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Thursday, March 18, 2010

A Russian evolution, not revolution, is required at the Bridge

When a football team loses a big game they are in need of a re-vamp and the squad needs a major over-haul. When they win, they're the best in the world. That's the way football works, particularly in the eyes of fans and media alike.

Just hours after Manchester United's defeat at the hands of Barcelona in last year's Champions League Final, the national media were quick to point out the necessary surgery on Sir Alex Ferguson's squad, despite the fact that they were the second best team in Europe and had picked up three trophies, including a third successive league title.

Following Chelsea's departure from the Champions League this week after losing to Inter the obituaries have once more been written once more.

Carlo Ancelotti faces the chop according to the Daily Mail. Chelsea players are to receive same fate say The Times.

Well, I think some perspective is needed. Chelsea have just lost to one of the best teams in Europe and they were without three key components that would surely have made a significant difference to the outcome - Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, Michael Essien.

Take away Julio Cesar, Maicon and Wesley Sneijder from Inter and see how they would cope with Europe's elite. Apply the same strategy to Manchester United with Edwin van der Sar, Patrice Evra and Darren Fletcher and the Red Devils would not have swatted AC Milan aside with such ease, in spite of Wayne Rooney's heroics.

Even the all-conquering Barcelona would struggle without Victor Valdes, Dani Alves and Xavi.

While the panic buttons may be being pressed amongst the Chelsea faithful surely Roman Abramovich has learnt the lessons of changing the manager following four managers in less than three years since Jose Mourinho's accrimonious departure. These changes have hardly helped as they have one just one FA Cup in that period, as Mourinho proudly pointed out at his press conference this week.

What Chelsea require is an injection of youth, but possibly just one or two players. Maybe a centre half, to ease the burden on John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, and a wide player/striker to re-invigorate the forward line.

Let's not forget, they still have one of the best strikers in the world in Didier Drogba and he should be persisted with for at least one more year, but clearly his partnership with Nicolas Anelka does not work against the top sides in Europe and the Blues should revert to the policy of playing him up front alone on occasions such as Tuesday night.

Furthermore, Ancelotti deserves more time to impose his ideas, particularly as he has not been given the money that his predecessors have had at their disposal.

Food for thought for the Chelsea hierarchy, but a feast of changes may not be the answer.