Chelsea saving Ballack for the winter
I’m not too surprised with Chelsea not registering Ballack for the Champions League group stages - sure, he’s due to be fit for the last four games, but would take the same risk with any 31-year old midfielder (and not your best player in that position, mind you) who’s coming off a long-term injury and surgery?
Chelsea have been guilty of bringing injured players back far too quickly - in this case they are lucky to not need Ballack at this point in the season. Sidwell and Obi Mikel, not to mention Makelele, can do the job in most cases. And it’s not as if Chelsea are going to have a ‘tough’ time in the CL, are they?
Rosenborg and Schalke are hardly going to provide tough unsurmountable opposition, while Chelsea’s toughest game of the group stages, the away game against Valencia on Matchday 2 (October 3rd), comes 10 days before Ballack is expected to be fit for a bit-part role in Germany’s Euro 2008 qualifier (see 07/08 CL fixtures list and 07/08 group stage CL draw).
Chelsea have the squad depth to deal with Ballack’s absence in the Champions League, and in any case they need him in full flow for the winter crunch of games and in January and February when the club will be short of midfielders. Having Ballack well-rested and raring to go at that time can only be good for Chelsea.
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seriously ahmed, that is bull.
ballack is just out of favour seriously now. maybe the bridge situation will make it clearer. bridge has 2 mths to go before recovery yet is included in the list.
one could argue that chelsea dont need that many midfielders hence leaving ballack out to rest but that is a flawed argument
do you really use all the players in the list u provided for the champion league? if a player of ballack’s undoubted quality is dropped, something is really brewing over at Stamford Bridge..
looks like you read the piece about ballack in the guardian this morning (here it is guys, it’s a good read).
People are making too much out of this - he will, in all likelihood, be picked for the latter stages, when he’s fit and raring to go.
the guardian has exceeded itself today - this article on roman’s walkout near the end of the villa game is ridiculous. Imagine the reason, then fit the theory in it by hook or by fantasy.
That looks like Bye bye Ballack in January for Chelsea
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