Chelsea

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba insists he has no intention of changing his playing style.

The Ivory Coast international was accused of being an exhibitionist last term, a claim the former Marseille ace refutes.

Drogba has conceded that he is trying harder to stay on his feet these days, but is happy to leave the ground if it means finding the back of the net.

"Last season, the flying cat story was making the rounds," explained Drogba to SuperGoals.

"This time they've seen me flying to score goals. I will keep playing this way, flying to score goals.

"I am not an exhibitionist as I was accused last season. Defenders just enjoy kicking me and it could be annoying, so the flying accusation was not true.

"I try to accept the assault on the field now without falling down."

Meanwhile, the 28-year-old has admitted that he wanted to leave the Premiership champions during the close-season.

"It's true that at one point I wanted to leave," he continued.

"I just salute the fans for believing in me. They were amazing and now I just want to concentrate on helping Chelsea win the title again."

Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Liverpool on Sunday, thanks to goals from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch. But Andriy Shevchenko was Chelsea's best player on the day and equalised for Chelsea just before half time.

Jose Mourinho admitted after the game that the best team on the day won the game: "Not many of my players were in condition to play for 90 minutes and when they played the last 15 minutes, it was difficult for us. It would have been quite a premium for my team if we could finish with a draw and it went to penalties. But in this case, Liverpool deserved to win the game." Mourinho also commented on Shevchenko's first taste of a semi-competitive all England game: "Shevchenko cannot get the ball from Cudicini’s hands and score a goal at the other end. He needs the team to have sharpness, condition and tactical structure to be in possession in the last third. In the last third, he is fantastic. He had two situations - one was almost a goal and finished with a corner and one was a wonderful goal. He needs a team to be behind him to be what he is — an amazing player."
This is a boost for Sheva who was lively during the game and impressed many with his eye for goal and determination. Chelsea fans will be hoping that he can continue his excellent Chelsea form of a goal in every game!
Yet on the other side of the coin, Carlo Cudicini was at fault for the first goal even though John Arne Riise was allowed to run 3/4 of the field without a tackle. Chelsea's general defensive play look extremely rusty and needs alot of work. During the first 25 minutes our two strikers - Shevchenko and Drogba - were often found in wide positions when they should be playing central. But Jose turned this around when Michael Ballack went off injured, Solomon Kalou cam on to replace him and was given an almost free role to fill in wide situations and free our strikers upfront.
No doubt many Liverpool fan's will see this as a huge confidence boost, which of course it is, but I firmly believe that when Chelsea get to 100% fitness and sharpness they will once again dominate the league. Petr Cech should return soon and inspire confidence and familiarity through the back line. If William Gallas' situation is sorted out he will provide an excellent service along all defensive positions. Claude Makelele endured a long World Cup and everyone knows what a class player he is, bringing balance to the side. Even though Michael Essien was excellent in Makelele's position in Cardiff, he would rather return to his favoured box-to-box midfield role. The need for a left back has become more apparent with Jose opting for the right-footed Paulo Ferreira there over Wayne Bridge - a natural left back. Press reports have said that Ashley Cole's move is becoming less likely and Eric Abdidal or Phillip Lahm could be potential suitors to that position. I personally hope that Phillip Lahm will join along with another striker because we have no out-and-out striker that could replace a Shevchenko or a Drogba. Solomon Kalou, Joe Cole, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Arjen Robbe could all fill in that position but I feel that a natural striker would fit in better. Yet he would have to be content with being a bit-part player at the club, Dirk Kuyt has been linked with many English clubs including Chelsea and would be an excellent addition.
Hopefully these minor problems brought up in the game vs Liverpool won't turn into major concerns. Bring on Manchester City on the 19th!

The new Premiership season looks like an exciting prospect, with new boys Watford, Sheffield United and Reading adding a fairly unknown quantity to opponents. Big transfers such as Michael Carrick, Dimitar Berbatov and Tomas Rosicky will want to impress in the season ahead for their new teams. Young managers Aidy Boothrooyd, Gareth Southgate and even Chris Coleman will bring enthusiasm to the league.
Moving onto Chelsea, so far three pre-season games have been played within 5 days and have brought a win, loss and draw. Chelsea lost 1-0 to MLS all-stars, beat Feyenoord 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Celtic. All of Chelsea's new senior signings have featured in the matches, and 16 year old Michael Woods even appeared Vs. Feyenoord.
No fewer than 13 players have left the club during the summer, 3 have initially gone on loan. These players are: Damien Duff (Newcastle), Asier Del Horno (Valencia), Carlton Cole (West Ham), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Barcelona), Danny Hollands (Bournemouth), Jiri Jarosik (Celtic), Lenny Pidgeley & Filipe Morais (both Millwall), Dean Smith (Aldershot). Players to leave on loans: Glen Johnson (Portsmouth), Anthony Grant (Wycombe) and Hernan Crespo (Inter Milan). Whilst Johnson and Grant will gain valuable experience at their new clubs, Crespo will spend a year in Italy before joining Inter on a bosman deal when his contract expires next summer, Although Chelsea have the option to retain him after one year in Italy.
Big names have come into the club in big money exchanges, yet Germany skipper Michael Ballack has joined Chelsea on a free transfer. The strong midfielder joins from Bayern Munich and will wear his favoured number 13 shirt this season, William Gallas' old shirt, he will now wear number 3.

The biggest transfer of the summer in world football is surely the £30million deal to bring Andriy Shevchenko to the club. Another international captain added to Chelsea's ranks, Shevchenko will provide clinical finishing to the Chelsea frontline and will wear his favoured number 7 shirt previously donned by Portugese flop, Maniche. Youngsters Solomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel in deals both reported to be worth around £16 million each. Kalou can work either as a stiker or winger whilst Mikel usually plays in central midfield. Both will provide an unknown element to many fans of Premiership football and are extremely exciting prospects. Kalou will wear the number 21 shirt - last worn by Hernan Crespo during his first stint with the Blues - which he also wore while he was at Feyenoord, whilst Mikel will wear the number 12 shirt previosuly occupied by Carlton Cole. Mourinho has also picked up goalkeeper Henrique Hilario on a free tranfer from Portugese team Nacional Madeira. He is a goalkeeper who worked under Mourinho whilst he was at Porto and he has been brought in as a direct replacement for ex-Chelsea third choice 'keeper Lenny Pidgeley and will even wear Pidgeley's old number 40 shirt.
As usual Chelsea have been linked with many players during the summer including Fabio Cannavaro, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Gianluca Zambrotta who were all caught up in the Italian match-fixing scandal. Ashley Cole has been linked again, after last year's ridiculous "tapping up" issue, yet Chelsea have released a statement saying: "Chelsea FC has been in discussions with Arsenal Football Club for some time over the possible transfer of Ashley Cole.
Chelsea has made a very substantial offer for the player. Although discussions have continued, Arsenal’s valuation of the player does not match Chelsea’s and therefore no agreement can be reached in the current circumstances ." This makes it look like Ashley may not be joining this summer. On the flip-side Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben, Robert Huth and Shaun Wright-Phillips have all been linked strongly away from Stamford Bridge. Even more so William Gallas has been linked away from Stamford more than any other player, and his future is still unresolved after he turned up late for pre-season training.
This season looks to be an exciting one, so time for my predictions for it. I obviously believe Chelsea will win the Premiership this year, I think that the League Cup will be won by a smaller team this year - possibly a relegatin candidate, the FA cup should be won by Chelsea but my personal prediction is that Blackburn Rovers will have a very good run and could go all the way and finally I believe that again an British team will be in the final and I sense victory.
Lets hope this season will be full of surprise, magic and drama.

I would like to introduce myself as the Chelsea FC blogger. My name is Dan Kemp, I am 16 years old and from Kent but my city is London. I am a Chelsea fan and have been to a few events at Stamford Bridge - including Matches, Parades and Open Days.
Am looking forward to this opportunity to do some blogging for my favourite team. Hopefully I will include articles like player reviews, latest news and match reports. My first article will be a season preview.

Hernan Crespo has joined Inter Milan on a two-year contract from Chelsea.
The Argentina international has moved on a free transfer but the Barclays Premiership champions have the option of taking the striker back after one season.

A statement on the Italian club’s website, www.inter.it, read: “Hernan Crespo is an Inter player. The striker has signed a two-year contract until June 30, 2008.

“Crespo joins Inter on a two-year free transfer from Chelsea, who have the right to take the player back after one season.”

The 31-year-old has never found it easy to settle in England - spending a year on loan with AC Milan in 2004/05 and helping them reach the final of the Champions League.

Crespo scored twice in their final defeat against Liverpool and, despite a successful season back at Chelsea last term, has never made any secret of his desire to return to Italy.

The move could prompt Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to move into the transfer market before the start of the season with just Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko the main strikers in his squad.

“I feel an incredible joy,” said Crespo after being unveiled by Inter’s technical director Marco Branca and their transfer market consultant Gabriele Oriali.

“I can't wait to start and I know I will have many responsibilities. The pressure has never frightened me,” he told the club’s official website.

The 31-year-old enjoyed one season at Inter in 2002/03, scoring 16 goals in 30 games before leaving for London.

“I hope and want to do well, very well,” Crespo added.

“I am back at Inter, a club and a team with which I had a very intense rapport that I have always respected. It was hard when I left to join Chelsea, I still remember that I cried when leaving Appiano Gentile (Inter’s training ground).

“What I felt then was like leaving a big family and thinking I would not have another chance. But I have it now and I’m keeping hold of it.

“For me and for my career, being back at Inter and seeing my name linked to all the big European clubs is a reason to be proud. I will put myself at the service of the team and the coach, I will always play with passion and give my all.”

Crespo insists he holds no grudges against the Barclays Premiership champions, extending his thanks to the club who have retained the right to recall the player after one season.

“Nothing bothers me at all about the loan transfer,” he said. “I actually have to thank Chelsea, the chairman and the coach because they understood what I wanted as a man and they have made me happy.

“I have a special, sentimental and now legal relationship with Italy. I am officially an Italian citizen. I have an Italian wife and two Milanese daughters, Nicole and Sofia. They are at home here.”

He becomes the third player to leave Stamford Bridge since Chelsea retained the title, following Damien Duff and Asier del Horno out of the exit door - to Newcastle United and Valencia respectively.