Goodbye Makalele

[JamesW]

I see that Makalele has left Chelsea today. Goodbye Claude and thanks for your services.

Also Ben-Haim, Pizarro and Belletti have not been taken on Chelsea's pre-season tour, so I don't think any of those will be around for long.

Drogba has been left behind too, but that's apparently because of a knee injury.

[Mike_CFC]

Maka was our backbone,and gave us more than 100%.He will be missed but he is getting on now.His lack of matches last season saw the writing was on the wall.

I reckon that either Ballack or Mikel will be our new holding midfielder,though i can't see Scolari always using a holding midfielder,especially against sides with less potent attack.

Thank you Maka and all the best at PSG !thumbsup!

James:Don't you just miss us not playing our pre season games over here?

It's all about shirt sales now,i guess.

[JamesW]

About the pre-season games, I think we have to compete in overseas markets. For example, we don't want the whole of Asia becoming Man Utd supporters, so we have to put ourselves out there.

To be honest I'm not that concerned about the pre-season games. It's the Premier League staging actual league matches overseas that I'd be bothered about! There's still talk about doing that.

Yes Maka was terrific for us, but this was probably the right time to let him go. One more season might have been a season too much and he might not have played that often anyway.

You mentioned Mikel, but you didn't mention that Essien can also play in that position if needed.

[Bob Singleton]

I can't think of a single Chelsea fan who wouldn't want to wish Makelele well and thank him for 5 great years at Chelsea. (BTW will his move to PSG mean we won't see as many M&S ads featuring his wife, the delectable Noelie Lenoir? Now that would be a shame!!)

As for who will take his place, I think it would be a waste of Essien's drive to have him in the holding role. Playing Ballack in the Makelele role, however, would give us a player who reads the game superbly, has great vision and passing accuracy (so could launch quick counter-attacks) and can be very dangerous when allowed to go forward himself... so another Makelele, but with greater pace, height and attacking ability. Sounds good to me!

Another alternative could be to play a 4-2-3-1 formation with, for example (and based purely on current players) Drogba up front, Deco in the hole with Joe Cole and Kalou wide and two from Lampard, Ballack, Essien and Mikel providing defensive cover to the back four when necessary, but with licence to go forward.

[JamesW]

Scolari says he hopes to have developed a system of play by the end of the pre-season tour, so it seems he hasn't made his mind up yet about what formation he's going to use. Well have to wait and see.

I notice that Boulahrouz has also left the club now, and with Bridge, Cech and Essien all signing new long term deals it seems that quite a lot of matters are getting sorted out at the moment.

[Ace]

Took him half a season to establish himself after the slow pace of Spanish football, but he'll be missed. Lovely bloke off the pitch, how someone that small in comparison to 'bigger' players can do what he did for years and not come off worse for wear is beyond me.
Enjoy PSG Claude, and thanks for the memories