Chelsea: Power Ranking the Transfer Window Acquisitions

Chelsea has always been a club who have been very active in the transfer markets, even before the Roman revolution at the bridge. Ever since Roman took over at the Bridge, he has given all the managers at the club freedom to sign the players they want to ensure that Chelsea win accolades every season. In addition to the amount shelled out on players, he has also spent close to 69 million pounds on compensation to managers.

However, the last two seasons have seen a marked change in spending, with Chelsea signing only Yuri Zhirkov, Daniel Sturridge, Ramires and Yossi Benayoun. A stingy policy that resulted in Chelsea winning the double in the 2009-10 season, only for the wheels to come off during the 2010-11 season. That forced Roman to splurge the cash and bring Torres and Luiz to the club. 

Andre-Villas Boas's appointment has been seen as a milestone at Chelsea as Roman has looked to build for the future with minimal reliance on the transfer market and instead looking to breed home-grown players. 

Villas Boas made signings too, but all have been signed at frugal prices compared to the exorbitant amounts that were paid to secure the services of players in the past. Lets take a look at these players who are out to form the future at Chelsea. 

No. 5: A Goalie with Giant Boots to Fill

It's a thought that Chelsea never had to give until recently. The question of a replacement for the ever-present Petr Cech was always met with a ludicrous look. However, his absence from the Chelsea goal is always a chance for the opposition to get a win, as he offers stability and his reflexes are almost second to none. His huge frame, impressive command of the penalty area and defence are what prompted Chelsea to bring the then 22-year-old from Rennes to London. 

The depth in the goalkeeping department was always met with scepticism, as neither Hilario nor Ross Turnbull could ever match the performance of the Czech keeper. It was as if Chelsea fans felt safe when Cech was on goal. Andre Villas Boas needed a young keeper who was also on the similar lines of Cech. The answer came from Belgium.

Racing Genk goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was 19 years old, had a huge frame of 6'6" and an impressive defensive record for the Belgian club. After failing to sign winger de Bruyne from Genk, Chelsea poached Courtois to be an understudy to Petr Cech and sent him on loan to Atletico Madrid to gain first team experience. His performances there have been nothing short of impressive. Come next season, Chelsea will have almost a carbon copy of Cech, whom Chelsea fans will be hoping can fill Cech's giant boots when he retires. 

No. 4: The Beauty of Barcelona and the Beast from Within

The defensive midfield, popularly known as the 'makelele' position, has always been a problem for Chelsea, except if Michael Essien was in the starting XI. Fans were tired of Jon Obi Mikel's mistakes in the middle of the pitch, and also his slowing down of approach play from the defence.

Andre Villas Boas, being a shrewd observer, realised that this area needed strengthening and he needed someone with a will to attack and good ball distribution. Michael Essien shared this idealogy, but unfortunately he suffered an injury that would keep him out for at least six months. Ramires had been tried in the defensive midfield position, but proved to be ineffective. 

When talking a will to attack and excellent ball distribution only one name comes to mind. The European and Spanish Champions FC Barcelona. AVB decided to pick the rising talent of Oriol Romeu from la Masia as his choice for the makelele position. Romeu, who had found some playing time under Guardiola last season and was also a key member of the squad that reached the U-23 World Cup final, had found it tough to break into the midfield due to the presence of stalwarts Xavi, Iniesta, Mascherano, Busquets and a rising Thiago Alcantra. 

So, he decided that London was where he must go to grow as a player. Barcelona were, however, shrewd enough to attach a buy-back clause to him, having learnt from the Cesc Fabregas' episode. In the two games that he has started for Chelsea, Romeu has shown the fans just what he is capable of. Built like a bull, he found his teammates with unnerving accuracy and also made himself available to receive the ball. Trademark Barcelona. 

He may be just two games old, but he has already thrown a message to the fans and AVB that he isnt here to warm the bench, but to compete and win.

No.3: Shopping at the Kop Store, Again.

Its been the theme of the last two transfer windows. Chelsea, Liverpool and a player making a last minute transfer request. During January it was a certain Spaniard who looks to have found his feet in London after a disastrous start to his Chelsea career. The latest to make the switch is 28-year-old Raul Meireles. From a player who was at the core of King Kenny's revolution to suddenly becoming a fringe player at Liverpool, Meireles was vying for some regular first team action. 

Chelsea, after their numerous unsuccessful bids for Luka Modric and Joao Moutinho, needed a playmaker to act as a foil for Mata, and Lampard to work their magic. Chelsea made a last minute bid and Meireles made a last minute request. The pieces fell into place and Meireles was a Blue. It was a sign of how much Andre Villas Boas was looking to build for the future that Meireles was the only player above 23 years of age that he signed this season. 

Since he made his first start against Sunderland, Meireles hasnt looked back, pulling the strings from midfield brilliantly before setting Daniel Sturridge up with a beautiful long pass. He will be instrumental in AVB's rotation policy of keeping the players fresh, as he can add some creativity to the midfield in the absence of Mata or Lampard. 

Chelsea fans will be hoping that this former Kopiite starts to weave his magic quickly and prove that he was not added to the squad to make up the numbers. 

No. 2: A Younger Drogba

He is labeled the new Drogba. That was enough to make Chelsea call on one of Europe's most coveted talents. They needed someone to be an understudy to the powerful Chelsea forward as he approached the end of his career. Romelu Lukaku was the perfect choice. Standing at 6'3", he is a beast and, most of all, he had publicly stated a desire to play for Chelsea someday.

13 million pounds might be considered too much for an 18-year-old striker who has no clue about the rigours of the Premier League. But, at such a young age, Lukaku already has 13 caps and two goals for Belgium. His debut against Norwich showed fans what he was really capable of. He beat off the defenders and brought people into play through his power. It was deja vu for Chelsea fans, as this is what Drogba has been doing all these years. It is time for him to pass on the baton to someone and that someone is an 18-year-old from Antwerp, Belgium who passionately said, "If there was a time I would cry, it will be the day I play at Chelsea."

No. 1: The Thing That Mata-Ed the Most for Chelsea

The scene was a rainy Stamford Bridge. The opponents were newly-promoted Norwich City. Chelsea, who until then were accused of being the same stale Chelsea of old, had huffed and puffed and gotten themselves the lead, courtesy of goals from Bosingwa and a Lampard penalty. The fourth official held up the digital board signalling the entry of Juan Mata, the 23.5 million pound signing from Valencia, into the game to replace Florent Malouda.

After a few initial exchanges, the Chelsea fans thought that Mata was no different from the substituted Frenchman. How wrong they were. In the minutes that followed, Mata showed what Chelsea had missed in the last two years. Creativity. He jinked, tricked and swirled his way around the Norwich defenders, and started bringing the others into the game. Suddenly Cole, Lampard and, most of all, Fernando Torres looked lively. In fact, the cross that Mata provided to Torres was the first genuine scoring chance that Torres had received since his arrival at the Bridge.

The bottom line was that Mata brought a certain pace to Chelsea that had been accused by the media, and also a fellow Spaniard, of being too slow. With Lukaku doing the work of bulldozing through the defence to open up spaces, Mata chose finesse, as he cut the defence with some delightful passes. The cameo was to be rewarded, as the Spaniard chased down a misplaced pass from the Norwich defenders, something that none of the Chelsea players were willing to do until then, and slotted it past Ruddy to the delight of the Chelsea fans. They had someone at last to provide the flair. 

Mata has brought something new to Chelsea and has brought something that fans craved for months. To get the best of Fernando Torres.