Ok so they have Torres and Luiz but how much more are Chelsea going to spend to turn an aging squad around, there doesn't seem like theres much coming through the ranks. Is Abramovic just going to keep spending? Torres will make a difference but it wont be enough over the next few years to challenge on all fronts.
Their looking to use Torres as a replacement for Drogba a 27 year old (at the end of March) for a 33 year old (Mid-March Birthday) We replaced Torres with a just turned (Late January) 24 year old Luis Suarez (I'm counting Carroll as a replacement for Babel but either way we replaced him for a younger model). Chelsea have an average squad age (including Torres) of 27.8 - The 5th highest in the league & The joint highest (with Man Utd) of the traditional top 4 according to http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/premier-league/startseite/wettbewerb_GB1.html Chelsea's reverse team currently sit 4th out of 6 teams in the reserve league and have never won it Chelsea's Youth team won the Youth FA cup in 2010 (first time since 1961) Man Utd's Reserve team are current reserve league champions (both south & national playoff winners) and have won their reserve league 4 times since 2000. Man Utd youth team last won the FA youth cup in 2003 but both teams are still in the competition In a word... Chelsea need to spend alot....
What I think Chelase need to do (which I don't think they will) is simply spend big on their youth and scouting system. They need people like those at arsenal who can bring in young players for a couple of million and turn them into big names (Kolo Toure cost Wenger ÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâã100,000!) What I think they will do, however, is either spend big again on established players, or sit back and hope Torres and Luiz is enough for them, with maybe a signing or two per window (like Ramires last summer).
Well when the "UEFA FINANCIAL FAIR PLAY INITIATIVE" starts to take effect in 2013 which will effect the outlays of clubs from March or April this year I dont think that Chelski chequebook will surface to often. So their eggs seem to be all in one basket for the CL this year. I cant see them improving after this season and Torres was probably a bolster for their attempt this year also, as he is eligible to play in the CL this year and Roman is so desperate to win it at any cost. Would of been nice to see if he would of chased Torres and paid as much had he been cup tied, glad he did and Torres wasn't.
Abramovich has seemed to be readying Chelsea for the rules, or trying to. I suspected Wilkins was part of the wage clearout. But once those rules kick in, how long is he going to be happy on a level playing field? Is the big splash a real commitment, or just an attempt to keep the brand up for a sale in the near future?
or just an attempt to keep the brand up for a sale in the near future? ---- Wouldn't be surprised. He'll lose interest once he cannot attempt to buy the league again. Chavski will go back to being nobodys.
