stares at Real Madrid (he would be deadly on the pitch with Malouda). So I'm not terribly worried yet even if the press wants me to be.

I was just informed about this wonderful article that appeared in Vanity Fair . Love Drogba or hate him on the field of play, what he has done for his country of birth is amazingly admirable. This is a wonderful example of the power of this beautiful sport when used for good.

 

For nearly five years, Ivory Coast had been divided in two: rebel-held North, government-loyal South. But on a tour of the country in March, Drogba stunned his fellow Ivorians by proposing that the Madagascar game be played in Bouaké, the capital of the rebellion. North and South, unable to reconcile their differences through battle or peace talks, would set aside their guns and come together for a soccer game. And Drogba, already an international star, would become, in the eyes of Ivorians, something of a deity.

 

I don't know much about Florent Malouda so since he signed with Chelsea earlier this week I had to do some crash research on him. Two things I've learned are that he hasn't missed a match for Lyon in 4 seasons, and he has never been booked in those 4 seasons either.<p>

Wow. There cannot be many players today to which either stat can be said about. Impressive.

So William Gallas is unhappy to be on a team that doesn't buy big players. It appears that we've all seen Gallas' true colors in the last two seasons. He left a team buying big players like a prissy-panted-teenage-girl only to get to another team to bitch about them not buying big players!

He even goes so far as to say "I will have a discussion with Arsene Wenger and board members to know the objectives of the club this season..." Is that right Willaim? Its your job to discuss Arsenal's objectives with the board? Well, I know what I would say if I were a board member, but OleOle probably doesn't want me to print that here.

Considering Gallas played only a handful of matches last season after all his bitching to get to Arsenal, maybe he should just shut-up and try to prove that all that was worth it.

I was thinking the other day after reading some rumors about who Juventus might sign for the new season that they were incredibly smart to hire Claudio Ranieri to be their manager. I am not talking about winning and losing matches either, but repairing their reputation. Ranieri is a bit unproven when it comes to the big wins - he's by no means a bad manager in that regard but he doesn't have a great deal of medals either. Still, as any Chelsea fan will tell you, he is about the most decent man in the sport. Chelsea fans love Ranieri and not because of his record but because of his general attitude, and his pleasant way with fans, the press, and the players.

I always had a bit of a soft spot for Juve which fell a few pegs with their cheating. Simply signing the Tinker-man is enough to bring me back to the Old Grey Lady.

Peter Kenyon says that Chelsea are happy to be outspent so far this off-season. Considering no one has really departed, save for Geremi, I would have to agree. There also haven't been too many players playing big tournaments this year so the pre-season injuries should be lower than last. Add to that a healthy Joe Cole, and the possibility that Sheva could conceivably come back into form and the question has to be: why would Chelsea spend anymore money this year.

I like the approach for Malouda as I love to see strong wingers on both sides of the pitch. And if, for some reason Robben were to leave, I think it would be good to replace him with someone who would match Malouda on the opposite side. Other than that, I don't see too many reasons to buy right now unless some more young, future-first-teamers come into view.

So Sam Allardyce (a man I've always thought had the goods) has said to former Chelsea, now Newcastle, left back Celestine Babayaro
step up or get out. Well Big Sam, welcome to the world that is Baba. He has talent, he has speed, and at times he is one of the best backs in the game. Then there are all the other times. He tends to be very inconsistent in his play but you always suspect there is a great player somewhere inside.

I honestly think that if anyone can bring out that great player its Big Sam. For my money, Newcastle is going to be a very fun team to watch this season. They're either going to be great.... or relegated ;)

I have to say that I was caught off-guard by the signing of Steve Sidwell earlier this summer. I certainly don't think he's a bad player but I was surprised that he was the first signing of the off-season. Yesterday José Mourinho talked a bit about him on Chelsea TV. It sounds like he likes Sidwell's attitude but he didn't speak much to his skill or to how he would fit into the team. My first thought was that he would simply be back-up for a very talented midfield. Why anyone at his stage would want to be backup is hard to grasp.

Still, I am willing to accept that I simply don't know enough about Sidwell to know how he will perform. I hope he shatters my expectations and becomes another Joe Cole (a healthy one that is). We will see.

This weekend Juan Sebastián Verón officially ended his contract with Chelsea. Yes, he was still a Chelsea player. While he was at his worst while wearing blue I still hold a special place in my heart for him. I followed him at Boca, at Parma, and at Lazio (somehow I missed his Sampdoria years) and always loved his style and vision. The death of his career was moving to Man. U. England simply didn't suit Juan and his time at Chelsea only put a nail in it.

As I currently watch him in the first half of the Argentina v Columbia match at Copa America I am really glad to see that he has resurrected his career, late though it is. He played well for Estudiantes this year and deserved the recall to the national team. I hope he continues to shine until his retirement.

¡Vamos Verón!