Some news roundup for today. Drogba on our premier league lead, Kalou’s target of 20 goals this season, Lampard on his captain armband, Sidwell’s admission of his poor performance, Fergie is let off after his referee blame and finally what’s happening with Daniel Alves? Read on!

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This is how the league table looks after two games for most of the teams. We are at #3 because of the goal difference. We have an unlikely topper in Everton and Man City. Granted it’s only the beginning of the season but still. While Arsenal fans may not have too much to be happy about their situation but they can always take some joy from where Spurs are. While rotting at the bottom, Spurs have good company in Bolton. As much as the points, or the lack of them, the goal difference should really be a worry for them. Newcastle truly seems to challenge teams like Bolton, Spurs and Everton and also Arsenal, if I may add.

Will Man City continue their dream start? I hope so at least for the next match when they host Man Utd. If Man Utd drops points against City, that would hurt the morale of the team and the pressure would keep building on. The current 4 point lead is excellent considering that we lost the last title by only 6 points.

Drogba is quite happy that we are 4 points ahead of Man Utd but he always seems to ignore the title challenges from Liverpool and Arsenal.

It’s too soon to look at the fact that we’re four points ahead of United and say, ‘That means we’re going to be champions’. But we want to be champions because we missed out last year. We have a four-point advantage and nobody would say we don’t want a gap like that.

On his own form, he is more happy to have started than to have scored. These are anyway becoming synonymous nowadays, if Drogba starts there is a great chance that he scores too!

It’s very difficult to play in England – if ever you think you’ve cracked it and are the best, then you’re in trouble. I was happy to be back on the pitch, starting a game again. That’s the most important thing for me, more important than the goal.

Didier, the best striker in Europe, Drogba can also help his colleague in achieving his goal. In his interview to Chelsea TV, Kalou says that he wants to score 20 goals this season:

. . score a lot of goals. Last year I scored nine goals, if I can double that, it will be fine. It’s my goal to score 20 goals in all competitions and I hope to reach that.

If you ask me if Kalou can score 20 goals this season, it’s quite possible. We thought he had an average season in 06-07 and he scored 9 goals then. With more chances of playing a huge role in the domestic cups, with some improvement in form, 20 goals is within reach but not easy, if you ask me. You can read his full interview here.

We felt that Sidwell was quite poor against Reading on Wednesday night. In fact he himself knows that and says that he was eager to make an impression at Madejski stadium but realises that he was not up to the mark that day. When a player does not play well and acknowledges the same, it can make the manager’s job little easier. You have a matured individual who can assess his own performance and has the heart to openly admit that. Also he says that Jose’s half time talks and tactics did the trick and that’s why he is the best in the business. He says:

The most important thing was we got a result, but obviously performance-wise it was disappointing for me. I tried to come back and make an impression but not to be. That’s why he’s best in the business. ‘I’ve said it before, tactically he’s got it spot on again. Second half we looked strong and could have had more goals.

Lampard knows that he is only a stop-gap captain and in fact, would be more than happy to hand the responsibility back to John Terry when he is back.

It feels good, pretty much the same really. I love playing for Chelsea anyway, I take the armband when John’s not around and try and be a strong leader. I don’t change my game too much, and look forward to when John’s back in the team because he’s so important to us, and he can wear the armband.

Last season, when Jose said that no visiting team can get a penalty in Old Trafford, Fergie was fuming that as Jose was trying to influence the referees in an unfair manner and FA should punish him. Now, Fergie said that Steve Bennett (referee who sent of Cristiano Ronaldiver) is always delighted to send off his boy. For a man of his stature, influence and good offices you would not expect him to be fined or something like that. That’s what FA has confirmed. Sir Alex, you can go on being a hypocrite!

Finally, what’s happening on the Dani Alves deal?

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As per the reports, we have offered 23 million pounds and Sevilla is not happy with this. Of course, we spent crazy money when we were setting up/revamping the the squad but at this stage, this is too much money for a right back. Sevilla are simply holding us on a ransom knowing how badly we need a quality right back and in particular, Dani Alves. Roman is right is saying that 23m or no deal.

If this deal does not go through, Sevilla will end up as the bigger loser than Chelsea. That’s because Dani Alves would be completely upset that he came so close to joining Chelsea and Sevilla screwed it up and he is not going to be very enthusiastic playing for No.4 in La Liga while he had a chance of English champion and European champion. And with no world class right back, we have won back-to-back premier league titles. If there is one unfortunate soul in this episode, it is Daniel Alves.

Another 10 days to go for the window. While I hope that this deal will go through to our favour, we can send some signals and shivers to Sevilla, if we arrange for a good right back to be on loan for 6 months or 1 year. We can manage the premier league matches and for bigger matches we have efficient right backs like Essien and SWP :-)

I know some of you folks have even lost hopes on Alves and are thinking how do we cope with the current set of players. I have a feeling that we’d know the decisive news on Alves before this weekend. Big match on weekend. I’ve just put the polls on the Liverpool vs Chelsea match, on the side bar. Go ahead and vote.

Surprise, surprise, I’m rising up on the fantasy league table of Blue Champions Club. I’m at #14 and beware of the bluechampion, you toppers – Hu$ty (#1) and Torohi (#2 now). If you think I’m joking then let me tell you I’m better than Man Utd, the title contenders. It is obvious – No.14 in 52 teams is better than No.12 in 20 teams, right? ;-)