Chelsea vs Manchester United Match Report by Peter Hanson

Wayne Rooney featured despite the Blues' public interest in his services yet neither team could make a decisive breakthrough in a match of few chances on Monday night

Manchester United and Chelsea played out a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Monday in a game that failed to live up to its pre-match billing.

The fixture marked the first time that David Moyes locked horns with Jose Mourinho as United manager but neither manager could gain the psychological upper hand, although the point puts the Blues clear at the top of the Premier League.

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With two minutes remaining, United had another penalty shout when John Obi Mikel turned into Van Persie's volley but the decision would have been harsh on the Nigerian who knew had no time to dodge the shot.

Oscar tried to prise open a tight United defence in a lacklustre first half but twice wasted good opportunities with weak efforts straight at David de Gea. Robin van Persie had United's best effort when he hit the side netting from inside the area.

The second half followed a similar pattern and England international Danny Welbeck will rue his wastefulness after digging an effort wide after good work from Wayne Rooney. United also had claims for a penalty when a Tom Cleverley shot struck Frank Lampard's hand in the box.

Moyes named Rooney in his starting XI for the first time, with the striker the subject of two rejected bids during the close-season from Monday night's opposition. Ryan Giggs dropped to the bench to allow for his inclusion.

Chelsea started the game with a surprise as Andre Schurrle led the line. Kevin De Bruyne was also given the nod as Juan Mata and Demba Ba were omitted from the side that started against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Both sides struggled to create openings in a tepid opening 45 minutes. It was the away side who had the first chance in the 10th minute when a low De Bruyne cross rebounded to Oscar who hit a tame effort straight at De Gea.

Chelsea had managed to quash the threat Van Persie for the opening 20 minutes but the Dutchman had United's first meaningful effort. Michael Carrick dispossessed Ramires in midfield and the former Arsenal man picked up the loose ball on the edge of the box but he went too wide before firing his effort against the side netting.

Rooney then had his first effort on goal. He showed a neat piece of skill to feint inside Gary Cahill but his shot from 20 yards was weak and rolled harmlessly to Petr Cech.

United were beginning to enjoy more of the ball and, in the 38th minute, Phil Jones's low cross was only half-cleared by John Terry and Cleverley hit a first-time shot from 20 yards that cleared the crossbar.

The half ended with a weak shot from Oscar after a series of neat passes in the Chelsea midfield - the Brazilian will feel that he could have done more to trouble De Gea.

After a slow start to the second half, United should have taken the lead after 56 minutes. Rooney showed good control just outside the area before slipping a neat through-ball to Welbeck but the striker fluffed his lines as he chipped his effort over from 10 yards.

Cahill was unlucky with a 30-yard drive that De Gea got down well to save, before United had claims for a penalty.

Cleverley's half-volley hit Lampard's hand in the area but referee Martin Atkinson deemed that the midfielder had not deliberately made contact with the shot.

Rooney almost had the last say late on when he tested Cech with a strong 25-yard effort. The shot may have been going wide but the Chelsea man took no chances.










This article has been taken from: www.goal.com/en-gb/match/109202/manchester-united-vs-chelsea-fc/report



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Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa: Ivanovic to the rescue as Blues struggle to hit top gear (Goal.com)

The defender headed home a Frank Lampard free kick midway through the second half, but could have seen red after appearing to elbow Christian Benteke just two minutes earlier

Chelsea maintained their 100 per cent record in the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday evening.

Jose Mourinho had previously gone four Premier League games without registering a victory over Villa, but he finally bucked that trend at Stamford Bridge courtesy of Branislav Ivanovic's thumping header.

Chelsea made a flying start when Antonio Luna inadvertently scored past his own goalkeeper before Christian Benteke levelled proceedings on the stroke of half-time.

And it looked like the home side would be frustrated until Ivanovic met Frank Lampard's free-kick with 17 minutes remaining.

MATCH VIEW

By Wayne Veysey Aston Villa were extremely unfortunate not to come away from Stamford Bridge with a point following an outstanding second-half display. Chelsea began the match on fire, just like they did against Hull City last weekend, but they fizzled out after 30  minutes and Villa showed that their 3-1 win at Arsenal was no fluke. Once again, Christian Benteke was almost unstoppable as he showed how far John Terry is from the defensive master and commander of Jose Mourinho's first reign. Had Petr Cech not make two critical point-blank second-half saves from Andreas Weimann, Mourinho would be contemplating the loss of at least two important home points.

Mourinho made two changes to the Chelsea team that beat Hull City on Sunday, with Juan Mata and Demba Ba replacing Kevin De Bruyne and Fernando Torres, the Spaniard omitted from the squad altogether.

Paul Lambert had to make one enforced change from the Villa side that opened with a win against Arsenal on Saturday, as Ciaran Clark came in for the injured Nathan Baker.

Chelsea started with plenty of intent and caused the Villa backline plenty of trouble, and they were rewarded with the breakthrough after just six minutes.

Oscar threaded a through-ball into the path of Eden Hazard on the left-hand side of the box and his curling effort was saved by Brad Guzan only to unluckily rebound off Luna and into the back of the net.

After scarcely touching the ball in the opening 20 minutes, Villa finally started to settle into the game. They had their first glimpse of goal in the 22nd minute when Benteke picked up the ball in midfield and the Belgian laid into the path of Karim El Ahmadi but his long-range effort went harmlessly wide.

But Chelsea's inability to convert possession into goals cost them dearly deep into first-half stoppage time.

Gabriel Agbonlahor beat Ivanovic for pace on the left and picked out Benteke, who took one touch before firing home a left-foot strike that squeezed inside Petr Cech's near post.

The second half continued in a similar fashion with Chelsea enjoying the majority of the play but unable to break down a stubborn Villa defence.

And they were nearly punished in the 61st minute when Matthew Lowton broke on the right and played a pass along the floor that Benteke stepped over before Agbonlahor hit a first-time strike that curled just over the crossbar.

Just two minutes later and Villa once more came desperately close.

Benteke picked up the ball on the left and crossed deep to the far post where Andreas Weimann connected well with a right-foot volley but he was denied by a smart save from Cech.

Chelsea made a double change with Andre Schurrle and Romelu Lukaku replacing Mata and Ba.

And the changes sparked the home side into life when Ivanovic found the breakthrough in the 73rd minute.

Lampard played a teasing outswinging free-kick from the right and the Serbian timed his run well to head beyond Guzan.

There was almost time for one more twist when Weimann hit a half-volley from Benteke's assist but he was thwarted by Cech.

Chelsea now turn to their attention to Monday's trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford, while Lambert's side welcome Liverpool to Villa Park on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

The article has been taken from: http://www.goal.com/en-gb/match/109209/chelsea-fc-vs-aston-villa/report

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Chelsea vs. Aston Villa Preview and Predictions.

Chelsea will look for another victory as they meet Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge

 After wins in their opening fixtures of the season, both Chelsea and Aston Villa will like to carry their good form and register a win tonight. Chelsea were impressive in their opening game against Hull but will look to improve their conversion rate from the chances created. Meanwhile, Aston Villa were impressive in their win over Arsenal with their star-man Christian Benteke  scoring twice.

 The blues are brimming with talent and will look to their star players such as Eden Hazard, Oscar, Lampard, Schurrle, Kevin De Bruyne, Lukaku, Ba and Torres to lead the attack. Another good news for Chelsea is the return of their Player of the season for the last two seasons, Juan Mata, who returns from a hamstring injury. But David Luiz and Kallas will both miss out as they continue their recovery.

Aston Villa will rely on their star Christian Benteke to guide them to another victory.

Aston Villa on the other hand will look to Christian Benteke to lead them to another victory. The Villa striker was very impressive in the victory against Arsenal scoring two goals. With his size, pace and finishing ability, Benteke can pose a major threat to the blues on their home turf.

  Last time the teams met at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea routed Villa by scoring 8 goals. We can expect a similar comfortable victory for the blues but not with such a margin.

  Prediction: Chelsea FC 4 - Aston Villa 1
  Time: 2:45 p.m. ET, 7:45 p.m. BST, 11:45 p.m (Pakistan Standard Time), 00:45 (Indian Standard Time).



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Chelsea vs Hull City Tigers match report.

 

Mourinho and the fans celebrate the Lampard goal.

A comfortable 2-0 victory against Hull City Tigers ensured that the blues welcomed Jose Mourinho to the Bridge and the Premier League in style.

 The atmosphere inside the famous Stamford Bridge was electric as all awaited the emergence of the Special One from the tunnel and when he eventually did emerge with the Hull City manager Steve Bruce, he was given the warmest of the reception from the blues fans who hoisted banners welcoming Jose Mourinho back and sang his name all game long.

  But the real joy for Mourinho must have come in the very early stages of the match when Torres was brought down in the penalty box by the Hull keeper Allan McGregor. What a fitting start it would have been for Mourinho and his team only for the celebrations to be delayed as Lampard's penalty was well saved by McGregor.

Oscar celebrates his goal with Torres against Hull City Tigers

 However, the blues soon took the lead as debutant Kevin De Bruyne dissected the Hull  defense by providing Oscar with a lovely through ball who in turn slid it under the keeper to kick his and Chelsea's season underway in the 13th minute. Soon after Torres was involved again as he won a free kick some 35 yards away from goal and it was Lampard who stood over it. Most people would have looked to chip that ball into the box for the attackers to attack it, but not Lampard. Striking the ball like only he can, he drilled the ball in the top corner and then celebrated in his trademark fashion.

  Chelsea could have had more goals in the match but the Hull keeper was up to the task as he saved brilliantly a Ivanovic header off the line and also denied Lampard from inside the box. Schurrle also missed a glorious chance in the second half as he tried to chip the ball over the on-rushing keeper, but his shot was just over.

  All in all it was an impressive outing for the blues and they will look to keep this good form in tact as they face Aston Villa next on Wednesday night.



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Chelsea vs Hull City Tigers Preview and Predictions.

Jose Mourinho as a Chelsea manager in the Premier League after a 6 year absence.

 
 The Happy One returns to Stamford bridge for the first time in 6 years to take charge of Chelsea in the new season. The fans too will be delighted to see him return and will welcome him with a warm reception at their home stadium.

  Chelsea will look to open their account on a high against the newly promoted Hull City Tigers and will look to avoid any blushes to get their all important premier league season underway.

Chelsea will start to start their season on a high against Hull City Tigers

 
Jose Mourinho will look to rest some players who were on international duty such as Cesar Azpilicueta, Victor Moses, Garry Cahill and Frank Lampard. But new signings Andre Schurrle and Marko Van Ginkle are set to make their Chelsea debuts today.

   For Hull City Tigers, Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore will look to go straight into the first team following their arrival from Tottenham this week. The only injury concern for the Hull City Tigers will be the Irish international Stephen Quinn who is out with a hamstring problem.

   It is worth mentioning that Hull have never won in the league at Chelsea in 15 visits and have scored in only three so we can expect a really one sided contest today.


   Chelsea probable starting line-up: (Possible, 4-2-3-1) Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Luiz, Cole; Essien, Lampard; Schürrle, Oscar, Hazard; Lukaku.

   Hull City probable starting line-up:(Possible, 3-4-1-2): McGregor; Davies, Chester, Figuero; Elmohamady, Quinn, Meyler, Brady; Koren; Sagbo, Graham.
   Referee: Jonathan Moss. Matches: 23, Red cards: 1, Yellow cards: 68.

    Prediction: Chelsea FC 4- Hull City Tigers 0





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Chelsea set Rooney transfer deadline.

The Man Utd. striker has been on Chelsea wish list for a while now and now a deadline has been set for the transfer to take place.

Chelsea has set August 26th as the deadline for a potential Wayne Rooney transfer. According to the DAILY EXPRESS, Jose Mourinho wants this issue to be resolved before Chelsea visit Old Trafford in their 3rd fixture of the premeir league season.

 Although the blues have seen their two bids dismissed and rejected, they are willing to give it another go and will be looking to be 3rd time lucky as they are expected to make one last bid for the Manchester United hit-man.

  Rooney has made it clear that he is not happy at the club and wants to leave although the club's administration constantly state that he is not for sale. Though the club may look to give up at last and look for the best offer possible for the English striker.



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Henry Winter's Premier League predictions: Chelsea can win fight with a slicker Manchester City

Henry Winter dusts off his crystal ball ahead of the new season to predict where the 20 Premier League clubs will finish.

Still special? Jose Mourinho can bring the title back to Chelsea this season Photo: REUTERS

Blue could be the colour this season; the blue of Chelsea or Manchester City. Even if Wayne Rooney does not get his wish and move from Manchester United, Chelsea look well-equipped to win the Premier League.

Frank Lampard, John Terry and particularly Ashley Cole have one more year of exceptional service to give. Mark Schwarzer provides excellent cover for Petr Cech while Romelu Lukaku returns from West Brom a more powerful, all-round striker. Eden Hazard has settled into English football so effectively, adding robustness to his technique, that he could be a contender for Footballer of the Year. Juan Mata exudes class on and off the field.

City also have a fine squad, arguably better than Chelsea’s. They have not only been astute in the individuals they have signed but also in doing their business early. Manuel Pellegrini inherits a strong defence, good characters like Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta.

Fernandinho and Yaya Toure look a formidable central midfield, a blend of energy, tackles and goals. City lacked width under Roberto Mancini, unless provided by the full-backs, so Jesus Navas amply addresses a flaw. Stefan Jovetic has often looked sharp against English opposition in the past. Alvaro Negredo should also prosper.

Most bookmakers favour City, and it can be an expensive game going against the odds-makers, but the feeling for Chelsea glory rests on the dug-out dwellers. Pellegrini has still to learn the rigours and rhythms of English football. Jose Mourinho knows how to win the Premier League, how to keep his squad motivated and fresh. Chelsea 1st, City second.

Champions Manchester United may have to wait to find the key of the door for title No 21. David Moyes must hope David De Gea’s impressive acclimatisation to the physical nature of English football continues, that Phil Jones stays fit, Wilfried Zaha works on his final ball successfully and Robin van Persie stays fit. Unless they strengthen with the likes of Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, United could slip. Third.
A little three-way battle to make the top-10 all-time Premier League scorers goes on between Van Persie, who has struck 74 in the last three seasons, taking him to 122, and Jermain Defoe and Nicolas Anelka who are on 123. Currently 10th on 127 is Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
For all the fevered focus on Arsenal's pursuit of Luis Suárez, Arsene Wenger needs a goalkeeper and a centre-half as well as a predator. This could be Wenger’s final season, hence the controversial courting of Suárez. A fit Jack Wilshere will give Arsenal authority in the centre while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain must show his career trajectory has not slowed and he builds on that eye-catching cameo for England in Rio. Fourth.
Spurs will challenge Arsenal in the race for fourth. Even if they lose Gareth Bale, and the sums being offered are far too good to turn down, they have enough new talent in Roberto Soldado and Paulinho, a potential Premier League star. Fifth.
Liverpool showed last season they can prosper without Suárez. If he leaves or remains out in the cold, Liverpool will simply look more to the creative elegance of Philippe Coutinho and the penalty-box skills of Daniel Sturridge. Simon Mignolet, a solid dressing-room citizen as well as a good keeper, looks a smart signing by Brendan Rodgers. Sixth.
Swansea possess the players, organization, manager and ambition to climb high, particularly if they keep Ashley Williams while Wilfried Bony and Michu quickly form a strong partnership. Swansea’s problem will be in the distracting Europa League, a competition they could win. Seventh.
Everton will be highly watchable under Roberto Martínez, and the youngster John Stones could be one to watch as well as Ross Barkley.
Losing Fellaini and Baines would be a weighty blow, restricting their upward mobility.Eighth.
West Ham's ambitions rest partly on Andy Carroll getting fully fit and staying fit. If so, he can destroy defences. Sam Allardyce’s canniness will ensure West Ham go one better than last season. Ninth.
Aston Villa should be stronger for last year’s traumatic experience. They have kept Christian Benteke, have a defiant, shot-stopping keeper in Brad Guzan and a hungry, savvy manager in Paul Lambert. 10th.
Quite a few Premier League clubs scouted Victor Wanyama and Southampton took the plunge, spending £12.5 million, and he should bring energy and steel to midfield. The exciting Luke Shaw will continue to develop. Rickie Lambert’s commitment and eye for goal will scare many defences while Mauricio Pochettino continues to encourage fluency. Eleventh.
West Brom will miss Lukaku, such a force last year, and there will be a real curiosity to see how the 34-year-old Anelka fares. It seems only yesterday he was scoring his first goal in England for Arsenal against United, beating Peter Schmeichel at the near-post; it was 16 years ago. A mysterious individual, Anelka’s intelligence has always been clear in the final third. 12th.
Anything is possible at St James’ Park. Newcastle could be united and pushing for Europe or scrapping off the field and flirting with relegation.
Alan Pardew is a good manager, they have a decent first XI but need that Pardew, Joe Kinnear and Mike Ashley to sing from the same team-sheet. 13th.
Fulham will rely heavily on Dimitar Berbatov staying fit and happy but the loss of Schwarzer is offset by the arrival of Maarten Stekelenburg. 14th.
Stoke City should slowly be lifted by Mark Hughes but only if their strikers fix their sights. 15th.
Sunderland will become the ninth club to reach 7,000 league goals with their 17th of the season but scoring could be an issue and Jozy Altidore has much to prove. In goal, Vito Mannone is not the best replacement for Mignolet. 16th.
Norwich City should have enough to stay clear of the bottom three, especially if Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Gary Hooper click up front. 17th.
One of the promoted trio may settle but all seem at real risk. In becoming the 46th ever Premier League club, Cardiff City will be well prepared by Malky Mackay and will look to Craig Bellamy. Steven Caulker will bring authority but it may not be enough: 18th.
Ian Holloway will stir Crystal Palace but that defence needs strengthening. 19th.
Hull City can change their name but there is no mistaking their need for goals. Sone Aluko could surprise a few but it looks daunting. 20th.


This article has been taken from:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/premier-league/10236022/Henry-Winters-Premier-League-predictions-Chelsea-can-win-fight-with-a-slicker-Manchester-City.html


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Wayne Rooney not for sale – at any price, Manchester United tell Chelsea by Daniel Taylor (The Guardian).

Manchester United believe selling Wayne Rooney would undermine David Moyes and damage the club's status. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar

 

  Manchester United have taken the top-level decision that Wayne Rooney will not be sold to Chelsea no matter how much money is offered or whatever the potential risks of keeping an unhappy player. Their stance is irreversible and will represent a significant setback for José Mourinho, who had been under the impression a deal to take him to Stamford Bridge was only a matter of time.

Chelsea have already failed with two bids, offering £23m on 16 July and £25m on 4 August, and had been convinced United would eventually cave in rather than keep a player whose relationship with the club had deteriorated so badly.
On the contrary, the Glazer family is absolutely determined there will be a show of force at Old Trafford this summer and that means automatically rejecting any further Chelsea bid out of principle. United believe it would be weak in the extreme to bend to player power, no matter how messy it threatens to become before the end of the transfer window, and their position will not change if Rooney hands in a formal transfer request or goes public with his desire to leave. The forward, who is in contention to lead England's attack against Scotland at Wembley on Wednesday, will be told United still cherish him as a player and that he needs to think long and hard about clearing his mind and rediscovering his best form in a World Cup year.
Over the next couple of weeks there will be a public request from David Moyes that United's supporters recognise his contribution to the club over the last nine years and refrain from making their displeasure known when he returns to the team. Rooney's determination to move to Stamford Bridge, having handed in a transfer request in October 2010 amid strong interest behind the scenes from Manchester City, has turned many fans against him. The hope at Old Trafford is that it will eventually blow over and that Rooney will come to realise his falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson should have no bearing now.
It represents a calculated gamble on United's part, with the club acutely aware Rooney no longer wants to be at Old Trafford and that Moyes will have his work cut out to get him back to his best.
However, the Guardian has learned there has never been a point over the summer when United have placed a valuation on him – or even talked about it. Chelsea's bids have been considered derisory behind the scenes at Old Trafford but that is largely irrelevant compared to the bigger point that it is not a financial matter, but more a case of protecting the team, supporting Moyes and ensuring there is no damage to the club's status. Chelsea's £50m signing of Fernando Torres from Liverpool was widely seen throughout the game as a shift in dynamic between the two clubs. United are adamant they will not put themselves in the same position.
Their thinking is also driven by a recognition that Rooney belongs to a rare group of match-winning players and that, at 27, selling him to Chelsea would mean passing on a forward capable of scoring 20 to 30 goals a season for the next five years. United, in short, are in complete agreement with Gary Neville's view that they "would be mad to sell him".
That falls in line with a promise made to Moyes when he took over from Ferguson that United would keep together the squad that won the league last season. United, for example, have rejected several bids for Nani and the only player they are willing to move out is Bébé.
Over time, United hope Rooney will start enjoying being a United player again and recognise this is a team where he can still achieve his ambitions. Moyes remains keen to bring in Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines from Everton and the club are looking at other options in midfield.
Moyes would ideally like two central midfielders but shied away from a deal for Thiago Alcântara because he was not entirely convinced by a player Bayern Munich subsequently signed from Barcelona. United have been frustrated by Barcelona's reluctance to part company with Cesc Fábregas but their information throughout several weeks of negotiations is that he is extremely anxious about how much he will play this season and would jump at the chance to move to Old Trafford, despite his statements to the contrary, if the Catalan club told him he was not required. United are retaining their interest, even if there is now an acceptance there is a low probability of it coming off.
Rooney, meanwhile, will have plenty to think about when he returns to United from international duty. The team begin the new Premier League season at Swansea City on Saturday followed by Chelsea visiting Old Trafford on 26 August and a match littered with off-pitch politics. No deal was ever likely before that game and Chelsea will discover in the coming weeks that United are not willing to bargain, at any price, after that date either.



This article has been taken from: http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/13/wayne-rooney-not-for-sale-chelsea




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Predicting the starting line up for Chelsea in 2013-14 season.

 

 The strength of the Chelsea squad has increased with new additions of Andre Schurrle and Marko Van Ginkle and also with the return of Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne who were out of loan. These inclusions have increased the competition in the team for a place in the starting line up. Jose Mourinho may use rotation policy to ensure that all his players get playing time in different competitions and also to avoid players getting tired due to the long season.

   But nonetheless, the blues will look to present its strongest squad in important matches and according tto me, the strongest starting line-up for Chelsea should look like this:

(G.K) Petr Cech
(CB) John Terry
(CB) Gary Cahill
(LB) Ashley Cole
(RB) Branislav Ivanovic
(CDM) Frank Lampard
(CDM) Marko Van Ginkle
(LW) Eden Hazard
(RW) Juan Mata
(Att. Midfielder) Andre Schurrle
(CF) Fernando Torres

   Many of you may criticize me for putting Cahill in defense instead of David Luiz but Cahill is a world Class defender and his last minute block in the Europa League final and his performance in the Champions League 2011 for Chelsea was outstanding and prove his worth. Similarly, i have included Torres in my dream starting line-up because i don't think Lukaku is mature enough to play in the big matches yet and i think Jose Mourinho may finally bring the best out of El-Nino.



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Chelsea target Wayne Rooney will decide the course of the Premier League season (By Alan Hansen).

The destiny of the title will already be clearer by the time the transfer window closes on September 3. The team that has Wayne Rooney in their line-up will most likely be champions in May.

Transfer tussle: Wayne Rooney wants out of Manchester United, but if he signs for Chelsea then the London club will win the Premier League, says Alan Hansen Photo: PA

  That’s how significant I rate the current battle for his services, the prospect of Rooney leaving Manchester United for Chelsea simply unthinkable if the title holders are to retain their crown.

For all the new signings, emerging stars and possible arrivals into the Premier League in the next few weeks, it is Rooney who will have most influence on proceedings over the next nine months.

If he joins Chelsea, they will win the league. I’m absolutely sure of that. If he remains at Old Trafford, David Moyes has a much better chance of marking his debut season with the title.

Should Rooney be sold to a foreign club, not ideal for Moyes, but probably more acceptable if he is intent on leaving the club, then Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be celebrating. It will open up the possibility of City emerging victorious from what will be a three way fight for top spot.

There’s a golden rule in football: you never sell to your biggest rivals. Check the history books and see how often it has happened and what the consequences where.

 

Arsenal did it last season with Robin van Persie and the impact was discussed every week thereafter, the most meaningful transfer activity of last summer effectively worth 12 to 15 more points to Manchester United. The story of last season was how van Persie’s capture secured the league in August. We’ll be in similar territory if Rooney joins Chelsea.
United can’t sanction a deal that makes Chelsea stronger and United weaker, no matter how much Jose Mourinho bids.
Mourinho is well aware of both the sporting and psychological impact of parading Rooney at Stamford Bridge, which is why he is so keen to make the deal happen. He knows what a coup it would be.
Although there has been plenty of discussion about Rooney’s form, I don’t think he was as poor last season as some suggest. His stats still stand up to scrutiny, even if he was not at his best.
What I still see is a player who covers every blade of grass, often sacrifices himself for the team by dropping into less favoured positions, and still scores with the kind of frequency that wins you trophies.
It doesn’t matter how great a player you are, nobody is sensational every season of their career. The class remains, however, and the ability to have influence at key moments will be there for many more years.
What you also get with Rooney is a winner. Someone you want sitting next to you in the dressing room before those season-defining games. A guy you know will give 100 per cent until the last whistle, determined to make a difference. He lives and breathes to play football and has the capacity to make the match-winning contribution from anywhere on the pitch, working as hard in defence as he does in attack.
Rooney would galvanise the Chelsea dressing room. One of the fundamental reasons for United’s success under Sir Alex Ferguson was the sense of togetherness he bred within his squad. They’ve always seemed such a tight group, their spirit and mentality crucial to so much they’ve achieved.
Even last season, I would argue both City and Chelsea had more technically gifted players in their squad, but were well behind United in terms of their team work, organisation and readiness to run that extra yard or make that extra tackle to win.
Rooney is an essential component of this at United and the swing in favour of Chelsea would be huge. Mourinho will recreate the siege mentality at Stamford Bridge, the feeling it’s "us against the world" he revelled in during his last spell at the club and which Ferguson nurtured throughout his reign.
He knows if Rooney was in a Chelsea shirt, feeling he had something to prove for the way it may have ended at United, he’d simply have to unleash him, sit back and watch the goals flow.
Clearly Moyes was left with an incredible challenge when he inherited the Rooney situation.
No matter what was said at the time, when Rooney was left on the bench for the Champions League tie against Real Madrid it sowed the seed for the disillusionment we have identified since the end of last season.
It’s a tough enough job for Moyes replacing Ferguson without having to deal with the prospect of losing such a pivotal player.
How he emerges from this first major challenge will have a defining impact on his debut season at Old Trafford. There can be compromise for United. Rooney has to stay.
Plus ça change...
For all the money flowing into the Premier League thanks to the new TV deal, it will be very much a case of "as you were" in terms of who fills the key positions this season.
The top three will consist of Manchester United, Chelsea and City, with Arsenal, Spurs and Liverpool competing for the final Champions League positions. As with United and Rooney, it’s understandable why Tottenham and Liverpool are fighting so hard to keep Gareth Bale and Luis Suarez. Without their best players, I can’t see how they will finish in the top four.
It’s a ceaseless battle for survival for the newcomers to the Premier League, the gap between the cream at the top and everyone else far too wide to bridge.



This article has been taken from :
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/10233302/Chelsea-target-Wayne-Rooney-will-decide-the-course-of-the-Premier-League-season.html



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Chelsea vs AS Roma match report.

Ryan Bertrand of Chelsea in action against AS Roma.

 Chelsea defeated AS Roma 2-1 in a thrilling contest at the RFK Stadium on Saturday night. Erik Lamela got opened the scoring for Roma after Mark Schwarzer's blunder. But the blues made a comeback after goal from Frank Lampard at the hour mark and the winner from Lukaku in the 89th minute.

  The blues got off to a flier as Morgan De Sanctis had to be alert in the Roma goal to deny Michael Essien a volley in the third minute of the match. But Roma took the lead in the 20th minute thanks to some sloppy work from Schwarzer in the Chelsea goal. The 40 year old mishit a back-pass into the path of Lamela who blasted the ball into the open goal.

Erik Lamela scores for AS Roma after a mistake from Schwarzer in the Chelsea goal.

   Schwarzer was in action again but this time he managed to save smartly a well hit shot frrom Pablo Osvaldo. Chelsea came close to levelling just before half time after Kevin De Bruyne blasted a shot at the Roma goal but it was well over.

    Chelsea made some changes in the second half including the introduction of Lampard, Oscar, Ramires and Demba Ba. John Terry came close with a header on the 56th minute but it was Lampard who leveled things up. Receiving the ball at the edge of the box, Lampard unleashed a thunderbolt from 20 yards out which easily beat De Sanctis.
   
    Both team had chances thereafter as Hazard was denied a penalty after it seemed that he had been fouled inside the box while on the other end, substitute Chelsea goalkeeper Jamal Blackman tipped Osvaldo's shot over the bar.

Lukaku scored the winner for the blues in the 89th minute.

    But it was Chelsea who gained the victory after Romelu Lukaku turned home from close range after good work from Hazard and Ba. Chelsea now ends its pre-season and will now face Hull city on 18th August in their first match of the season.





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Chelsea vs Real Madrid Preview, Predictions and timing.

Chelsea will face the biggest test in their pre-season as it squares off against Real Madrid.

 One should not be fooled by the term friendly for today's match between Chelsea and Real Madrid as it is anything but friendly. This match marks the occasion when the managers of both teams will face their former clubs. Jose Mourinho will face Real Madrid, the club he just left before joining Chelsea and Carlo Ancelotti will face Chelsea whom he guided to success in Premeir League and the FA cup in 2009-10 season.

  Both the teams will term this game of zero importance due to its billing as a friendly but deep down both the teams will be playing for a win to gain huge momentum and confidence boost heading into the new season. Moreover, the angst and drama of Jose Mourinho's spell at Real Madrid and then his departure is still fresh in everybody's mind and this is what adds an extra flavour to the contest. The Special One's term with Los Blancos was marred by controversies especially his decision to drop the club captain Iker Casillas to the bench.

Real Madrid has been in impressive form this preseason under new manager Carlo Ancelotti

  Both teams head into the game with no losses in the pre-season. The blues won their first tow matches with AC Milan and Inter Milan with 2-0 scoreline in both games while Real Madrid beat Everton (2-1) and LA Galaxy (3-1) in their opening fixtures of the tournament.
 
  The blues face injury concerns in form of David Luiz who will not feature in this game and Frank Lampard
who is also a doubt for the game but Chelsea have enough talent in the squad to cover their absence.

  Both the teams have star studded line ups. Chelsea team includes Petr Cech, Victor Moses, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Andre Schurlle, Kevin De Bruyne, Oscar, Ashley Cole, Demba Ba, Fernando Torres and Lukaku. Meanwhile Real Madrid have likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco, Mesut Özil, Ángel di María, Karim Benzema, Kaká, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Sami Khedira and goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Thus we can expect some highly rated battles such as Ashley Cole vs Ronaldo, Mesut Özil vs Juan Mata, Eden Hazard vs Isco, Oscar vs Kheidra, Benzema vs Torres/Ba/Lukaku and ofcourse Petr Cech vs Iker Casillas.

 Though a friendly both teams will love a win and expect fans to have their money worth at the Sun life Stadium in Miami. This should be an exciting contest as both teams are very good attacking sides with so much talent and are both very dangerous on the counter. Just sit back deep in your couch and enjoy the exciting game.

PREDICTION: Chelsea FC 2 - Real Madrid 1
Timing: 2:00 BST (Thursday)/9:00 p.m. EDT/6:00 p.m. PDT/ 02:00 a.m. GMT (Thursday)
TV/Broadcasting Channels: Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN Deportes, Watch ESPN (USA); Chelsea TV (UK)
 Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA



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Till we meet again: Jose Mourinho gave Essien a hint of his return to Chelsea on the final day of last season.

  In Real Madrid's final match of the season, Michael Essien scored a goal in Madrid's 4-2 victory against Osasuna. He went on to celebrate the goal by hugging Mourinho who was at at the bench for the last time as a Madrid manager. The Chelsea midfielder, who was on loan last season with Madrid now reveals that in that moment, Mourinho informed him of his return to Chelsea this coming season.

Essien celebrates his goal against Osasuna on the last day of the 2012-13 season.

                                                                                                                                                        
 In his blog for www,chelseafc.com Essien wrote, 'When I scored my last goal for Real Madrid on the last day of the season, I ran over to celebrate with him and was expecting him to congratulate me when I hugged him,'
'Instead he leaned over and said: "See you at pre-season training on July 8". I found that so funny.'
'We are now back together where we belong and where we had so many beautiful years together and I hope we can recreate those magical years.'

Essien hopes to relive the "beautiful years" that he spent with Mourinho during his first spell as a Chelsea manager

Essien, who had been sent on loan to Madrid last season, hopes to give his all to Chelsea this season along side Mourinho whom he affectionately calls 'daddy'.

He said, 'I am ready to give my all to Chelsea.'
'I haven’t lost any desire or motivation. I have been working hard in the last few weeks to be physically and mentally fit for the season and I feel good about my work so far.



'We are definitely going to give it a go this season. All the trophies are up for grabs and you can rest assured we will do all we can to bring as many as we can to the Bridge.'

Essien and co. play Real Madrid on Wednesday in the final of Guinness International Champions Cup and they will certainly look to win that match ahead of an all important season.

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Chelsea vs AC Milan match report.

Mario Balotelli taking on Ivanovic in the friendly between Chelsea and AC Milan match played on Sunday.

 Jose Mourinho's side set up a clash with Real Madrid in Wednesday's final as they beat AC Milan 2-0 in an impressive fashion. Goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Andre' Schurrle sealed the victory for the blues in the Metlife stadium against a good AC Milan side.

  Chelsea absorbed the Milan attacks for much of the match and hit them effectively at the counter consistently.

After a quiet opening, Chelsea burst into life after Ivanovic back-heeled a De Bruyne cross towards goal which was well saved by Abbiati. Moments later, he was involved again as he headed an Oscar cross wide off the post.

Milan on the other hand created its first chance in the 14th minute when Kevin Prince Boateng ballooned his shot over the post after good work from Stephan El Shaarawy. 

 

De Bruyne (left) and Hazard (right) celebrate the opening goal.

Moments later, El Shaarawy was the man again as he played Muntari in with a lovely ball. Muntari then shot towards goal which was well saved by Petr Cech considering he was in an awkard position. Ivanovic then cleared the loose ball away and denied Balotelli a simple tap in.
On the other end, Chelsea opened their account in the 29th minute when De Bruyne finished coolly after good work from Hazard who combined well with Oscar and played KDB in with a lovely ball.



The start of the second hand saw Chelsea make 7 changes including the introduction of Juan Mata, Fernando Torres, Victor Moses, Ashley Cole and captain John Terry.

Milan looked dangerous in the second half with the introduction of M'Baye Niang and may have equalised had it not been for last ditch defending and blocks by the Chelsea defenders. The half also saw the blues miss many chances. Fernando Torres received good balls in promising areas but couldn't take full advantage of those opportunities.

Andre Schurrle scores the second goal for the blues against AC Milan in the closing stages.

The blues buried the game in the 92nd minute when he buried his audacious volley in the bottom corner from a Victor Moses cross.

With the win, Chelsea will now face Real Madrid in the Sun life stadium on Wednesday. This will be a reunion for the managers of both sides as Mourinho will come face-to-face with his old club Real Madrid while Carlo Ancelotti will face Chelsea, the side he managed to the premier league title in 2009-10 season. It surely will be a great contest.


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Chelsea vs AC Milan preview, timing and predictions

Chelsea vs AC Milan playing in a friendly in 2012 which Milan won 1-0.

After an impressive display against Inter Milan, Chelsea will look to ride their confidence and secure another win against another giant of Serie-A, AC Milan as the two square off the Met-life stadium, New Jersey. On Thursday, the blues defeated Inter 2-0 courtesy of goals from Eden Hazard and Oscar. AC Milan on the other hand will also look for a win and will try to hand Jose Mourinho his first loss of the preseason.

 Chelsea are likely to regain André Schürrle and Kevin De Bruyne who missed the first game due to sickness and knee injury respectively. However, Frank Lampard will still be absent as he recovers from his Achilles injury that he got on the Asian tour.

Mario Balotelli has been superb for AC MILAN since his transfer from Man city

On the other hand, AC Milan were also very impressive against Valencia in their opening game. They have the likes of Stephan El Shaarawy (16 goals, Serie A) and Mario Balotelliwho can pose a major and a bigger threat to the Chelsea defense than what Inter did. The AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri’s will want to assemble a strong starting XI  against a talented Chelsea side.




Last year at the World Football Championship, AC Milan defeated Chelsea 1-0 with a second half goal by Urby Emanuelson, and the same can happen again as AC Milan comes into the game with a strong roster that also includes Giampaolo Pazzini (15 goals, Serie A), Nigel De Jong and Kevin Prince-Boateng.

Chelsea or AC Milan will face Real Madrid in the final who defeated Everton 2-1.

The winner of this game will face Real Madrid in the finals on August 7 which could also mean a possible re-union between Mourinho and Real Madrid. Meanwhile, the loser of this match will face Everton for third place finish prior to the final. Whatever the outcome and whichever team you support, we can expect an exciting contest.

PREDICTION: CHELSEA FC 1 - AC MILAN 0
TIME: 23:30 BST/6:30 p.m. EDT/3:30 p.m. PDT, 02:30 a.m (Monday) Pakistan Standard Time and 03:00 a.m (Monday) Indian Standard Time
TV/Broadcasting Channels: Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Soccer 2Go, ESPN Deportes (USA); Chelsea TV (UK)
Worldwide Livestreams and TV Channels: LiveSoccerTV.com
Radio: SiriusXM - SIRI Channel 94



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The Curious Case Of El Nino By Yash Haldankar

   On 31st January 2011, Chelsea signed a certain quintessential World Cup winning striker Fernando “El Nino” Torres for a sum of £50 million breaking the British Transfer record. The dynamic striker with blistering pace, sublime technique and an eye for spectacular had swapped Merseyside for West London. Torres was signed on a contract of five-and-half years to lead the club from the front to glory and beyond.

Signed by Ancelotti on Deadline Day

      Fast forward two-and-half years and what you get is mediocre overpaid striker with confidence issues. Or is it really? After arriving with much pompous fanfare, the Spaniard took his own time to setting into the Chelsea system by taking 903 minutes to find the back of the net for his first goal in 18 appearances. After the horrendous start to his Chelsea career, his first full campaign in a Chelsea shirt was expected to be better than his first six months. However the effervescent presence of Didier Drogba, an eccentric Sturridge and young Lukaku added to his misery. In 49 appearances he gave a return of 11 goals paving way for another mediocre season even with Chelsea winning the coveted Champions League and FA Cup.

Torres under the shadow of Drogba

      However with new season came new hopes. After a tantalizing display for his national side by winning the Golden Boot as Spain lifted the Euro 2012 cup. The stage was finally set for Torres to prime in Chelsea shirt with Didier Drogba heading to China in search of new pastures, Lukaku sent on a season long loan to West Bromwich Albion, Sturridge being sold to Liverpool and Demba Ba coming in the winter. Torres became the only viable option up front and he did not disappoint. Finally reaching the 20- goal mark in 64 appearances with 22 goals. For once he seemed to be the Fernando Torres he was.

After scoring the decisive against Barcelona

      With Torres it has been a never-ending saga of transfer speculation after mediocre performances since his arrival. Yet both club and player have been swift and vocal enough to drive down speculation regarding Torres being sold even after bids from Athletico Madrid, Arsenal and Barcelona being made. The player has shown commitment to honoring his contract with Chelsea.
      The favorable conditions are set to prevail as Lukaku, even after his spectacular loan spell is yet unproven in Chelsea system and Demba Ba’s inconsistency in finding the back of net since leaving the Toon’s adds to that. Making Torres Chelsea’s No.1 forward at this moment. Torres’ Vantage point is his confidence. On his day, he’s an established defender’s nightmare and often is quite too sublime against even the relegation zone clubs. It is this enervating factor that he has to fight. Which if prevailed upon he is sure to flourish.

Gaining his old prowess

      Throughout his career in a Blues shirt various factors from Didier Drogba’s spectacular form to the pressure of justifying his price tag, from Chelsea’s Managing conundrums to the style of play and philosophy not suiting to his game have been responsible for not realizing his true potential.
      However with the start of new season, Torres will be coming back to London with another Golden Boot won at Confederations Cup, Brazil but a new manager will be there to welcome the 50 million forward, none other than the Special One, Jose Mourinho. This ensures that for good or for bad-This Curious Case of El Nino will be solved with either Torres finding his scoring boots, which commanded the 50 million Chelsea paid to get him or Torres being shipped out with a huge loss. This is the season that will define the legacy of El Nino and brings an end to this curious case. Now as for how it ends, lets just wait and watch.

 (This article is taken from http://www.bbfwl.com/the-curious-case-of-el-nino/ all rights belong to the writer Yash Haldankar)


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