Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2011/2012

GavRedKing

More from the Mail : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2084454/Kevin-Bruyne-closes-Chelsea-move.html

Chelsea are closing in on an £8million summer deal for Kevin de Bruyne after it emerged his agent will meet Genk for transfer talks on Wednesday.


The 20-year old winger almost joined Chelsea in the last window and recently complained that his club were pricing him out of his dream move.

His wish finally looks like being granted, though, after Sportsmail learned that his agent Patrick de Coster will hold talks with Genk officials at the Belgian League’s Golden Shoe 2011 player-of-the-year ceremony in Ostend.


Both De Bruyne and De Coster are confident the outcome will be an agreement over a transfer to Stamford Bridge, with the Belgian side now resigned to losing their left-sided midfielder at the end of the season.


It is understood Chelsea rekindled their interest in De Bruyne after this season’s Champions’ League group games between the teams and that, like keeper Thibaut Courtois before him, he will launch his Stamford Bridge career with a season-long loan at another club

I'm not reading much into it as it says he'll be left go on a season long loan which to me seems stupid when we need a guy like him immediately.

Sgt Pepper 64

gavredking wrote: »

More from the Mail : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2084454/Kevin-Bruyne-closes-Chelsea-move.html



I'm not reading much into it as it says he'll be left go on a season long loan which to me seems stupid when we need a guy like him immediately.

Still think he is an average player and we have too many of them, and we should be putting more effort into finding this season impact players

GavRedKing

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Still think he is an average player and we have too many of them, and we should be putting more effort into finding this season impact players

Thats why I'd rather get Krasic in the summer, more time to blend with the squad, we all know its very hard to get a properly good player in January and for them to hit the ground running.

MUSEIST

So no to demba ba then, how about di maria for 35 million. Yes from me.

Sgt Pepper 64

MUSEIST wrote: »

So no to demba ba then, how about di maria for 35 million. Yes from me.

He would pretty much fix all our problems!
But never going to happen, theres certain clubs we just cant pinch from!

Its just a rouse by his agent to get a pay rise as his nose is out of joint because of Higuain's pay

ASOT

SkySportsNews Sky Sports News
Sky Sources: Bolton defender Gary Cahill to finalise his move to Chelsea in next 24 hours.

pistolpetes11

Ian McGarry @garbosj 51s Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Gary Cahill salary agreed at 80k per week + bonuses up to equivalent of 100k per week. Medical scheduled for tomorrow. #CFC #BWFC

Sgt Pepper 64

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Ian McGarry @garbosj 51s Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Gary Cahill salary agreed at 80k per week + bonuses up to equivalent of 100k per week. Medical scheduled for tomorrow. #CFC #BWFC

4 1/2 year deal, No 13 shirt

Wow, thats some salary. Probably asked for playing time as well so he can stay in the england team.
Sign him up and then get that left winger (not KDB)\creative midfielder and I'll be happy (ier)

cson

Opinions on Kalou?

Typical Wenger signing but it seems like a great waste of £3m when he wont be available til mid Feb and could be had in the summer for free.

fwiw Cahill is very overrated imo. Don't think he's good enough for a top club.

Panthro

I think we should let Cahill don on the shirt for a few games before passing judgement.
Kalou isn't the best starter in a game, but when introduced he offers a bit of pace, sadly he is a bit of a headless chicken at times I think.

cson

Panthro wrote: »

Kalou isn't the best starter in a game, but when introduced he offers a bit of pace, sadly he is a bit of a headless chicken at times I think.

Excellent, he should fit into the Arsenal team perfectly so, best mates with Walcott and Gervinho before long I'd say

GavRedKing

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Ian McGarry @garbosj 51s Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Gary Cahill salary agreed at 80k per week + bonuses up to equivalent of 100k per week. Medical scheduled for tomorrow. #CFC #BWFC

80K while potentially rising to 100K :eek: Jaysus that seems like a waste of money really. Hope he produces some performances until the end of the season.

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

4 1/2 year deal, No 13 shirt

Wow, thats some salary. Probably asked for playing time as well so he can stay in the england team.
Sign him up and then get that left winger (not KDB)\creative midfielder and I'll be happy (ier)

you really dont want De Bruyne ha :pac: Di Maria would be excellent but he wont leave Real Madrid when theres a chance they'll win La Liga, have a quarter final against Barca in the cup there defending and have a good chance of going through in the UCL.

Maybe in the summer but I wouldnt hold my breath.

cson wrote: »

Opinions on Kalou?

Typical Wenger signing but it seems like a great waste of £3m when he wont be available til mid Feb and could be had in the summer for free.

fwiw Cahill is very overrated imo. Don't think he's good enough for a top club.

Kalou is a Wenger signing but will do better in Arsenal's system and is really like Gervinho and Walcott, he'll beat a guy but after that you could get excellence or pure ****e from his end product.

Cahill is a gamble but we need a CB and he will either improve or be a waste, only time will tell.

RichT

SSN....

QPR make bid for Alex

cloptrop

can we rename this the man city thread , i dont support chelsea anymore but i made some great friends here and id like us all to start supporting city together

GavRedKing

RichT wrote: »

SSN....

QPR make bid for Alex

Any figures been thrown around? I'd expect something close to what we're paying Bolton for Cahill.

LanceStorm

gavredking wrote: »

Any figures been thrown around? I'd expect something close to what we're paying Bolton for Cahill.

I would have thought we'd make some money off this more surely, Alex is proven at champions league level for years, is only 29, whereas Cahill was on the road to relegation and is 26!

Alex should be aiming for Spurs if their considering Samba! Too good for QPR!

Johner

LanceStorm wrote: »

I would have thought we'd make some money off this more surely, Alex is proven at champions league level for years, is only 29, whereas Cahill was on the road to relegation and is 26!

Alex should be aiming for Spurs if their considering Samba! Too good for QPR!

I'd agree that he is too good for QPR but don't want him going to Spurs!

I don't really get selling Kalou to Arsenal either, first Benayoun on loan and now Kalou, I know that those players are no world beaters but Arsenal are a direct rival for fourth.

GavRedKing

LanceStorm wrote: »

I would have thought we'd make some money off this more surely, Alex is proven at champions league level for years, is only 29, whereas Cahill was on the road to relegation and is 26!

Alex should be aiming for Spurs if their considering Samba! Too good for QPR!

If QPR throw ££££ at him then I'd say he'll go there and with Hughes at the helm he might just convince him he can lead the club up the EPL and push on next year. If I was Alex I'd be looking for a releagtion release clause anyway.

GavRedKing

Johner wrote: »

I'd agree that he is too good for QPR but don't want him going to Spurs!

I don't really get selling Kalou to Arsenal either, first Benayoun on loan and now Kalou, I know that those players are no world beaters but Arsenal are a direct rival for fourth.

Ya if Alex goes to Spurs I hope we take as much ££££ off them as we can but I'd rather sell him to QPR then Spurs.

Agreed on Kalou and Yossi, ya can just guarntee Kalou will haunt us somewhere down the line.

GavRedKing

If the Mirror are to be believed then Drogba has, apparently, a 300K a week offer from the Shanghai something or other, same club that Anelka has gone too.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Chelsea-transfer-gossip-Didier-Drogba-offered-300k-a-week-to-follow-Nicolas-Anelka-to-Shanghai-Shenhua-in-China-article851968.html

RichT

We will have another representative at The ACN.

Bertrand Traore is in the Burkina Faso squad.

Link

Sgt Pepper 64

The other side of the coin - How Porto are doing without AVB!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16463317.stm

It's not just in the Premier League where the rumbles of Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas's influence are being felt.
In the eight months that have passed since 'AVB' led Porto to Europa League glory against Braga in Dublin, the axis of power in Portuguese football has tipped one way and then another.
Back in spring, Porto were untouchable. They had just become only the second team in Portugal's history to complete a league season unbeaten, after Englishman Jimmy Hagan's Benfica in 1972-73.
Then the coach who had said leading Porto "surpasses all my childhood dreams" stunned Portugal by leaving for the bright lights of the Premier League and Stamford Bridge.
His replacement was always likely to be on a hiding to nothing. It wasn't just Villas-Boas's results that spoke volumes for his work. The swagger of Porto's squad and their extraordinary dressing-room spirit struck fear into opponents. His departure left a gaping hole.
Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa attempted to fill it via continuity. He immediately appointed Villas-Boas's assistant, Vitor Pereira, and retained most of the backroom staff. Pereira was also given £36m of new players to work with.
The pallid performances of Porto's eagerly awaited Champions League return were a warning flag. Star forward Hulk called the goalless draw with Zenit that eliminated Porto "our best collective display of the season". It underlined how internal expectations, and standards, had dropped.
The Portuguese media quickly sensed Pereira was not the totemic leader Villas-Boas had been. He is a decent coach and well liked, but his rhetoric rarely inspires in the way his predecessor's had.
It seems ludicrous that Pereira is under threat almost halfway through a league campaign in which Porto - like Benfica - remain unbeaten. Yet context is everything in a country where a club outside "os tres grandes" - "the big three" - have been crowned champions just twice.
At present, it's almost a mini version of the Real Madrid and Barcelona rivalry.
The standards of Benfica and Porto have been so high in recent seasons that even the smallest slip is a relative disaster. The knife-sharpeners point out that Pereira's side have already dropped as many points as Villas-Boas's men did in the whole of last season - six.
It will come as little surprise to Manchester United fans to hear Benfica have upped their game this season in response. Coach Jorge Jesus's secret has been to not overreact to last season's relative failure at the Luz.
Benfica resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes in the summer and have been rewarded. Their regular 4-4-2 formation gave way to the stylish five-man midfield displayed in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League.
New signing Axel Witsel has added power and finesse and United's reported interest in playmaker Nicolas Gaitan isn't hard to fathom either.
The team has plenty of goals in it too. Former Bolton loanee Rodrigo has weighed in well on his return. Paraguay's Oscar Cardozo - a scorer against United - is no longer an automatic choice despite having managed 22 European goals for the club. It is a reflection of Benfica's options.
Porto also have to contend with a challenge from the other side of the capital.
Sporting Clube de Portugal were in sporting and institutional crisis last season, and finished 36 points behind the champions.
New president Luis Godinho Lopes authorised a summer rebuild, spending just under £30m, a huge figure by Sporting's standards. New coach Domingos Paciencia - like Villas-Boas, a product of Sir Bobby Robson's days at Porto - has overseen major changes.
Brazil midfielder Elias joined for a record fee from Atletico Madrid, while Dutch pair Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Stijn Schaars have been big hits as Sporting have entertained at the same time as climbing the table.
That Sporting's under-19 side have been so impressive in the NextGen Series shows the club's traditions of youth development have not been neglected. Portugal's most fertile academy has spawned the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Nani.
After Sporting finished top of its group in NextGen, thrashing Liverpool both home (5-1) and away (3-0), Europe's scouts are licking their lips again. The current crop includes towering London-born defender Tiago Ilori, who made his first-team debut against Leiria in October.
All in all, Portuguese fans can anticipate a far closer second half of the season than last time out. Economics mean Portugal will never be the most open of championships, but its health is definitely improving.

pistolpetes11

Seems the Kakuta to Djion is a done deal deal , 6 month loan , well its on there site

Sgt Pepper 64

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

Seems the Kakuta to Djion is a done deal deal , 6 month loan , well its on there site

really hope this lad can fulfil his potential, could be awsome for us if he does.

Still waiting on Cahill, he's getting quite a slagging from some chelsea fans saying he isnt good enough, but I'm sure AVB wouldnt bother if he didnt think he could do a job for us

MUSEIST

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

really hope this lad can fulfil his potential, could be awsome for us if he does.

Still waiting on Cahill, he's getting quite a slagging from some chelsea fans saying he isnt good enough, but I'm sure AVB wouldnt bother if he didnt think he could do a job for us

I am probably in the minority then in liking the cahill transfer. The question we need to ask is, does cahilll improve our defence and the answer IMO is yes.

---

cechski

---

ivanovich----cahill---terry---cole

That looks a lot more defensivly secure than with bosingwa and luiz in there and remember our defence has been muck this season.

Sgt Pepper 64

MUSEIST wrote: »

I am probably in the minority then in liking the cahill transfer. The question we need to ask is, does cahilll improve our defence and the answer IMO is yes.

---

cechski

---

ivanovich----cahill---terry---cole

That looks a lot more defensivly secure than with bosingwa and luiz in there and remember our defence has been much this season.

I think he will be a good addition, just not a great one. (But that could change!) But considering his age, he's english, in the england squad, his price and its the Jan transfer window.
This is the new reality of Chelsea where we are working to more of a budget.
Just wonder, if Alex hadnt handed in the request, would we have been so keen?

Dont forget Luiz - still think he will keep learning and grow into a beast of a CB, or some position in our team!

Johner

Youth Cup 4th round just started on Chelsea TV, away to Norwich. Some great talent on show Blackman,Chalobah,Swift,Piazon and Feruz all playing.

Johner

Full team,

Chelsea: Blackman, Kane, Pappoe, Aké, Nditi, Chalobah (c), Baker, Swift, Piazon, Affane, Feruz.

Gonzovision

Think we got through on penalties.

Johner

Yeah 4-2 on peno's, 4 cracking penalties from our lads but the performance was pretty poor. West Ham in the next round.

Sgt Pepper 64

Cahill still unsure

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Chelsea-transfer-gossip-Gary-Cahill-must-agree-to-move-from-Bolton-on-Thursday-or-Blues-will-move-on-article852134.html

Wonder if he just likes it up north too much or he has doubts about if it is the right move for him? Will he fit in, can he make the step up, the expectation etc

Panthro

Pato alert

GavRedKing

To be fair to Cahill, its always going to be hard to move to a top 4 club and muscle your way into the team and also try and impress Capello so he starts in the euro's this summer, thats probably playing on his mind but staying at Bolton and potentially getting relegated would be worse then going to Chelsea.

I'd rather see us line up :

Luiz

---

Cahill----JT----Cole

Much more attacking then having Ivanovic in there and Luiz would be a better mix of having Bosinga's attacking ability coupled with some of Ivanovic's defensive ability.

I think the Pato report can be taking with a pinch of salt, yes he is behind Robihno and Ibrahimovic but hes important to AC Milan, especially given the fact Cassano is out for the foreseeable future with his heart problems.

If he was to become available, I'd imagine, as it says in the article that PSG would be ready to pounce but if we managed to nick him and have a front three of Mata, Pato and Sturridge that would be immense.

Sgt Pepper 64

Panthro wrote: »

Pato alert

LOL, I thought we werent allowed to mention Pato anymore? Although Neymar is the new Pato!

Wont come to us - PSG with Carlo if anywhere.
Bit chancy with his injury record?

GavRedKing

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

LOL, I thought we werent allowed to mention Pato anymore? Although Neymar is the new Pato!

Wont come to us - PSG with Carlo if anywhere.
Bit chancy with his injury record?

Well if it was between Pato or Neymar I'd take Pato.

Biggest stumbling block on any Pato deal would be the transfer fee, AC would really want to sell and then we'd probably be talking £30-35Million. AFAIK hes on about €60,000 a week which he would easily double if he was to join us.

Hes still young and hes defiently got the ability and I'd hope if it was between us and PSG, he'd realise that the EPL is miles ahead of the French Ligue1. Unlike Pastore. :P

amiable

According to L'Equipe Chelsea have bid for Eden Hazard for a summer transfer

Sgt Pepper 64

amiable wrote: »

According to L'Equipe Chelsea have bid for Eden Hazard for a summer transfer

They can link all they like. The stark reality is that we have NEVER attracted these really big stars, they always go to Barca or RM.
So can we please forget about:
Neymar
Hazard
Pato


The best we can do are the likes of Mata - big talent, but not the biggest.
And Mata aint bad!
And were not prepared to pay silly money for Aquergo types either

Oh or players who are old, past it and or want one last payday.
(Not going to happen under the "New" Chelsea.)

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

According to L'Equipe Chelsea have bid for Eden Hazard for a summer transfer

It would make sense, Lille wouldnt want to sell before the end of the season and it would make for better relations between both parties if we allowed Lille to hang on to him until the summer.

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

They can link all they like. The stark reality is that we have NEVER attracted these really big stars, they always go to Barca or RM.
So can we please forget about:
Neymar
Hazard
Pato


The best we can do are the likes of Mata - big talent, but not the biggest.
And Mata aint bad!
And were not prepared to pay silly money for Aquergo types either

Oh or players who are old, past it and or want one last payday.
(Not going to happen under the "New" Chelsea.)

I dont know about that Sgt. If ya look at Barca's team they dont need a Hazard/Pato/Neymar at the moment, same goes for Real Madrid. They wont go wasting money with the F.F.P coming in. If Real or Barca hope to sign any of these players then the likes of Villa/Pedro and Higuain/Benzema will have to be sold to make funds availabel and free up squad space.

Also, it was thought in Spain at least, that Mata would end up back at Real Madrid after joining them when he was like 14/15 before leaving for Valencia when he was 17.

I dont think we'll get Pato but I'd hold higher hopes for Hazard.

EDIT : I agree on the older players like Sheva looking for a payday, that wont happen under AVB and hopefully we bleed in our youth or buy promising youth from Europe.

LanceStorm

amiable wrote: »

According to L'Equipe Chelsea have bid for Eden Hazard for a summer transfer

They said "According to our information, Lille and Chelsea talk about when Eden Hazard in January. Belgian international striker of 21, under contract until June 2015, followed by the Blues for almost a year. The latter would consider making an offer of 30 million. But Lille wants 40, the amount of his release clause."

Google translate doing its best, dont see any mention of summer tho, but id be over the moon with him as a signing!

Throw the money at him, Torres with Hazard and Sturridge either side and Mata behind, now thats reinventing the club!

Sgt Pepper 64

LanceStorm wrote: »

They said "According to our information, Lille and Chelsea talk about when Eden Hazard in January. Belgian international striker of 21, under contract until June 2015, followed by the Blues for almost a year. The latter would consider making an offer of 30 million. But Lille wants 40, the amount of his release clause."

Google translate doing its best, dont see any mention of summer tho, but id be over the moon with him as a signing!

Throw the money at him, Torres with Hazard and Sturridge either side and Mata behind, now thats reinventing the club!

thats the thing. This is a new Chelsea that doesnt throw the money around.
Maybe they will for really top tier players, but then that will anoy all the others!

GavRedKing

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

thats the thing. This is a new Chelsea that doesnt throw the money around.
Maybe they will for really top tier players, but then that will anoy all the others!

Ah but we we're willing to throw £40Million at Modric and Spurs said no thanks.

Now for the equivalent money we got Meireles, Mata and Romeu, combined fee of about £44million so theres money there and available but it has to be good value. I'd say spending the money wisely is more the stance we need to take, I'd have no problem spending £30Million on Hazard and giving him 90K a week but on the other hand I wouldnt want to give Barca £30 Million for Villa and giving him 150K a week.

Younger is better, build for the future and all that and try and avoid the merecenaries around there.

MUSEIST

I would happily throw 40million at hazard, represents better value than modric at 40 mill (which we attempted). We need to get in there before madrid, city, barca, milan clubs snap him up (and they will in the summer IMO).

8-10

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

They can link all they like. The stark reality is that we have NEVER attracted these really big stars, they always go to Barca or RM.
So can we please forget about:
Neymar
Hazard
Pato


The best we can do are the likes of Mata - big talent, but not the biggest.

You got Torres

GavRedKing

MUSEIST wrote: »

I would happily throw 40million at hazard, represents better value than modric at 40 mill (which we attempted). We need to get in there before madrid, city, barca, milan clubs snap him up (and they will in the summer IMO).

I dont think Hazard is worth £40Million though. That kind of figure should be reserved for players that have played at a higher standard then the Frnech Ligue 1. If he had played in Germany, Spain, Italy then yes by all means but its a gamble at the price.

Not doubting his ability at all but the price is huge for a guy whos just turned 21.

8-10 wrote: »

You got Torres

True, and Torres was one of the best in the world when he joined but he still wasnt worth £50Million.

IMO, his valus was more like £30,35Million, like Carroll, whos true value was less then half what Liverpool paid but thats another debate for another time.

GavRedKing

Alright lads, own up. Which one of ye has hacked Wikipedia and changed Hazard's current club?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eden_Hazard

Sgt. Pepper? MUSEIT?

Own up. :P

Personal informationFull nameEden HazardDate of birth7 January 1991 (1991-01-07) (age 21)Place of birthLa Louvière, BelgiumHeight1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]Playing positionAttacking midfielder
WingerClub informationCurrent clubChelseaNumber-Youth career1995–2003Royal Stade Brainois2003–2005Tubize2005–2007LilleSenior career*YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†2007–2012Lille128(23)2012–ChelseaNational team‡2006–2007Belgium U1717(4)2007–2009Belgium U199(6)2008–Belgium25(1)

Panthro

Whoever smelt it dealt it Gav!

amiable

gavredking wrote: »

I dont think Hazard is worth £40Million though. That kind of figure should be reserved for players that have played at a higher standard then the Frnech Ligue 1. If he had played in Germany, Spain, Italy then yes by all means but its a gamble at the price.

Not doubting his ability at all but the price is huge for a guy whos just turned 21.



True, and Torres was one of the best in the world when he joined but he still wasnt worth £50Million.

IMO, his valus was more like £30,35Million, like Carroll, whos true value was less then half what Liverpool paid but thats another debate for another time.

To get Torres who was on a long term contract from a club not under pressure to sell from Debt his fee would be closer to 50 mill than your estimate IMHO Gav.

Carroll would have been worth a punt at 15/18 mill IMO too.
Liverpool definitely over spent on Carroll no doubt but it's only with Hindsight that Torres looks bad value at 50 mill.

If he had rediscovered his form and fired Chelsea to the Champions league most people would have been saying he was expensive but money well spent.

I still think Chelsea will buy big name players in the next year.

GavRedKing

Panthro wrote: »

Whoever smelt it dealt it Gav!

No........why would I........mmmmmmm......shut up!!!!

Making counter claims and accusations leads me to believe its been you all along!! Hhhhhmmmmmmm :pac:

>_>

<_<

>_>

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

To get Torres who was on a long term contract from a club not under pressure to sell from Debt his fee would be closer to 50 mill than your estimate IMHO Gav.

Carroll would have been worth a punt at 15/18 mill IMO too.
Liverpool definitely over spent on Carroll no doubt but it's only with Hindsight that Torres looks bad value at 50 mill.

If he had rediscovered his form and fired Chelsea to the Champions league most people would have been saying he was expensive but money well spent.

I still think Chelsea will buy big name players in the next year.

How long had Torres left on his contract do ya know??

I 100% agree with ya, I still think Torres is the answer and will lead the line for us and if in the next few years he bangs in goals and wins us titles people will start to forget the money paid for him.

It all depends on where AVB sees the squads weakest points and if theres value there. If we spent big on a winger like Di Maria or Hazard no one would mind as we lack the quality in that department to play the system AVB is trying to implement.

As long as this club has money behind us we'll be linked with every big name around and for mad money too even if theres no truth what so ever in the stories.

GavRedKing

From the site, http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~2574763,00.html

The time for talking is through reckons Andre Villas-Boas and only a run of consecutive victories will convince people that Chelsea can still mount a credible challenge for the league title.

Squad News

As he looks to build on the away win over Wolves, the manager is able to welcome Daniel Sturridge into the squad for Saturday's game against Sunderland. The striker missed the match at Molineux and the Portsmouth FA Cup game with a hip injury.

Florent Malouda, who was back in the starting side for the win over Portsmouth, is a doubt having missed the last two training sessions. He might train tomorrow (Friday).

John Mikel Obi and Branislav Ivanovic remain out but John Terry is fine despite needing treatment on his knee during the last match following a collision with a post.

Josh McEachran will not go out on loan until after this weekend's game.
Michael Essien, who played 75 minutes for the reserves on Monday, is making steady progress and will hopefully be back in the squad for the visit to Norwich which follows this weekend's game.

On facing Sunderland
There is little doubt a home match against the Wearsiders appears more of a challenge than it did before Martin O'Neill took charge there just over a month ago. Since then they have won five and drawn one from seven games and have moved into the top half of the table.

'It is a fantastic run of form for Sunderland and Martin has had the right impact,' acknowledges Villas-Boas.

'He is one of the top managers in the game with tremendous success in this country and in Scotland. What is a significant difference is that a team that was so low in motivation and self-belief managed to get themselves together to beat the league leaders and to go on a run to inspire everybody.

'That makes them feel even more confident to take on opposition. Based on that fact they are more a threat because of their motivation which is a big, big difference.'

With many saying it is a three-horse race for the title following Tottenham winning their game in hand, against Everton on Wednesday evening, Chelsea's motivation is to prove them wrong.

'We were expecting Tottenham to win that game for quite some time,' says the Chelsea boss. 'Three teams so close to together above us means a couple of them can lose points considering the recent results.Anything can happen and eight points is a distance you can shorten.

'Now we have a job to do and to prove the others they are wrong we have to prove it on the pitch, not with words. We have exhausted ourselves in words and it is time to get a run of victories to get our title challenge together.'

In other news
Andre Villas-Boas has commented on some of the transfer stories concerning Chelsea and is optimistic a move for Gary Cahill to the club is imminent.

'It is still an on-going negotiation and we are making good, steady progress,' he reports, 'and hopefully it will be concluded soon. It is all part of the negotiation and I am sure we will reach an agreement. Hopefully we will try to conclude this week.'

Villas-Boas confirms there are a couple of other options for a new centre-back that he hopes could be acted upon quickly if necessary but he emphasises he doesn't think that will be necessary.

There has been no bid from Chelsea for Lille's Eden Hazard and Villas-Boas doesn't anticipate further new signings.

A Barclays Premier League club has made contact regarding signing Alex but Villas-Boas reports that Frank Lampard will definitely be a Chelsea player after the transfer window closes and is in his long-term plans, and that Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, who are out of contract in the summer, will return to Chelsea after the end of the Africa Cup of Nations and he expects them to remain here for the rest of the season at least.

Essien will be back in the squad for the Norwich game, we havent made a bid for Hazrad and doesnt expect further signings, which is weird.

We've received a bid for Alex from an EPL club and Kalou, Drogba and Lamps all expected o be here come the end of the transfer window.