Has Hiddink really got the Chelsea dressing room under control?

Salomon Kalou and William Gallas – foes now, teammates next season?
(Picture: Reuters)

SALOMON Kalou has caused a stir among Chelsea and Arsenal fans by saying that he is a fan of Arsene Wenger and is very open to playing for the current Arsenal manager (see story here).

The 23-year-old made the comments right after Chelsea’s 1-0 victory over Juventus in the Champions League, and hot on the heels of recent revelations of a fractured Chelsea dressing room under the reign of former manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

While Didier Drogba has whined – one too many times – about wanting to leave in the past, and shocking rumours of a player mutiny (with Drogba, Petr Cech and Michael Ballack being fingered as the main culprits), Kalou is the first player outburst to come out of the Chelsea dressing room since the arrival of Guus Hiddink.

Question of the Weekend (Who can take over Rafa?)

(Picture: Reuters)

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEKEND:If Rafa Benitez leaves Liverpool, who should take over his place and why?

Will Hiddink’s magic touch bring Chelsea the European Cup this seaon?

CHELSEA continue their rehabilitation under Guus Hiddink early this morning with a dominant display against Juventus, winning their first-leg Champions League game by a solitary goal.

Didier Drogba was in particular form, scoring the winning goal and putting in a performance that seemed to suggest that he is back to the same level that he was playing under Jose Mourinho.

Can Hiddink’s magic touch last long enough for Chelsea to finally allow owner Roman Abramovich lift the European Cup this season?

After all, Vicente del Bosque did it on short notice with Real Madrid in 2000; Chelsea still have largely the same players as they had last year and Europe calls for more experience and is less demanding on ageing legs.

Interview with Letter of the Week winner Suen Chun Lung

Which club do you support and when did you start supporting them?

I am not really a die-hard soccer fan, but I do enjoy watching the Red Devils play. They strike a good balance between style and efficiency.

Should Rafa risk playing Gerrard tomorrow morning?

CAPTAIN Steven Gerrard has been included in the squad that will face Real Madrid in the Champions League tomorrow morning (Singapore time), raising the possibility that the inspirational midifielder will take the field for the first time in three weeks since injuring his hamstring.

Should Rafa risk playing Gerrard, who has an impressing scoring record in Europe but has yet to complete a full training session since his return from injury?

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: Knowing Benitez’s emphasis on the Champions League, Gerrard will probably play some part of tomorrow morning’s tie, but it might not be the best option, given the state of Liverpool’s domestic challenge.

Are the English clubs heading for a slaughter tomorrow morning?

CHAMPIONS League action returns tomorrow morning (Singapore time), as Italian clubs Inter Milan and Roma face off against English clubs Manchester United and Arsenal.

While English football seem to be on the ascent, with three of last season’s Champions League semi-finalists hailing from England, tomorrow’s fixtures could prove tricky for both United and Arsenal.

United’s defence is decimated by injuries – with Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra the only fully fit and eligible defenders available. With Anderson still out through injury, United could be forced to draft Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher into defence, or rush John O’Shea and Jonny Evans back from injury.

On the other hand, Inter are riding high on top of the Serie A table, with Jose Mourinho managing to bring the best out of Adriano, who seemed to be on his way out of the club earlier this season. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is reaching the peak of his career, while Mourinho has an excellent track record against Alex Ferguson, winning five of their 10 Premiership encounters when he was at Chelsea.

In the other “Italy v England” game, Arsenal’s midfield is decimated by long-term injuries. Cesc Fabregas, Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky, Theo Walcott are all out, while Andrei Arshavin is cup-tied, leaving a shaky midfield core of Denilson and Alexandre Song. That, and the fact that Arsenal’s goals have dried up of late, is hardly comforting for any fans of the London club.

Roma will probably play their usual 4-6-0 formation, choking the midfield while constantly rotating the targetman, with Francesco Totti pulling the strings.

Will the English clubs survive the Italian onslaught tomorrow morning? I hope not, but I am not holding my breath on that.

Question of the Week (Who’s your Spurs No.1?)

Hi all,

THE POSTMAN’S QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Who would be your first-choice keeper for Spurs – Heurelho Gomes or Carlo Cudicini, and why?

Who will partner Rio on Wednesday?

DEFENDING European champions Manchester United travel to the San Siro this Wednesday morning (Singapore time) with just one fit centreback eligible to face Inter Milan, after Jonny Evans limped out in the second half against Blackburn.

Nemanja Vidic is suspended, following his red card at the World Club Cup last December, while club captain Gary Neville is still suffering from a virus and a strained leg. Wes Brown is also out, after breaking his metatarsal in training earlier this month.

John O’Shea is still doubtful, and the United medical staff are working overtime to get the Irishman’s heel in shape for the Inter game.

If that does not fall through, any one of these senior United players should get the job of partnering Rio Ferdinand in defence – Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher and the young Rafael.

Who would it be?

THE POSTMAN LIM SAY HENG says: My pick would be Fletcher, if the rest don’t come through by Tuesday. The Scot has faced much criticism for his inconsistent performances over the past few seasons, but the 25-year-old has come through for United this season, shining in the early parts of the season where the champions were struggling to find their feet.

Q&A with Letter of the Week winner Deepan Murugan

When and why did you become a Chelsea fan?

It’s all because of Gianfranco Zola, my favourite player. I started watching football in the late 90s and wasn’t really a fan of any club. Then I became a fan of Zola after watching a FA Cup match between the Blues and Liverpool.

Then Zola moved on and left the club and I just kept following Chelsea. Chelsea’s consistent performances in European competitions during the early part of this decade and the new era under Roman Abramovich has made my love, passion and interest for the pensioners even more.

Young, but oh so talented

The New Paper’s Arun Raj caught up with Nigeria-born Singaporean Chizzy Nnamchi and his three talented sons – John, Alex and Michael – earlier this month and were wowed by their football skills.

Catch Arun’s story in tomorrow’s edition of The New Paper as he writes about the Nnamchi family’s globe trotting footballing adventures.