Premier League Preview 2011-12: Chelsea

Best title odds: 3/1 - Coral
Best Champions League odds: 9/1 - VictorChandler
Last season: 2nd
Manager: Andre Villas-Boas

Good news:

The stats would suggest that Chelsea have been the best team in England for the past two years - if you take out a very sticky three months in the middle of last season. Anybody who’s disappointed with the lack of ‘marquee’ summer signings need only think back to January when Abramovich spent about £75m on two players. He’s still got it. But has Fernando Torres? He can only improve in 2011-12. Surely.

Bad news:

It may take some time to convince Didier Drogba that someone his own age could actually be mature enough to manage one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Surely he’ll just roll around on the floor if things aren’t going his way? That’s what all 33-year-olds do, right? One thing we can say is that Andres Villas-Boas won’t get time. Avram Grant was axed after getting within one penalty miss of winning the Champions League and Carlo Ancelotti was clearly dining out on winning the double in his first season for too long.

Remember when:

A young Portuguese manager could join a club without being described as, or compared to ‘The Special One?’

Verdict:

As with all new managers at big clubs, getting off to a good start looks imperative. Villas-Boas started so well at Porto that he won everything in his first year and promptly left. He has inherited a squad that could just be the best in the league still. Torres will surely start to fire, but if not, Drogba and the exciting youngster Daniel Sturridge can still do the job. If the likes of Terry and Lampard can stay fit then Chelsea can go very close. The loss of Michael Essien for six months with cruciate ligament damage just swings the balance in United’s favour though.

Prediction: 2nd