Chelsea transfer ban: who do the club have in reserve?

04 September 2009 13:03
The club have consistently talked with great enthusiasm about their emerging players but, until now, successive managers have shown a limited willingness to actually involve them in key matches. With such a high managerial turnover of late, the Chelsea job comes with particular pressure and the overwhelming temptation to stick with trusted and experienced players has been understandably difficult to resist. [LNB]A transfer ban until 2011, however, could change all of that. The Chelsea squad is already regarded as ageing and, while the overall quality remains hugely impressive when there are few injuries, that situation cannot realistically last for another 16 months. So what sort of strength in depth does Carlo Ancelotti actually have at his disposal? [LNB] Related ArticlesThe Daily Bung: Chelsea ban is Blatter's best gag yetChelsea transfer ban debateChelsea transfer ban: Q&AWho is Ga?Kakuta?'Chelsea ignored ban warning'Chelsea fuming over banGoalkeepers [LNB]Peter Cech will be 29 by the time the transfer ban is lifted and should still be in his absolute peak as a goalkeeper. With Carlo Cudicini moving to Tottenham in January, Hilario, who has recently signed a new contract, and Ross Turnbull, who arrived this summer from Middlesbrough, represent the back-up. There are particularly high hopes for Turnbull, who has previously played for England Under-20s. [LNB]Defenders [LNB]By January 2011, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Paulo Ferreira and Juliano Belletti will all be over 30, although Jose Bosingwa, Branislav Ivanovic and Alex should be at their peak. Emerging options include Michael Mancienne, Jack Cork, Sam Hutchinson, Ryan Bertrand, Shaun Cummings, Carl Magney and Slobodan Rajkovic. [LNB]Midfielders [LNB]Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Deco are also all the wrong side of 30, but this area of the squad looks particularly strong. John-Obi Mikel, Michael Essien, Joe Cole and Florent Malouda are already established first-team regulars, while Yuri Zhirkov, Miroslav Stoch and Gael Kakuta the player at the centre of this current controversy are regarded among the most exciting emerging midfielders in world football. [LNB]Forwards [LNB]The area of greatest future concern. Didier Drogba has started the season in excellent form but the last two years have been blighted by injury and it is difficult to envisage his body withstanding the next 16 months without some sort of problem. Nicolas Anelka is also already into his 30s, while Salomon Kalou has only sporadically impressed as a centre-forward. It all potentially places considerable responsibility on largely unproven talents such as Franco Di Santo, Scott Sinclair and Daniel Sturridge. [LNB] 

Source: Telegraph