Carlo - Drogba Staying Put

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says star striker Didier Drogba will definitely not be leaving for Real Madrid.

The Ivory Coast ace, 32, has made himself a legend at Stamford Bridge over the last six years, leading the line with great success in recent seasons.

Drogba has already bagged himself three goals in the Premier League this term, and was the league's top scorer with 29 strikes to his name during the last campaign.

He has been linked with a possible switch to Los Merengues, where he would be reunited with former Blues manager Jose Mourinho, but Ancelotti insists he is going nowhere.

He told Sky Italia: "Drogba to Real Madrid? He is happy to stay here, is happy with his moment and we don't deprive ourselves of a player like him."

Meanwhile, Ancelotti aired his views on two other renowned frontmen, Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is thought to be nearing a move to AC Milan, and new Manchester City signing Mario Balotelli.

The Italian coach admits he tried to sign Ibrahimovic when he was manager of the Rossoneri, and believes Balotelli will do well in England.

He added: "Ibrahimovic to Milan? In 2006 I wanted to take him, then the deal vanished. At Milan he would do well."

While on Balotelli, Ancelotti remarked: "He's very good. City have made a good buy, but I never said I was afraid of him."

Chelsea Target Martin Demichelis

The agent of Argentina and Bayern Munich defender Martin Demichelis claims Chelsea are interested in signing his client.

Demichelis is expected to leave Bayern after asking to be omitted from the squad that faced Wolfsburg on the opening day of the season having learned he had failed to make Louis van Gaal's starting line-up.

Demichelis has been at the club since 2003 and won the domestic Double last season, but Holger Badstuber and Daniel van Buyten were selected ahead of him, with Van Gaal saying: "He won the title last season, but now has been replaced and he must accept that, it's not easy."

Chelsea have sold Ricardo Carvalho to Real Madrid this summer and Demichelis' agent claims the Blues are one of a number of clubs showing an interest in the Argentina international, as well as Italian Juventus.

"I have always had an excellent relationship with Juve," agent Jorge Cyterszpiler told calciomercato.it. "We spoke with Juventus, but they are not the only club interested.

"There are at least four clubs in for the player; as well as the Bianconeri there are also Barcelona, Chelsea and Sevilla. In Italy there is also Fiorentina, Napoli and Roma that have always liked him, but it is outside their budget."

Carlo Denies Burdisso Link

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has denied that he is interested in bringing defender Nicolas Burdisso to the club.

The 29-year-old Argentina international has been linked with a switch from Inter Milan to Stamford Bridge, with reports suggesting Ancelotti is keen to bolster his backline.

However, the Italian coach claims he already has enough defenders at his disposal and the player's agent has also revealed no approach has been made.

Ancelotti told Sky Italia: "Burdisso at Chelsea? It's not true. We have three defenders at the highest level."

Meanwhile, Burdisso's agent Fernando Hidalgo told vocegiallorossa.it: "Chelsea's offer for Burdisso? No, I have received no proposal from the management of the London club about Burdisso.

"We will do everything to bring back Nicolas to Roma and we will try to reach an agreement until we'll have opportunity and time to do it."

Burdisso spent last season on loan with Inter's Serie A rivals Roma and he proved a hit at the Stadio Olimpico.

Wigan Athletic Set To Land Chelsea FC Striker

Chelsea FC striker Franco di Santo is reportedly on the verge of joining Wigan Athletic on loan.

The young Blues hitman is expected to agree to a loan move to the DW Stadium before Latics take on Tottenham on Saturday.

With Latics having failed to score in either of their two opening games, boss Roberto Martinez is looking to add firepower to his forward line.

He is also expected to bring in the Mexican and former Hammers marksman Guillermo Franco.

Ramires Looking To Have Big Impact On Chelsea's Bid For Another Premier League Title

New Chelsea midfielder Ramires is hoping to help his new team on their way to a second consecutive Premier League title.

The Brazil international came to the Blues from Benfica for £18.2 million after impressing at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

Ramires is looking forward to making his first appearance for Chelsea, and the Brazilian insists that Carlo Ancelotti could hand him his debut against Stoke City on Saturday.

“I cannot wait to play my first game for Chelsea. I've spoken to the manager and that could happen this Saturday,” Ramires told The Mirror.

"My debut will be incredible for me because I've always dreamed of this chance. It will be a great moment for me.

"Chelsea have begun the season like a locomotive engine but the season is long and the matches are not always easy. For me, Chelsea is the favourite for the title and I want to be in the starting XI. That is my target."

The Brazilian is settling into his new home city, and Ramires is hoping that he will find great success during his time in London.

"London is wonderful. I have visited the city with my wife Islana and its enormous and very interesting.

"I want to be a success in the Premier League, stay for a long time and enjoy my football on the pitch.

"I am working hard every day in training hoping to get my opportunity. To play at Stamford Bridge in front of the fans will be perfect.”

Ancelotti Admits Abramovich Cut Up Over Shevchenko Flop

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti admits club owner Roman Abramovich took personally the failure of Andriy Shevchenko at Stamford Bridge.

In his new book, 'The Beautiful Games of an Ordinary Genius', which is being serialised in the News of the World, Ancelotti details his first meetings with Abramovich as he was considered for the Blues job.

Their first meeting was in May 2008 at hotel in Geneva.

"Abramovich wanted to know everything about me, about the way I work, about my philosophy," said Ancelotti. "He was looking for a team with a clear identity. As he told me: 'Like Manchester United, Liverpool, or Milan - certainly not my Chelsea.'"

Two weeks later, at the Hotel George V in Paris - and after an embarrassing encounter in the lobby with a rival candidate - Ancelotti sat down once more with Abramovich and his entourage.

Ancelotti recalled the conversation: "The inevitable question: How would I change the way Chelsea plays, if we were to come to an understanding?

"'Chairman, your team is very physical, they need to field a more diverse array of skills.' I come up with a couple of names, Franck Ribery and Xabi Alonso, players that would give the team an advantage.

"He comes up with a third name: Andriy Shevchenko - a player he clearly cares about deeply.’I can't figure out why he's not playing, ever since we brought him to England, he's just not the real Sheva anymore, I don't know why he's having so much trouble.'

"He's not intimidating, even when he says to me, with a slight catch in his voice: 'Look, we just lost out on the Champions League finals, we just got bounced out of the championship, I have nothing to be happy about. Chelsea just seems to lack personality. My ambition is to win every game my team plays, but right now I just don't recognize my team.'

"He cares very much about winning and about playing the game with style."

Pat Nevin: Speaking Volumes

It was the best of times, it was, well the best of times. Obviously Charles Dickens wasn't thinking of Chelsea's current form when he started A Tale of Two Cities, but what else can you say after winning the double and starting the next season with two incredible 6-0 wins?

There must be a number of reasons why the play is just so fluent at the moment. Clearly this group of players knows each other's strengths incredibly well, there is now an understanding that is bordering on telepathic with quite a few lads in the team.

There is also happily a willingness to strive to stay right at the top from just about every single member of the group. A few stinging articles during and after the World Cup have only served to strengthen the resolve of those who it had been suggested were not only over the hill, but tumbling down the other side at a rate of knots.

Realistically there will be dips in form this season, there always are after a World Cup year. Quite a few players, not only at Chelsea, haven't had enough time to rest and recover from the previous season, so niggling injuries will also become a problem. At the moment however, it is all fun in the sun with no one feeling any pain.

Fun also appears to be one of the important things in the Chelsea team at the moment. The spirit is clearly at an incredible level between the lads, the giveaway comes with the reaction to, and the celebration of, the goals.

A prime example came with the second goal against Wigan at the weekend. Nic Anelka buried it beautifully in the bottom corner and the players nearest him went to celebrate with the scorer, but the reaction of the midfielders and defenders to Mikel for his fantastic, raking, 50 yard, pinpoint pass was a joy to see.

John Terry looks as delighted as if he has scored the winner in the Champions League final himself. This is not a forced or selfish reaction, this is the generous reaction of man who deeply cares about his team mate. Mikel is duly swamped by everyone around him after the goal and it speaks volumes for what they feel about a player who isn't usually the most celebrated of the group.

Now I will own up that I was maybe a little surprised by the quality and the vision of the pass. I am hopefully not being too disrespectful but it was a pass you would expect to be played by a Lampard, Scholes or a Beckham. Now that we know he has got that in his locker, maybe he should try it a little more often. As sitting midfielder his first job is to break up play and then give the ball to the known creative types, but that moment of adventure allied to the confidence he gained from his mates smothering him might just lead to a boost in confidence.

Of course Didier Drogba couldn't let it lie and decided to get in on the act, spraying a few balls from one side of the pitch to the other with deadly accuracy, just to show that he can do it too, even if he is not exactly renowned for it either. Didier's pass for Kalou's goal was even better however because of the unselfishness of the act. Having picked the ball up on the half way line and powered past their entire defence, you might have excused him from having a pop from 20 yards himself, it would have been a goal of the season contender. He didn't do that, he elected to do the right thing and slip his countryman through for a tap in. It was brilliant, selfless and the work of a team player.

It summed up for me why the Blues are looking just so good right now. Everyone is thinking of the group, there is an unselfishness to the play and to the glory, it is all shared equally. From the outside you might think every team should be like that, but in reality it is rarely the case. Footballers are winners and there is an inbuilt self serving part of being a champion in sport, even if it is a team game. The trick is to get the balance right between egocentricity and shared goals, right now they are doing just that and much of the praise must go to the manager for getting the mix just right.

A Healthy Addiction To Six

And so the dream story continues. After yet another thumping and emphatic victory, Chelsea has now smashed in 20 goals in their last 3 Premier League games.

It is always worth pointing out that these have all come against Wigan and West Brom, but at the end of the day their is no need to dress down what has been an impressive masterclass in attacking football.

As with the first game of the season it was a slow first half, with Wigan even on top for periods, yet it cannot help but be impressive when Chelsea maul teams in as unflinching a manner as was evident on Saturday evening.

More impressive still is the ability for everybody to play their roles so superbly. For those with good memories, this was something I pointed out was key to our successful campaign last season.

Drogba failed to wear his goal scoring boots, but still managed to assist half of the goals against our northern opponents.

Rebel du jour Anelka opened his account and ended the day with a double.

Kalou and Benayoun came off the bench to knock in a combined 3 goals.

And Florent Malouda continued his impeccable form and notching himself a goal adding to his opening day brace.

Malouda's opener showed exactly why Chelsea, when on form, have plenty to frighten opponents. The sheer volume of players in an around Wigan's box was frightening.

With Drogba and Anelka loitering, accompanied by Malouda and Lampard in advanced positions. Surely a front line even the tightest of defences would struggle to contain.

It was a blue wave which showed little sign of receding even up until the 90th minute - after which two of our goals were scored.

Another frightener for opponents is that last season the success was without Essien. With him in the starting XI it is as if Chelsea have their engine back. He simply doesn't put a foot wrong, unless sometimes it is accidentally half way up an opposing player's leg (sorry Didi Hamaan!).

Credit due to Jon Obi Mikel too when he also got in on the act.

As readers may well be aware I am one of his critics, but I was a surprised as a celebrating John Terry (who grabbed JMO and pointed him out to the bench) when Mikel's superb switched pass to Anelka allowed the Frenchman to strike the ball past a stationary Kirkland - the second England international to concede 6 against us in two weeks.

I paid special care to Mikel's game this weekend, with an open mind, just in case my opinion was blinkered. And even though he didn't play a bad game there were still worrying parts of his play that are a cause for concern.

His urgency is virtually non existent, I beg of anyone who is upset by my criticism of him to compare what happens when he gets the ball and what happens when Essien gets it.

Essien is a much quicker thinker, his awareness of his surroundings is perfect, whereas Mikel needs a touch and breathing time before the next pass comes.

I still think he is worthy backup but think that Ancelotti may well be, and in my mind correctly, planning to move Essien into that more defensive role once Ramires is fit enough to occupy the central midfield position.

It is also worth remembering the input of the defence. It was incredible to see Alex make two exceptional blocks in the box when we were comfortably winning 3-0.

It is refreshing to know that the players you loyally support give so much to the cause too.

Alex, for me, is the sole reason why we don't need to replace Carvalho. I think he was always destined to make that position his own, and was surprised to see him excluded from the Brazil selecao in the summer.

Unfortunately with the great start to the season comes the devastating news that Chelsea youngster Sam Hutchinson has had to retire from the game at 21. Just on the brink of possibly making a career at the club, or even just finding his way in football, his career has been cruelly cut short. It's a terrible shame, but it has been great to see the club's response in making sure his future will still be in football.

Blues Talk Flatters Begovic

Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic says interest from Chelsea has left him flattered rather than unsettled.

The Bosnian international, who is likely to make his season debut against Shrewsbury in Carling Cup action on Tuesday, was reportedly the subject of a Blues' enquiry this summer as they sought back-up for injured No.1 Petr Cech.

But City manager Tony Pulis has since ruled out a transfer, and while pleased to have caught the attention of the Premier League champions, Begovic insists his primary focus is at the Britannia.

"Obviously I'm aware that the gaffer said there was an enquiry, but nothing is happening," Begovic told This Is Staffordshire.

"If someone wants to take me and they accept a bid, that's a different story, but in the meantime I just have to get on with my job.

"This kind of thing is just part and parcel of the job. Maybe there is people talking and stories being written, but at the end of the day you come to work and do your job.

"On the other side, it is brilliant and I'm really flattered. Who wouldn't be if they were mentioned in connection with a great club like Chelsea?"

Begovic, who joined Stoke from Portsmouth in January for £2.25m, has lost out on game time to Thomas Sorensen so far this season.

But despite his frustration, the shot-stopper is determined to work hard to earn a regular spot in the team, and is looking forward to a run-out on Tuesday night.

"Of course I was very disappointed because everybody wants to play," he added. "All I can do is impress in training and in matches like this if I play.

"It would be nice to play in the cup because you don't want to let it be too long without a game."

Stoke suffered defeat in their opening two Premier League matches against Wolves and Spurs, but Begovic is confident the squad can overcome League Two opponents Shrewsbury, whichever line-up Pulis chooses to field.

"Even if you rotate the squad, we still have a good team, and that's a good sign of progress at the club," he said.

"It's a competition we take seriously, especially with Wembley and possible qualification for Europe at the end of it. But we must take it one step at a time."

Chelsea Look To Move For £8m Rated Italian International

Carlo Ancelotti is preparing a bid for up and coming Italian international midfielder Antonio Candreva.

The Udinese playmaker spent half of last season on loan to Juventus and was an instant success but new boss Luigi Delneri opted to not make the move permanent.

The 23 year old just missed out on Marcello Lippi’s World Cup squad and has now been targeted by the Stamford Bridge boss who is looking to bring in some young talents as he looks to plan for the future and reverse the ageing nature of his Blues squad.

Candreva is a an adaptable attack minded midfielder who has come through the international set up but has found himself farmed out on loan deals for the majority of his short career.

Ancelotti appears to feel that the former Ternana youth player has something special about him and a number of Italian sides have been monitoring his progress.

Valued at around £8m the youngster would be a useful addition to the club’s ranks and could apparently be purchased and then loaned straight back to Udinese for the current season.

Vitesse Close On Blues Duo

Vitesse Arnhem expect Chelsea youngsters Slobodan Rajkovic and Nemanja Matic to join the Eredivisie club on loan.

The pair are highly-rated at Stamford Bridge and will be farmed out to gain invaluable first-team experience.

Rajkovic is yet to make his first team debut while Matic has made two Premier League substitute appearances for the club.

Serbian defender Rajkovic has already had two loan spells in Holland having played for PSV Eindhovenand FC Twente.

Vitesse's new owner Merab Jordania has confirmed the pair are expected to join before the transfer window closes next week.

"Slobodan Rajkovic and Nemanja Matic? Yes, they will come," Jordania told De Telegraaf.

A third Chelsea youngster, Jacob Mellis, is also being linked with the club while goalkeeper Piet Velthuizen is expected to join Hercules.

Chelsea Plot Surprise Swoop For Inter Defender Nicolas Burdisso

Chelsea are lining up a move for Inter defender Nicolas Burdisso as they look to replace Ricardo Carvalho, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

The Blues have been reportedly keen on Benfica defender David Luiz, but a €30 million asking price from the Portuguese giants is understood to be leading to second thoughts.

Inter technical director Marco Branca has recently confirmed that there is interest in Burdisso from England as well as Spain, though Burdisso'a agent last week insisted that there had been no contact from Chelsea.

Burdisso, 29, is an Argentine international who can play all along the back-four. He has also been linked with a move to Juventus after spending the majority of last season on loan at Roma.

Yossi Benayoun Happy With Role As Chelsea Substitute For Now

Chelsea midfielder Yossi Benayoun is adamant that he is content with his role as a substitute as he proves himself worthy of playing for his new club.

The Israel international has not been given his first start with the Blues since moving to Stamford Bridge from Liverpool this summer.

However, the 30-year-old scored his first goal for the Blues on Saturday, coming off the bench to fire home the final goal in Chelsea’s 6-0 demolition of Wigan Athletic.

Benayoun is confident that he can do what he did at Liverpool and prove himself to his prolific new team.

"I know I can do it; I did it before in my career," Benayoun told the Evening Standard.

"When I arrived at Liverpool, I knew I had to wait on the bench and try to change games and now I'm also doing it for Chelsea.

“When you come to a big club you need to be patient, there are a lot of quality players, but I just want to prove that I deserve to be here every chance that I get.

"I enjoy playing anywhere and every minute I am on the pitch. I can play anywhere in the three in midfield or the three up front."

Blues To Play In Bangkok

Chelsea Football Club's first-team squad will be visiting Asia during next summer's pre-season preparations.

Chief executive Ron Gourlay announced today in Bangkok, Thailand, that the team will be playing a match in the city against a Thailand All Stars side.

The news means the Blues will be returning to Asia where two years ago we played games in China and Malaysia.

The last time we played in Thailand was 1997 when Ruud Gullit took a side that had recently won the FA Cup to play the national team and won 1-0.

Since then support for the club in south-east Asia has grown rapidly generating around 350,000 monthly visitors to our official website chelseafc.com and today's announcement continues involvement with Thailand that was strengthened with this month's signing of Singha Beer as our official beer sponsor.

The venue for next summer's match will be the 60,000-capacity Rajamangala National Stadium with news on the date and ticket sales to follow.

'By announcing this part of our summer tour schedule so far in advance, we have a year to engage with our increasing fan base in Thailand as we build towards the game. We are looking forward to bringing the club closer to the fans with a year of activities including our world-renowned community coaching scheme,' Gourlay says.

'Importantly, we know this match will be against the quality of opposition Carlo Ancelotti requires and in a suitable venue, with a great atmosphere too. We are delighted our fans in Thailand will have a chance to see us play in the flesh.

'Premier League football is a passion in Asia, a continent in which Chelsea has significant relationships including a groundbreaking partnership in the Asian Football Confederation's grass roots projects, and the Super Soccer Star talent search with finalists in that competition visiting our Academy at Cobham.'

The visit will be promoted by ProEvents whose chairman, Paul J Kam, says: 'We are extremely pleased to return to Thailand with Chelsea after more than a decade.

'Thailand is best known for its superb hospitality and is one of the "must visit" countries for football teams in the world because of the tremendous football fans we have in this country.

'Chelsea is widely popular throughout the world and especially so in Asia where fans will support champions. We wish Chelsea all the best this season and hope that the team will come to Asia as back-to-back champions.'

Reserves Report: Chelsea 1 - 1 Everton

Chelsea welcomed reserve team football back to Stamford Bridge and launched a new league format with an entertaining game.

Steve Holland's side took the lead through Fabio Borini and looked well on their way to three points following a first half they dominated with good possession football, played by a side containing six of the FA Youth Cup Final side. It was augmented by the more senior Michael Mancienne and Jacob Mellis and also contained 15-year-old Nathaniel Chalobah.

Everton, opposition due to the new nationwide set of fixtures, changed formation at the break and added an extra man in midfield. The Toffees equalized with a set-piece and tested the home team further as young Blues legs began to make mistakes, but Chelsea rallied strongly and came close to finding a winner three times in the closing minutes.

Everton could have scored inside 40 seconds of the first half as Joao Silva ran in behind the home defence but Sam Walker stuck out a hand and kept out a close-range effort.

Mellis, fresh from England duty at the recent European Under 19 Championships, had Chelsea's first effort but scooped it over and Borini, captaining the side, fared little better when slipped through by a well-weighted Josh McEachran pass.

Up the other end, James Vaughan brought a first-team presence and it took a clean challenge in the area from centre-back Rohan Ince, on his full reserve debut, to prevent the Everton striker bustling through for a clear strike on target.

Chelsea were enjoying territorial advantage however and won a free-kick right on the angle of the penalty area, whipped just a yard over by Gokhan Tore. Moments later Borini stung the hands of Jan Mucha, Everton's summer signing who was Slovakia's goalkeeper at the World Cup.

Chelsea's goal, scored on 21 minutes, followed a prolonged period of crisp Blues passing and pressure. Everton cracked when Chalobah's long pass was worked by Mellis to over-lapping left-back Patrick van Aanholt. The Dutchman picked out Borini who clipped the ball beyond the reach of Mucha from 10 yards out.

Everton could have drawn level soon after had Walker not pushed Gueye's cross-shot over. Vaughan then tried his luck from range but shot too high.

There was almost a horror show of Rob Green proportions from Mucha when van Aanholt had a dig with a free-kick from further out than Tore's earlier effort and hit with less pace. It was grasped, then allowed to squirm free before being gathered again by the Slovakian in the nick of time.

All the promising play was Chelsea's. Chalobah in midfield was showing a good range of passing, McEachran was busy nipping in to win the ball and constantly looking to split the defence while Conor Clifford worked hard. Approaching the break, McEachran passed up the chance to shoot inside the area, instead tapping the ball onto to Tore whose shot was saved. Borini then curled a 40th minute shot just over.

The McEachran-Borini connection almost came off early in the second half but the Italian was well tackled before he was denied a headed goal by a Mucha save having met Van Aanholt's cross.

Nine minutes after the restart Chelsea gave the Merseysiders a sniff of goal but stretching Vaughan, who was unmarked, couldn't quite make contact with Gueye's cross.

The Blues were eventually undone by a set-piece two minutes later from a free-kick conceded by Tore. Floated in, Ross Barkley rose above the defence to nod wide of Walker's dive.

Chelsea had by now let the upper hand slip and another Barkley header needed a Walker save. Free-kicks were being conceded in dangerous places.

Chances at the other end were few although Conor Clifford had a 25-yard drive turned wide. Steve Holland gave it until the 78th minute to make changes but then brought on three subs.

One of those, Milan Lalkovic, was quickly on target but Mucha saved at his near-post. McEachran had threaded the ball between defenders.

With five minutes to go, Chalobah could have capped his reserve debut with a goal when he pounced on a loose ball after Borini's shot was blocked but the schoolboy hurriedly sliced wide.

Another sub, Jacopo Sala caught a shot cleanly but that was saved and on 89 minutes, van Aanholt smashed a ball low towards the far post but Lalkovic couldn't adjust his feet in time to turn in a bouncing ball.

There was still hope when substitute Kaby went down under a challenge in a promising position but McEachran could only send the ball into the empty seats in the Matthew Harding Lower with 92 minutes on the clock.

Carlo Admits World Cup Boost

Carlo Ancelotti feels England's World Cup flop is providing his Chelsea players with added motivation.

The Three Lions failed to make an impact in South Africa under Ancelotti's fellow Italian Fabio Capello, crashing out in the first knock-out round following a dismal campaign.

But Blues stars John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, who all struggled on England duty this summer, have enjoyed an encouraging start to the season.

Chelsea have set the early Premier League pace with 12 goals and six points from their opening two games, and Ancelotti believes the England players in his squad are determined to compensate for their World Cup failure.

"If you have character, then after a problem you cannot have no motivation," Ancelotti told the Sun.

"But from this, I think the English players are taking more motivation from the World Cup.

"They have all come back with good motivation and I think they are in good condition. The English players like Terry, Lampard and Cole are all now showing very good physical condition."

When asked whether England's miserable World Cup showing has worked in favour of his side, Ancelotti added: "I think so.

"To have a good rest after the World Cup was a necessity.

"They had a very long season in England and they needed to have good recovery time."

Lampard netted his first goal of the campaign against West Brom in the Blues' season opener at Stamford Bridge, while defenders Terry and Cole helped keep clean sheets in that match and in their 6-0 away victory at Wigan on Saturday.

"Defensively, we were good in the first half because Wigan put us under a lot of pressure and we didn't concede," added Ancelotti.

"They only had three shots from distance."

The Italian was also full of praise for Didier Drogba's display against the Latics, despite him failing to get his name on the score-sheet after landing a hat-trick during the Blues' 6-0 triumph over the Baggies last weekend.

"I am very happy with him and he showed a good understanding with Kalou," he said. "Usually a striker will try to score, but he was unselfish.

"He is not a Superman but he is playing well and he is a humble player. It is not easy to find such humility in a big player."

Kalou Accuses Chelsea's Rivals Of Being 'Scared'

Salomon Kalou has accused Chelsea's title rivals of being "scared" following their free-scoring start to the Premier League season.

The defending champions have kicked off their campaign with a pair of 6-0 triumphs against West Bromwich Albion and Wigan.

Ivory Coast striker Kalou, who scored twice in the rout at the DW Stadium on Saturday, has now revealed that he hopes that the glut of goals will strike fear into their future opponents.

"Two games, 12 goals - we've started the season like we finished last year," Kalou said. "When you are the defending champions you have to scare the other teams, and that's what we are doing.

"Right now we are enjoying it and hopefully we will continue to play at this level. I hope that after these two games any team we play will be afraid of Chelsea."

Last season Chelsea, in their first year under Italian boss Carlo Ancelotti, became the first side to score over 100 goals in a Premier League season.

Florent Malouda Insists Chelsea Have Stepped Their Game Up To A New Level

Florent Malouda insists that Chelsea have developed a “killer instinct”, and believes that the Blues now play the Premier League’s most entertaining football.

The defending league champions have started off the season brightly, winning both of their matches against West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic by the same 6-0 scoreline.

The France international believes that Chelsea’s play has stepped up to a whole new level, and Malouda thinks that the Blues have shown these past two weeks how much quality they possess.

“It is difficult to know why people still seem to think Arsenal and United play the best football,” Malouda told the Daily Mail.

“Even when we finished on top of Arsenal, people said they played better than us.

“If you want to win the League, you have to be efficient, but when you look at how many goals we are scoring, you surely have to recognize there is real quality about us.

“The manager has worked at making sure we control games and you are seeing an evolution in our play. We are keeping more clean sheets but also scoring a lot more goals.

“It is not enough for us now just to go 1-0 up. We have developed a killer instinct and want to finish teams off. There are goals throughout this team and if there is an opportunity to kill a game off, we take it.

“We'll never go easy on teams and it is great for confidence to know just about everyone in the squad is capable of scoring goals.”

Some believed that age would soon catch up to this veteran Chelsea squad, but Malouda believes that the experience and time together that the squad have enjoyed are what makes them better.

“I don't know about getting old, but I'm pretty sure most Premier League managers would settle for a squad like ours.

“The great thing about being together so long is that we all know the system and each other and the movement up front is improving all the time.

“Even when Salomon Kalou came on as substitute, he could feel where the ball was going to be played and ended up with two goals.

“We are tapping into the experience that has built up in recent years and turning it to our advantage. We all know the system and how to apply it and that does so much for our self-belief.”

Chelsea Readying Mammoth €40 Million Swoop For Real Madrid Defender Sergio Ramos

Chelsea are set to launch a sensational bid to land Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, and will offer €40 million for the World Cup winner, according to reports from Spain.

Sports publication Marca comments that Blues owner Roman Abramovich, whose side have been relatively quiet in the current transfer window after seeing an approach for Brazilian sensation Neymar collapse, wants to burst onto the scene with a major coup, and sees Ramos as the player to do just that.

The sizeable transfer fee will be coupled with a five-year contract for Ramos, worth €10m per season, and Chelsea are desperate to conclude a deal before the end of the current transfer window.

The London club’s only additions this summer are midfielders Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool and Brazilian international Ramires, who joined from Benfica, while the likes of Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Ballack have moved on.

It is hugely unlikely that los Blancos coach Jose Mourinho would wish to sell his prized defender, particularly with the current injury woes at the back which are hampering their preparations for the new season.

However, with Mourinho also coveting the arrival of a ‘number nine’ before the season begins, a boost to his transfer kitty may allow a bid to be launched for targets such as Fernando Llorente, Emmanuel Adebayor or Edin Dzeko.

Begovic Chase Still On

The inference is there that Chelsea is still very keen on the Stoke goalkeeper, Asmir Begovic.

After having an early bid rejected by Stoke City and being told that he’s not for sale, our sources tell us that Stoke City have yet to respond to a reputed offer of £4.5 million made, reportedly by Chelsea, recently.

Furthermore, the Potteries club is reportedly being hounded by other clubs keen to lure the keeper from Stoke with Manchester City Fulham and Middlesbrough also reported as being keen.