eChelseafc

It seems that Carlo Ancelotti and Roman Abramovich have been reading eChelseaFC, as in the coming days it seems likely that having agreed a fee, Chelsea will sign Brazilian midfielder Ramires.

Ramires has been one of the signings that eChelseaFC and Richard French have been advocating since the transfer window opened.

 Although a Brazillian international with high profile, this signing is welcome relief from the rumours that we were going to fritter away money on over valued superstars such as Fernando Torres or Kaka.

£18m seems like a very good price for a Brazillian international, with both strength and technical skill.

 In the coming days we will be profiling the player, once the picture on his signing becomes clearer, we don’t want to do a Robinho and start printing shirts with his name on just yet you see.

The Players That Chelsea Should be Signing

 The Complications of the Ramires Signing

 Ramires Video

Lets Hope Ramires is not Another Robinho

As everyone with more than a passing interest in the game will be aware Chelsea won the Premiership on the 9^th of May.

Hopefully you wont mind if I reminisce on my day watching Chelsea win the league.

The day started with an engineering works affected train journey to London, coupled with two cans of lager to settle the nerves.

I arrived at the first pub of the day at midday to start proceedings with the boys from the Chelsea Football Fancast.

This was the more reserved part of the day chatting to the podcast crew, musing over what the day had in store and feeling the nerves. However a few pints, a reassuring chip butty later and Chidge’s optimism made me feel as though we couldn’t fail.

Next up was O’Neils an Irish themed bar near Earls Court; this was to meet my Dad, who had the all important ticket and his adopted Chelsea family. I was predictably late and had received a couple of only half joiking texts from him saying he was just moments away from selling my ticket  to his mate Clive.

The banter in the pub as with the fancast crew was one of quiet optimism, although this is where I heard the first songs of the day. The pub occasionally belted out renditions of ‘Carefree’ and ‘Who the F%^K are Man United’ to punctuate the discussion that we couldn’t possibly throw it away, could we?

As game time approached we left O’Neil’s and after a short walk through West Brompton cemetery, I was through the turnstiles, with enough time to get a jet pack beer, and join in’ the liquidator’.

Coming out of the tube earlier and on the approach to the ground it was obvious that this was a huge game, the obvious barometer being the plethora of illegal football touts, whose buy and sell’ whispers echoed through the streets.

I had a perfect seat for the game, four rows back bang in the middle of the Shed End, the atmosphere before the game was electric but obviously tinged with nerves and excitement.

For the first time I can remember the old Shed terrace was back, everyone was stood up and roaring the team on, the whole ground was standing up uninterrupted by safety stewards, or others who seek to minimise the entertainment of football spectators.

This is what every football fan loves about football and we had waited three years for another shot.

The game itself was one of true nerves for only 6 minutes, when Anelka scored, the tension eased significantly, however once Frank Lampard fended of Didier Drogba to make it 2-0, the party began in earnest.

At half time anyone caught asking the Manchester United score was laughed at, we were storming to victory, few people seemed to care what Alex Ferguson’s men were up to a couple of hundred miles to the North.

As the second half got underway and the goals rolled in to extinguish any vague hopes of a Wigan revival, this allowed the party to start early and let the fans went through the whole Chelsea song repertoire. Although to answer one query from the home fans, I think those watching in Manchester may have turned off their TV in disgust a long time before the score resembled that of a rugby match.

Not that anyone was aware of the time, but all too quickly the the final whistle and pandemonium. After 3 years of near misses the title, was back at Chelsea and there was nothing that the moaning and mind games of Alex Ferguson could do about it.

First of all the crowd swayed to ‘One Step Beyond’ before belting out club classics such as ‘Blue Day’ before bouncing to baggy trousers.

Whilst this was going on the youth team paraded their silverware, the FA Youth Cup to a rapturous reception, then one by one the team made its way to the podium for the eruption upon lifting the trophy.

After the trophy was lifted the fans belted out the Queen classic and other champion based songs as the club paraded around the stadium. The music drowned out occasionally by the fans chanting the names of both John Terry and Carlo Ancellotti.

At this point I fought my way through the crowds to find my Dad’s seat and give him a massive bear hug as the celebrations continued. As we eventually left the ground we were confronted by the pandemonium of the Fulham road, all the pubs were full so after a quick trip to the off license we joined  the fans partying in the streets.

I however was not as brave as the fans climbing lampposts or swirling their tops around their heads, after over an hour of singing we made our way home, knowing that we could be doing it all again next week.

Champions of England

Every fan remembers the first time they go to watch their team play live and in the flesh. For some people this trip involves a trip on the underground or a long drive, for others such as Yasuko Sekine this involves a 12,000 mile round trip plane journey.

This vivid memory cares not for the occasion and includes the minutest details that would normally just fade into the background. From the stadium to the opposition and the bantering atmosphere of the fans, no detail can be classed as too small to remember.

Yasuko in traditional Japanese dress, however I am assured she also enjoys wearing a Chelsea shirt

Yasuko’s story is no different, like wives and girlfriends of football fans around the world, not only did Yasuko gain a friend and companion when she met her boyfriend Bob, she gained a football team, a passion and an obsession.

Over the next couple of years Bob waxed lyrical about the football club he supported back in England and how important it was to him, encouraging her to share his passion.

Yasuko was quickly swayed by his enthusiasm, watching the game on television with her boyfriend, which due to the time zone involved keeping some strange hours.

At Christmas last year Bob took Yasuko back to meet his family for Christmas, her first trip to England. Immediately he saw his opportunity to take Yasuko to a game, after calling in a few favours he was able to secure two tickets for the Premier League’s Boxing Day lunch time kick off.

The game may not have been the most glamorous game of the season with Chelsea playing away to Birmingham; however this mattered not, especially as the tickets were in the Chelsea end.

Here is Yasuko telling the story of her first Chelsea game.

Yasuko’s Story

From when I was a school kid myself, I’ve always loved the beautiful game of football. Both playing and watching that is. However, I’ve watched the Premiership on TV with my boyfriend for a while, but always wondered how it would compare to the Japanese league games that I’ve watched.

So when I heard from my boyfriend that on our Christmas trip England we were going to go to a Chelsea game, I almost couldn’t believe it. I get so emotional watching the games on TV in Japan, I wondered if I could even handle a real game! Time after time, I’d heard from Bob (my boyfriend) that the atmosphere was so great, you could never fully understand until you’d seen a game for real.

On arrival to England, the first thing that hit me was the obsession of the game. Every kid wanted to tell you their life-long picked out team, every shop window was full of team kits. This was not Japan anymore!

So as the finale to our Xmas England trip, we took a car up to Birmingham for the 2009 Boxing Day game Birmingham City Vs Chelsea F.C. On entering the stadium, we went to find our seats early and were really surprised that it was pretty empty right up until kick off.

However, this gave me a chance to see my favorite player, Peter Cech, about 20 meters from me warming up before game on an almost empty pitch. People close to me shouted his name and I was really surprised when he waved to them.

Seeing Chelsea player’s wave to their fans gave me a real sense of how close they were to their fans and this felt great.

Even throughout the game, players would take the time to acknowledge the supporters. It made me fall more in love with the blues right away!

I was really surprised however about how separate the fans were kept for the opposing teams. In Japan, you can freely walk between the different sections wearing opposition shirts and not worry about any trouble, but I was a little nervous to be honest.

I saw several people from both sides doing aggressive wrist shaking actions (that Bob surprisingly explained to me were signs of masturbation) to each other and didn’t really want to go anywhere away from my fellow Chelsea followers at that point.

Another fun thing was the bookies inside the stadium. I’d never put a bet on before and, after a short consultation with Bob, I decided to take John Terry as first goal scorer at 20/1. Obviously we cheered a little extra for him when he was close to the goal and got really excited whenever he went up for a header.

Of course I was impressed most of all by the singing. I had no idea (from my TV based supporting prior to the game) of the amount and persistence of songs from the Chelsea fans.

Among ‘Care Free’, ‘Blue Flag’, ’10 Men went to mow’ and other my favorite had to be the ‘bouncy song’. I’m not sure exactly what was happening, but after everyone singing “We’re all going to bounce in a minute”, I was suddenly jumping up and down like a crazy woman with my fellow fans for no apparent reason at all. It was a lot of fun.

Even though the game was a 0-0 boring draw, the game was a real eye-opener for me and one that made me go back to Tokyo and keep the blue flag flying high in the East. Next time, I hope to make it to Stamford Bridge and see them in action at home and maybe have time for some shopping in the MegaStore!

Do you have a Chelsea story you would like to share?

email Kristian_uk@hotmail.co.uk

For all the latest Chelsea news visit http://www.upthechels.com

When the announcement came that Joe Cole’s contract was not to be renewed by Chelsea, most fans were bitterly disappointed whatever the background circumstances and dealings were.

After the initial shock the two questions were who would replace Joe Cole in the Chelsea squad and where would he go next?

The protracted answer to both questions was the unofficial swap with Liverpool involving Yossi Benayoun; in which Chelsea paid an undisclosed sum for an older and slightly less talented player than has departed.

This does not mean that Yossi Benayoun will not do a good job for Chelsea and achieve success, however he will be replacing a local boy and fans favourite Joe Cole, a player that grew up on the terraces of Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have reportedly paid £5m for 30 year old Yossi Benayoun who has a decent Premier League record and undoubted talent, he will likely take the role of squad player, with the ability to step up when required. This patience and lower wage demands (assumingly) are likely to be the main advantages to his signing by Chelsea.

On the opposite side of the coin Chelsea have lost and Liverpool gained a 28 year old flair player, who cost his new employers only his inflated contract reported at over £90k per week. Joe Cole is likely to expect a regular place in the starting line up, in a position of his preference to showcase his skills, he will also most likely be hoping for his first injury free season in at least a couple of years.

In the terms of the winners and losers in this deal only time will tell, however I believe that if Joe Cole stays fit and is given a central role he will be successful at Anfield meaning that Joe Cole and Liverpool would have got the best part of the deal. However should Joe Cole fail to recover his form or match fitness then Chelsea will have acquired a solid squad player and shed a much loved injury ridden midfielder who does not quite fit into the current tactical set up at Stamford Bridge.

It is not often that I get drawn into writing about transfer speculation, I normally leave that to others that you will see writing here in the coming days and weeks during the build up to the start of the season.

On this occasion I feel compelled to write about the players that Chelsea should resist the urge of chasing in the coming weeks.

In defence and attack Chelsea have strength and depth and potential match winners, it is for this reason that I see no real need for the procurement of any ‘Marquee’ signings at the club in the coming weeks.

Amongst the big names that have been suggested the three below would constitute a step backwards as the club strives for financial stability.

Fernando Torres

Although a proven Premier League talent, Fernando Torres with a hefty price tag and legs seemingly made of matchsticks would not be a shrewd investment for Chelsea Football Club.

Whilst it is likely that an injury free Torres, would be a real weapon for any side, I do not believe on the current evidence that this is something that will occur in the next 18 months.

Therefore even if a deal was infact possible, the club should focus on developing the talent that it has at its disposal or invest in younger talent that will cost less and draw a lower salary.

Kaka

A ridiculously talented footballer that Chelsea simply do not need, the transfer fee and salary make the signing of the former Carlo Ancelotti charge unsustainable.

I also feel that he would struggle in the Premier League, but fortunately this pipe dream will never come to pass.

Robinho

Its ok the last one is a joke, I just want to remind people that not all big name players live up to their reputation, at the time many were devastated by the transfer chaos that took place two summers ago but I think Chelsea were the winners in that transfer saga.

With a club the size of Chelsea there is the temptation to try and sign every star of the modern game in the Real Madrid ‘Galaticos’ style, however as the mixed fortunes of Real Madrid show, success is built on squads and not neccessarily stars.

There have been departures, some may argue that the loss of Michael Ballack and Joe Cole will leave a whole in the club. However the return of ‘new’ signing Michael Essien means that these losses will not be as hard as many will fear.

There is no doubt that a few players will need to come in to replace the players that have left, but in my opinion we need squad players, or young players that can be developed, rather than overpaid and overhyped ‘superstars’.

Josh McEachran in Action for England U17's, he took his chance to shine today

 With the World Cup meaning that few of Chelsea’s experienced players were available for selection, the up and coming stars were given a chance to impress Carlo Ancelotti and the fans in the first pre-season friendly of the season.

The game had a typical pre-season tempo, with plenty of opportunity for players on both sides to pass the ball about and find their way into a game that in the end produced few clear cut chances.

Featuring a plethora of substitutions, Chelsea were able to secure victory through a classy piece of link up play on the edge of the area that included a nifty interchange between Franco Di Santo and Josh McEachran that allowed Michael Essien to slot home from 15 yards.

However the result was never the issue, the goalscoring return of Michael Essien is obviously going to grab many of the headlines, but there were many competent performances from the younger players on display.

This gives hope that maybe fewer new signings than expected are required to replace the departed vanguard of Belletti, Ballack and Joe Cole.

Player Selection and Performance Analysis

In goal there was little deviation as the three established goalkeepers were rotated so that each saw some action during the game. However in defence only Alex could be attributed as an experienced senior squad player, he was supported by Patrick Van Aarnholt, Jeffery Bruma and Ryan Bertrand all of whom displayed competence but were denied the chance to shine by the dominance of the Chelsea midfield.

The midfield was anchored by John Obi Mikel who was joined by Michael Essien and the developing talents of Nemanja Matic and Josh McEachran.

Apart from the assured return of Michael Essien it was senior team debutant Josh McEachran who stole the midfield show, looking assured, passing well creating chances and playing a key part in the Michael Essien goal.

Up front Daniel Sturridge looked lively with a clear desire to prove his worth to the management staff, Franco Di Santo did not have a bad game but did little to show that he should be challenging for a first team berth during the season.

As the game went on the substitutions came thick and fast, with 7 of last years reserve and youth teams getting a chance to impress.

The pick of these players was Scott Sinclair who after 3 years of bouncing around the Premiership and lower leagues on loan must feel that this season is his last chance to succeed as a Chelsea player. During his cameo he looked sharp and unafraid to take on defenders, it was this tenacity that should have won his side a penalty, with the referee erroneously deciding that during one mazy run he was tackled outside the penalty area, instead of the actual 2 yards inside the area where the incident took place.

Overall the game was hardly exhilarating, but that is not what such games are about, the players were given a chance to ease into the season, whilst many unknowns impressed during their first high profile appearance in front of the clubs global fan base.

Next up Ajax!