CHELSEA have dodged a Club World Cup storm by setting up camp in Florida this week.
The Blues decided to upsticks and move to Miami last week despite playing their last 16 game being held in Charlotte, North Carolina. That is 729 miles away.
Chelsea have moved their Club World Cup camp to Miami from North Carolina[/caption]
After beating Benfica they will return to Philadelphia on Friday for a quarter final date with Palmeiras – the team they beat to win the 2022 CWC.
Chelsea spent almost a week in Philly playing two group games but have decided to stay down South and bask in the sunshine of South Beach.
And just as well, where last week it was blistering hot sunshine and humidity making it ‘almost impossible to train’ as boss Enzo Maresca put it, this week it is thunderstorms.
Travel to Philadelphia has been severely hampered by torrential downpours and lightning in the skies above.
Several UK journalists heading to Philly in advance of the team encountered serious disruption and delays to their journeys. Planes were grounded for hours because it was too dangerous to fly.
LOAN RANGERS
While Maresca and his squad are working away in Florida, those left behind are not sure when they’re needed at Cobham.
A number of players coming back from loan and up for sale this summer were not named in Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad.
Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, Djordje Petrovic and Joao Felix all came back from loans and were omitted from the 28-man list.
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Wesley Fofana, continuing to recover from injury, was also left behind.
The first team’s pre-season will obviously be disrupted by the Club World Cup – with Maresca saying they may only have a week of preparations before the Premier League season should they go all the way in America.
However, none of those back in England have been tipped off as to when they’re needed for pre-season.
Most Premier League clubs not involved in the Club World Cup will be back preparing for the new season from next week.
Unwanted stars like Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are waiting to find out about their future[/caption]
OUR HOUSE
‘LONDON, IT’S OUR HOUSE’ was the cheeky dig fired at Arsenal in a perfectly placed advert as part of a marketing campaign for Chelsea’s new home kit.
The advert in question is on display at the Arsenal tube station, just a short walk from the Emirates Stadium, and will be viewed by fans of the Gunners on a daily basis – though we can’t imagine it’s driving many sales in the area.
The ad is in reference to Madness’ song ‘our house’ heavily used in Chelsea’s promotional material, and features a large image of Cole Palmer with his iconic long sleeves on in what looks like a school classroom.
STRAS-SING OUT
BlueCo-owned RC Strasbourg are having the spine of their best team in years torn apart by those also in charge of Chelsea, and their fans are furious about it.
Club captain Habib Diarra is on the verge of joining Premier League new boys Sunderland, player of the Season Djordje Petrovic has been recalled from his loan and looks set to be sold by Chelsea, while star midfielder Andrey Santos is highly rated at Stamford Bridge and will be a part of their squad for next season.
To make things worse, Chelsea have signed their best young defender in Mamadou Sarr, with top goalscorer Emmanuel Emegha to join the Blues in 2026 in transactions that are essentially the same as moving money from your savings account to your current account.
RC Strasbourg will almost inevitably receive some talented youngsters for their troubles, with future world beater Kendry Paez being the favourite to make an impact on loan in eastern France next season.
But this idea is painful for fans of the club who aren’t able to really feel connected to their team if they feel the ability to dream is taken from them.
SunSport spoke to Alexandre, a spokesperson for the Strasbourg supporters federation about their star men being moved to the Premier League, and the feeling in France towards BlueCo after we took a trip there to uncover the darker side of multi-club ownership just a matter of months ago.
They said: “My feeling as a fan is concerned, I think there are three kinds of situations, with an ascending degree of trouble.
“A player like Diarra would have left anyway for an English club at some point.
“That will help us reach a balance; it just means that BlueCo hasn’t brought much in terms of financial stability… despite what is being advertised. Santos and Petrovic, we knew they were here to maintain or increase their value.
“The cases of Sarr and possibly Emegha are even worse for us and for football overall. A club is using another club as a development team, which will distort the way a free market should function.
“The fact that UEFA and FIFA are tolerating that is a f scandal. Multi-club ownership is ruining football as we knew it… We feel really bad about that.”
Strasbourg’s team has been torn apart[/caption]
RIGHT MAN FOR THE ROB
To any Chelsea fan disappointed at the collapse of a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, you may need a hand to hold when you hear this…
But perhaps those in charge of The Blues are right to trust in Robert Sanchez.
The Spaniard was the cause of many frustrations at Stamford Bridge last season, but finished the campaign strongly and has started the Club World Cup brightly too.
In fact, Based on the xG of shots on target faced, Robert Sánchez prevented more goals than any other goalkeeper in the Club World Cup group stage, with three conceded from a 5.35 xG on target according to Opta.
However, being a good shot stopper isn’t all it takes to be a world class number one these days, and it’s with the ball at his feet he seems to cost Chelsea.
He has still shown flashes of that Robert Sanchez, but overall improved of late and will at least have done his value no harm if The Blues are to move him on and re-ignite an interest in Maignan.
Robert Sanchez might still be the right man for the job for Chelsea[/caption]
BLUE BEAUTY
Chelsea added another trophy to their cabinet this week, as they won the Amputee Cup for the first time.
Captained by former soldier Mark Smith, who took six gunshots to the leg in a training exercise gone wrong in Canada in 2011, the Chelsea FC Foundation dominated the 50-minute final in a 2-0 win vs Everton in the community.
Goals came courtesy of Darren Mitchell from the penalty spot and Jonathan Nyarko secured the win for the Blues, while winger Sofyan Filali picked up the Player of the Match award.
TEEN SPIRIT
Incoming teenager Estevao Willian will naturally attract plenty of interest when Chelsea face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-final.
But there is another familiar face who could be lining up against The Blues.
Former West Ham midfielder Felipe Anderson has been with the Brazilian club since last year and will surely be keen to rekindle some London derby spirit.
The midfielder was once even linked with a move to Chelsea, while playing for Lazio after leaving the London Stadium – though the deal never materialised.
All eyes will be on Estevao Willian on Saturday[/caption]
