Buying success

Chelsea notched another victory AGAIN, and while I can understand that they played well and their coach is one of the best around, I can't help feeling that without the money, they won't be having the success they are having right now. Why? Cos without Roman Abramovich, I don't think they would have attracted Jose Mourinho to the club, nor many of the players that are in the club. Other clubs would not even bother listening to their offers because they would not be able to offer the ridiculous amounts of money for players.

Most other Premiership clubs are facing major financial problems from increasing player wages, the collapse of TV deals and dropping attendances but not for Chelsea, every year they would splash out 50-60 million POUNDS... and that's just for players! Even clubs like Man Utd and Arsenal are becoming careful with what they have.

I have just read that they are looking at one of the most exciting defensive talents in Europe, Vincent Kompany, and his club, Anderlecht, are happy and willing to listen to a deal from Chelsea, while rejecting a deal of 11.75 million pounds from Sevilla for the 19 year-old. Obviously they are holding out for much, much more and the only club out there with such buying power is Chelsea, not even Man Utd or Real Madrid can afford to spend so much.

No doubt a number of clubs have benefited from having their coffers filled with Chelsea's money but in the long run it will just make the market very uncompetitive. Everything Chelsea's name is mentioned, the asking price rockets. Some might even argue that clubs are courting Chelsea to look at their ware just to balance their books. Is this really healthy for football as a whole? I don't know really.

Even though the season is only 6 matches-old, I am getting a little bored of Chelsea winning all the time. Its really becoming a 1 horse race. I wonder if that's how most other clubs felt when Man Utd was dominating the Premiership during the 90's but even then Man Utd stumbled every so often to allow clubs such as Blackburn and Arsenal to dominate the league and it was exciting. I have a feeling a lot of football fans are willing ANY team to trip Chelsea up and give them a beating. In reality, this is easier said than done.

As for Man Utd's chances of winning, unless Chelsea DOES trip up badly somewhere along the line and Man Utd plays VERY consistently, the best bet would be in a football management simulator such as Football Manager 2005! :/