Ballack, Not Shevchenko, The Problem With Sorry Chelsea
The Abramovich-Shevchenko-Mourinho love triangle may be what seems to have brought Chelsea’s dominance of the Premier League to a temporary halt this season, but it could be argued that the “Special One’s� evil plans were undone by something altogether different.
A couple of fine early goals from a Liverpool side with plenty to prove has all but sunk Chelsea’s season. It leaves most of the country on a high, content that signs are that the “natural� Arsenal-Man Utd-Liverpool harmony at the top of the table is on as the Roman Empire appears to crumble, a return to the three party state possibly on the cards.
Chelsea, though, the big bad wolves of the Premiership, have been undone by their own big bad wolf, Peter Kenyon. In trying to turn the club into The Biggest Club In The World TM overnight, Kenyon and his cohorts are starting to make glaring errors of judgment.
Bringing Adidas in as kit sponsors may have seemed like extremely shrewd business at the time, but it has brought with it a massive piece of baggage nobody now knows what to do with. Its name is Michael Ballack. And his transfer, in terms of its importance, may well turn out to be arguably the worst transfer in the history of world football.
Now Ballack, like Lampard, is an Adidas poster boy. In fact, throw into the equation the fact that he, like Adidas, is German, and you might even argue that he is THE Adidas poster boy. If he was not going to stay at Adidas club of choice Bayern, where on Earth could he go? United, who would have desperately loved a Ballack back at the end of last season are sworn to Nike. Realistically, he could only go to Real or the new Adidas flagship club, Chelsea. A deal was born. One in which the Special One had no say in at all.
Take a step back to last year. Central midfield is the engine room of any given Premiership club. The discovery of the priceless Cesc Fabregas saved Arsenal from any post-Viera misery; at United there was a black hole - which is why they struggled last season; at Liverpool in Sissoko, Alonso and Gerrard there was an embarrassment of riches which propelled them on to FA Cup glory and a good second half of the season.
However the prize midfield combo was Makelele/Essien/Lampard. There was nothing of the spectacular here, just grit, determination and raw footballing talent.
This season the combo is still going. Except they have Michael Ballack stuck in there with them. And neither they, nor he, nor anyone else, for that matter, seems to be able to understand what he is supposed to be doing. The most effective midfield in the country (if not in Europe) has been reduced to a laughing stock. Against Liverpool at Anfieled, the Chelsea midfield, though admittedly lacking personnel, looked at sea. Remember this is the team that beat the Merseysiders 1-4 in the same fixture last year, when that midfield was running like the smoothest of machines.
The business deal that brought Ballack to Chelsea has critically destabalised them in the area where they were the strongest: midfield.
Buying Shevchneko may have upset the balance behind the scenes for Chelsea, but a dysfunctional and undroppable Michael Ballack has stalled things for them where it matters most - on the pitch.
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Isn’t it a wee bit early to start writing the obituary of Chelsea Football Club 2006-2007? It was a dismal performance this weekend, but that’s the club’s first defeat in some time and they’re still just six points off the pace, despite all of the difficulties.
A highly twisted way of looking at things to say the least but i wouldnt think a sponsor would have so much say in the signing of a player. And even if they did, they couldnt force mourinho to play him. That is all upto the man himself and he has dug his own grave. Yea Shevchenko and Ballack arnt his type of players but considering the fact more than 40 million pounds have been speant mourinho cant complain of a lack of support from the board. Plus if you have one of the greatest european strikers in Sheva sitting on your bench and you still decided to play Kalou and Obi Mikel over him, thats just fucking stupid. There is something very wrong going on behind the scenes and knowing the crisis at the club and the egoistic staff and players, its all going to explode very soon !
Chelsea can recover from this gloomy moment if Terry and Carvalho are fit. Mourinho should also try a midfield without “Lord” Ballack.
I am not sure Ballack was brought to the club to satisfy an Addidas request or order. Arsenal are a Nike team but Henry is sponsored by Reebok if im not mistaken. (I may be though) The problem I believe is Chelsea is easy money and old players who are looking for a cash cow to ride till the end of their careers such as, Ballack and shevchenko have found it. They have and will not add anything significant to Chelsea except for a flash here and there. Liverpool, Arsenal, Man U and a host of football fans all called the two signings rediculous but the Chelsea fans hailed it as proof that they were now the IT team to play for. You are now paying for your ignorance and that of the boards. Mourinho is at a loss because for the first time in his career (Porto included) he is not able to rely on luck or money to solve his problems. He is proving that he is one dimensional and really and truelly that there is nothing special about him.
Saying all that though, Chelsea do have the ability to win the league still. But Mourinho needs to realise you cant play Ballack and Lampard in the same team. As a matter of fact he would do well to drop them both and go with Essien and Claude, Chelsea’s two best players apart from Drogba.
What amuses me is how a fu**in football “viewer” knows all the inside stuff and knows where EXACTLY a renowned professional manager leading a major club is going wrong…..
All I wanna say is - any intelligent football viewer will never play down Mourinho’s calibre. It’s IN YOUR FACE when you see mid-game formation changes or 3 subs before half-time, reverting the face of a losing game. Also, Chelsea’s tactical superiority in utilizing set-pieces is undisputed.
The only sad thing right now are injuries to key players. And worse, some really seasoned footballers are taking too long to adjust themselves to English style of play. I hope over summer…. Mourinho and his squad will take their time and give serious thought to redeploying the talent, strategy and integrating the key recruits. Beginning of the season, talent was there more than previous years….. time wasn’t, respite wasn’t. Haste is making waste.
I thought Azar, you once said it was a myth your squad could suffer from injuries? What’s changed now eh?
Consider it good luck for the club currently number one
I agree. Everyone has been focusing on Shev but Ballack seems to get no flack. He was non exsistent in that match.
It’s taken 8 months to realise Ballack is the figurehead of adidas in Germany, has it? Most people worked that out a month before he arrived. Ground-breaking stuff.
Thing is, I don’t remember anyone complaining when Barcelona’s midfield was over-run twice a couple of months ago. Where was this genius 14-year-old boy in India with self-deluding insight then?
Who cares what the prob with Chelski is - as long as they have a problem (or a few) and can’t really resolve it.
Filthy Germans and Man Utd don’t go together
…Woohoo!
Ballack and Shev aren’t meant for the EPL. They clearly need a weaker league.
…they could strutt their stuff with Leeds
Infact chelsea made Agreat mistake to buy madfieder like Black . without considering their future plan on the stamford bridge now if they refused Black to play in the first tie of champions league.what is the use of black in my chelsea ithink mourinho has failed to play his role.bylubwamafrank