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2003
August 1 -15 News
Archives
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First
Division Stoke have completed the signing of former Holland
and Chelsea goalkeeper Ed de Goey.
Claudio Ranieri has declared that Chelsea could win the
title in the next two years and has vowed to continue his
summer spending spree.
Leeds manager Peter Reid has revealed talks
are ongoing with Chelsea about a possible switch to Stamford
Bridge for Nigel Martyn.
A Dougie Freedman strike could not stop big-spending Chelsea
from edging past plucky Crystal Palace 2-1 at Selhurst Park.
Sir Alex Ferguson has denied Manchester
United have made any agreement with Chelsea over the £15m
transfer of Juan Sebastian Veron.
Premier league champions Manchester United
are considering an offer from Chelsea for Argentine midfielder
Juan Sebastian Veron, newspapers report.
Watford are hoping Roman Abramovich's millions
continue to trickle down from Chelsea into the poorer reaches
of the Nationwide League.
Manchester United have reportedly told Chelsea they will
have to increase their 15-million-pound (23million dollars)
offer for Juan Sebastian Veron if they are serious about
securing the Argentinian midfielder's services.
Chelsea's Russian oil billionaire owner Roman Abramovich
said if his expensively assembled side failed on the pitch
he would go out and spend more.
Nigel Martyn has been told to make up his
mind whether he wants to join Chelsea, with Leeds waiting
to push through the £500,000 deal.
Big-spending Chelsea have agreed a fee of 6.6 million pounds
to take West Ham United's England midfielder Joe Cole to
Stamford Bridge, the cash-strapped east London club says.
Chelsea have agreed a fee of £6,600,000
for West Ham midfielder Joe Cole and are close to securing
the £15m services of Juan Sebastian Veron.
Winston Bogarde became a Chelsea outcast
as he was denied a squad number - while Boudewijn Zenden
also slipped down the pecking...
England midfielder Joe Cole has completed his 6.6 million
pounds move to Chelsea from West Ham United, the premier
league club says.
Manchester United have agreed to sell Argentine international
Juan Sebastian Veron to big-spending Chelsea for 15 million
pounds.
Chelsea new-boy Joe Cole insists he is relishing
learning from "some of the best players in the world"
after moving to Stamford Bridge.
Inter Milan have denied newspaper reports that they have
agreed a deal to sell their Italy international striker
Christian Vieri to Chelsea.
Chelsea's latest recruit Juan Sebastian Veron has vowed
to prove Manchester United were wrong to offload him by
helping his new club dethrone the English champions off
their perch.
Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
has been targeted by Spanish side Real Betis.
Joe Cole insists it will be a long wait for the doubters
who believe he will crack under the pressure of expectation
at mega-rich Chelsea.
Chelsea's new midfield signing Juan Sebastian Veron insists
he will regain the form that helped his Lazio side win the
Italian double in 2000.
Chelsea have agreed a £15,800,000
fee with Parma for striker Adrian Mutu, who will now hold
talks and is expected to sign a five-year deal
Blackburn boss Graeme Souness has warned Chelsea manager
Claudio Ranieri that money does not always guarantee success.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chelsea
have the strongest squad in the Premiership having captured
Juan Sebastian Veron.
Adrian Mutu is relishing the prospect of
joining Roman Abramovich's Chelsea revolution but admits
it was not "an easy choice" to leave Parma.
Joe Cole has pleaded with the West Ham fans to try and understand
his reasons for leaving Upton Park to join big-spending
Chelsea.
Romanian striker Adrian Mutu will open talks
with Chelsea on Monday over a projected £15,800,000
move from Italian outfit Parma.
France captain Marcel Desailly announced he was staying
at Chelsea until 2005 and believes the cash-rich English
Premiership side can become one of Europe's biggest clubs.
Chelsea's new owner, Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich, says
he could add at least one more high-profile player to the
premier league club's squad before the end of the month.
Roman Abramovich has increased his shareholding
in Chelsea Village plc to 95.22%.
Chelsea were without William Gallas as they flew out to
Slovakia for their Champions League qualifying round first-leg
tie with MSK Zilina.
Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri will try for the first time
on Wednesday to mould a team from the hugely talented squad
he has assembled during four weeks of transfer frenzy.
Adrian Mutu has completed his move from Parma to Chelsea
and will become a Blues player when a work permit is obtained.
English Premiership side Chelsea are set
to make an official approach to Real Madrid for their French
international midfielder Claude Makelele, his agent Marc
Roger revealed.
New signings Damien Duff and substitute Joe Cole set up
the goals for Eidur Gudjohnsen and an own goal in the first
game of the Roman Abramovich era tonight.Three quarters
of an hour before kick-off rain suddenly descended at a
furious rate which was great news for the Chelsea players
because the pitch was like rock when they arrived.All the
new boys were heavily involved in lovely passing movements
in the first three minutes of the game, and the final one
of those resulted in a Mikael Forssell shot being deflected
for a corner. But from that corner Chelsea were exposed,
and the troublesome Barcik hit an excellent pass for Durica
with Zalina three against one, but running Durica failed
to control and chasing Marcel Desailly cleared up.Chelsea
kept creating. The new boys fashioned a fantastic chance
when Juan Sebastian Veron’s 50 yard cross-field free-kick
was wonderfully chested down by Duff who then danced through
Barcik and Zabavnik before crossing low for Forssell to
stab over under pressure.Next, Gudjohnsen flicked Veron’s
pass expertly into Frank Lampard’s run, but the England
international when through smashed his low shot fractionally
wide of the far post when a goal looked certain.Thereafter,
for most of the remainder of the half, despite all the possession,
despite all the brilliant long passes, little flicks and
extraordinary movement, there was no threat. You almost
longed for a little less searching for brilliance and a
little more basics. That’s not to say there wasn’t
hard work and covering and chasing and all the necessities
carried out, it’s just that too much was being asked
of everybody by everybody. And several people were yet to
show top form.At the other end Zalina carried the threat
of Barcik all the time, but despite some good passing moments
of their own, they rarely penetrated and never asked a question
of Carlo Cudicini.Duff forced the first booking when Sninsky
fouled him from behind ten minutes before half-time, and
with four minutes to go to the interval Duff produced the
product to go with the brilliance. He played a one-two with
Forssell and crossed low for Gudjohnsen, sliding in at the
far post, to net Chelsea’s first goal of the Abramovich
era. The pressure was lifted in time for the break.Zalina
continued afterwards with their 4-1-41 formation, and Barcik
produced for them again with a fine cross, but Varadin headed
over. Chelsea responded with Wayne Bridge finding Duff in
the inside-right channel, and he went past a defender and
hit a powerful low right-footer which was well held by Trabalik.With
12 minutes of the second-half gone Claudio Ranieri made
his first substitution. Jesper Gronkjaer replaced Forssell,
and Chelsea switched to 4-2-3-1 with Lampard holding in
midfield with Geremi, Gronkjaer and Duff forward up the
flanks, Veron free in the middle and Gudjohnsen alone up
front. Within three minutes Lampard had struck a fierce
20 yarder which Trabalik held well low to his right.Zilina
coach Milan Lesicky must have felt Chelsea’s right
hand side was dominating because he replaced his left hand
side after 65 minutes, Drahno for left-back Stasi and Putik
for left-midefielder Durica.Joe Cole made his debut on 69
minutes, replacing Duff on the left-wing. He roamed more
and the structure wasn’t so solid, but six minutes
later on the edge of the area he produced a marvellous back-heel
for Gudjohnsen, and under pressure substitute left-back
Drahno chipped his own goalkeeper for an entertaining own
goal. 0-2, match over.There was still time for Lampard to
hit a 30 yarder which was punched round and to force a block
from the advancing Trabalik when he ran on to Veron’s
chip.Zilina showed their ambition when they replaced sole
striker Varadin with another sole striker Putiki with nine
minutes left.When the referee blew his whistle for time,
the home team hadn’t mustered one shot on target. Great
new players at Chelsea, and one happy Italian manager!
M-O-T-M=Damien Duff
Real Madrid have cancelled next Monday's
planned meeting with Chelsea officials after Claude Makelele
refused to train on Thursday.
Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri saluted Damien Duff for his
impressive performance against Slovakian champions MSK Zilina.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink vowed to stay at Chelsea and fight
for his place despite being left on the bench for his team's
Champions League win.
Chelsea are facing a race against time in
their attempt to register striker Adrian Mutu in time for
Sunday's Premiership game at Liverpool.
Chelsea chairman Ken Bates revealed billionaire owner Roman
Abramovich wants to ensure a home-grown team by 2010 by
funding a new 20 million pound training ground and youth
development facilities.
Free-spending English Premiership side Chelsea are set to
make a bid to land Inter Milan's Argentine ace Hernan Crespo.
www.chelseafootballclub.net
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