Chelsea FC Should Sell Lampard and Drogba Along with Anelka and Bosingwa
Chelsea Football Club (Chelsea) are at a crossroads with respect to their management and their first-team squad.
They will have to make some tough choices in both areas and need to revamp their squad. Otherwise, they run the risk of falling behind both Manchester United and Manchester City.
The purse strings opened up in January for purchases totaling 75 million pounds. Now, Roman Ambramovich looks poised to spend more—but clearing out some of the older guards and giving his manager some security and control are just as important.
Management
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The entire organization is obsessed with winning the Champions League—to such a degree that they are forgetting a critical ingredient for the success of the great organizations of the sporting world (Manchester United, NY Yankees, Pittsburgh Steelers, FC Barcelona, etc.).
The ingredient is stability.
Each of these great sporting franchises has been successful across multiple generations of players and management. They have done so primarily given their consistency in philosophy and approach, as well as stability in their management—at least within specific winning cycles.
Guus Hiddink is the man who can restore stability to the managerial ranks at Stamford Bridge.
I recently heard an anecdote from an acquaintance who had drinks with one of the world’s top footballers. This top footballer (who is German and has never played for Hiddink) said that the true difference between the top clubs of the world is not physical talent, but rather scheme and mental confidence.
He said that it is the manager who makes the biggest difference in this area. This footballer went on to say that in his opinion, Guus Hiddink is the best club manager in the world.
I am sure Jose Mourinho fans will have something to say about this in the comments section below.
I am encouraged by Hiddink's performance two years ago when he took over a Chelsea squad in tatters and won the FA cup plus they were the only squad to truly test the six-trophy winning Barcelona team in the Champions League semifinals.
In fact, they did beat Barcelona, but none of the multiple penalties were whistled at Stamford Bridge in the second match of a two-leg tie where Chelsea kept Barcelona scoreless for almost 190 minutes.
I am also encouraged by reports that Hiddink wants to bring back Ray Wilkins as a bench coach and may be bringing Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard to the organization as well.
It is hard to ignore the fact that after Wilkins was fired last year the squad went into a complete tailspin and Carlo Ancelotti was nowhere near as effective as a manager. Let's hope he accepts the invitation if extended.
Bringing some Dutch football influence in van Basten or Rijkaard could bring some much needed consistency in approach and philosophy from the academy to the first team.
Let's also hope that Ambramovich continues to boldly pursue and attain Hiddink, then follows through and gives him control in reshaping the club’s management and squad.
First-Team Squad: Defense
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Other than the double last year, the team has not had significant success since the Mourinho years. The squad’s core is still the core from that era and it needs a very heavy dose of two things: youth and creativity.
The current squad started this past year strongly, like the prior year, but quickly fell over with the lack of creativity and cohesion and the under-performance of key players.
Let's review the team:
Defense:
Cech is still one of the best goalkeepers in the world and Chelsea still have one of the best defenses in the Premiere League. Money would be better spent in other areas at this stage.
Sales:
Bosingwa: He had a good first year, but has been completely ineffective for the entire Ancelotti era. Chelsea could get 5 million to 10 million pounds for him.
Ferrera: Needs to be replaced with a youthful squad player.
Additions:
None needed at this point.
Starters:
GK: Cech—still in Top 5, globally.
LB: Cole—the best left back in the world.
CB: Terry—doesn’t move like he used to. He's still a great leader though.
CB: Luiz—takes too many risks, but is a good addition of skill and youth. He needs to develop under Terry.
RB: Ivanovic—it was a shrewd move to sign to a new contract this past year. He can play on right and in center of defense.
Squad Players:
Zhirkov—covers the entire left side from left back to midfield to left wing.
Van Aanholt—youth development at left back. He should be sent out on loan.
Alex—you can never have enough experienced center backs.
Bruma—Dutch youth prospect who can play right and center back.
First-Team Squad: Midfield
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Chelsea’s midfield is getting old and is more industrious and physical than skillful and creative. They badly need an injection of creativity and depth.
Sales:
Lampard: He returned from a long injury spell to score 13 goals in 30 appearances this past season.
He is 33 years old and will not have much value beyond this year (when Chelsea could get any meaningful value for him). He is a goal scorer and industrious, but not a creative player who can unlock defenses and get the forwards the ball in the right places.
It is telling that his official statistics page on the Chelsea website doesn’t even list assists, just goals.
Chelsea could get 10 million to 15 million pounds for him. Perhaps Mourinho wants him back for what would amount to pocket change for Real Madrid, or maybe Uncle Harry at Tottenham will buy him once he loses Modric (see below).
Purchases:
Chelsea needs one or more creative midfielders to unlock defenses and get the ball to Torres and the other forwards. Their direct approach works—thanks only to their physical play—but when they are matched physically, or an opponent lines up 10 on defense, they can't create chances.
Prime candidates are Luka Modric and Wesley Sneijder. If Barcelona get Cesc Fabregas, then Thiago Alcantara will be looking for new pastures—and a Dutch renewal project at Chelsea could entice him.
If MU get either Modric or Sneider, then it will be that much more difficult for Chelsea to overtake them.
Starters:
Essien—his strength and versatility gives the squad tremendous boost. He recently rebuffed overtures by Mourinho and Real Madrid to commit his future to Chelsea.
Essien will primarily play holding midfielder. His goal against Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League semifinal was one of the best I have ever seen.
Ramirez—he had a good first year in the Premier League after significantly improving throughout the season. He is more industrious than creative, but an important young player.
Chelsea midfield doesn’t have any other front line players if they sell Lampard. This is the biggest area of need.
Squad Players:
Mikel—young and Premier League-tested holding midfielders are hard to come by.
Benayoun—he's a good reserve with creativity. He also proved he could link up with Torres in little time on pitch.
McEachran—this 18-year-old creative midfielder is the jewel of the youth academy. I recently saw a full page article in Mundo Deportivo (FCB daily) in Spain. If the Catalans are raving about him, then he is definitely a keeper.
Zhirkov—can play on left side of midfield.
First-Team Squad: Forwards
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This is the area of greatest riches and greatest controversy.
Chelsea have been most successful in a 4-3-3 formation, so rather than two strikers in a 4-4-2, their attack typically consists of two wide players and a central forward. As such, I don’t believe Drogba and Torres can co-exist.
Drogba can still perform on occasion with the best center forwards in the world, but he is temperamental (i.e., if he is not valued, he does not perform) and he is 33 years old with a history of injuries. Chelsea are not going back on their commitment to Torres, so they should sell Drogba now.
Other movement is also necessary to upgrade performance and inject youth, as outlined below.
Sales:
Drogba: Real Madrid or a return to France could net Chelsea 10-15 million pounds for a 33-year-old striker.
Anelka: Chelsea needs to sell him to make room for Sturridge on the right side of the front three. He is not performing at the same level he was two years ago and turns 33 this coming season.
Kalou: He's a good squad player, but doesn’t have enough killer instinct in front of the goal.
Additions:
Lukaku: This 18-year-old Belgian Drogba-look-alike is a future star and wants to play for Chelsea. He will develop into Torres' successor at the No. 9 position.
Sturridge: He's not a new purchase, but a new addition to the starting 11. While on loan at Bolton, this 22-year-old Englishman proved that with playing time he can score eight goals in 12 appearances. Put him on the right side of the front three, and let him play every match.
Neymar: He looks to be the next great Brazilian center forward in the game. Chelsea have created a strong core of Brazilians with Alex, Luiz and Ramirez. That said, with Torres and Lukaku, as well as Sturridge, he won't be able to play every match. He is also notoriously temperamental. I would pass on him for now.
Javier Pastore: Young Player of the Year in Serie A in 2010. He scores and creates chances. Pastore would be a nice addition and could play across the front three or in midfield.
Starters:
Malouda: He was very good under Hiddink in 2009 and in 2010, but dropped in form last year. If he does not return to form by January, he should be sold.
Torres: Chelsea needs to gain a return on this 50 million pound investment. The team needs a creative midfielder to feed him in order to start producing goals. The reality is that he was a prolific goalscorer during only two seasons in Liverpool. Hopefully there are more goals in his future.
Sturridge: He will produce more goals than Anelka and is 11 years younger.
Squad Players:
Lukaku—Will develop into the next Drogba in center of the front line.
Kakuta—Should be kept out on loan for further development.
Borini—Should also go on loan, or be sold.
Zhirkov—Can play left side as cover for Malouda.
Pastore—Beyond starters, the strike force is pretty thin. Chelsea needs alternatives.
Conclusion
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So in the end, with the sales of Bosingwa, Lampard, Drogba, Anelka and Kalou, Chelsea could net up to 50 million pounds—the figure they paid for Fernando Torres in January.
With this cash, plus some net investment from Roman Ambramovich, they can add significant youth and creativity in order to position themselves for the next five years of success.
If they don't do this now, it is unlikely that they will even get a fraction of this amount next year for three 34-year-olds and two mid-level bench players. Furthermore, they will have delayed another year for the foundation of the new core for the next winning cycle at Chelsea Football Club.
