Chelsea FC: Changing Tides

The Master MInd

It’s been more than one month since Andres Villas Boas became the manager of Chelsea and since then, have any big changes been made? Yes they have! Fans around the world are beginning to question the ability of our young manager. Is Villas Boas really the man? Having won all pre season games with sheer luck, especially winning against Malaysia’s Under 21 team by only a goal to nil, the new look is not much of a threat, or so it seems. Let’s have a look.

If you want to talk about the changes in terms of signings, there is not much we can see. Our first signing of the season, Thibaut Courtois may well be the successor to our current number 1, Petr Cech, but now it’s not the time for our keeper, the best keeper in the Premier League, to hang his gloves. So the youngster made his way to Atletico Madrid for a loan spell, who are searching for a keeper to replace the empty spot left by David De Gea, who joined Manchester United.

The news of Essien’s injury was a blow to the Blues and Mikel is now the only player left to play ahead of the defenders. That is when Oriol Romeu came to the rescue as AVB sees hope in the 19 year old lad. The ex-Barcelona Player is expected to be a regular first team member in the absence of Essien.

Romelu Lukaku on the other hand is nearing to complete his transfer, as Chelsea paid up 20mil for him. The Anderlecht sensation is expected to replace the ageing Anelka.

In these stranger tides, AVB’s signings haven’t proven convincing at all. But his style overcomes that. As we watched the pre season games, the training routines which AVB set up are interesting. Alongside De Matteo and the rest of the technical team, the whole system is looking like a structure to new building, where AVB is the mastermind of it all.

Letting Daniel Sturridge play was a brilliant move as the youngster showed he is better than any striker right now, following a splendid loan spell at Bolton last season. He scored a double in his last game against Rangers, where they won 3-1.

Another thing that inspires the new team is the attitude AVB shows. He slammed the media in favour for Torres and accused them of being ‘obsessed’. The media did shut up and Torres is now beginning to be the striker he once was.

All in all, the best of Chelsea is yet to come with the new look AVB posed on the team. ‘The Group One’ is indeed a class of his own and he is NOT living in the shadows of Mourinho.