Chelsea Shopping Spree On the Cards After Narrow FA Cup Win
An eventful transfer Window is likely according to Avram Grant after watching his side sneak through just 1-0 against Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup 3rd Round.
Chelsea, the Cup holders, were thinned by injuries and suspensions for the third round clash, but still came away winners thanks to a moment some have dubbed “outrageous good fortune”.
Claudio Pizarro, the Peru striker, saw his 29th-minute shot hit QPR’s left-hand goalpost only to spin up and rebound in off the outstreched arm of unlucky goalkeeper Lee Camp.
In reality, this was ultimately a relatively comfortable afternoon for the Blues, even if the slender scoreline made for a few anxious moments.
Indeed, Chelsea could have won by a greater margin. Shaun Wright-Phillips clattered the crossbar and Steve Sidwell saw an effort rebound off the left-hand post as Grant’s team threatened to overwhelm QPR at the tail-end of the first half.
The Israeli shored up his side in Saturday’s second period by introducing Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Didier Drogba – making his last appearance before the African Nations – and the final 25 minutes passed largely without incident.
“It was a difficult cup game but we did our job, which was important for me,” Grant added. “They were tactically very good and they closed the space very well. It was the game we expected.”
TRANSFER WINDOW
Grant will be spending heavily this month as he needs to deepen his squad during the African Nations Cup, which will rob him of four key players.
France international Nicolas Anelka is apparently top of his shopping list. Moves are already afoot for this transfer with Bolton omitting Anelka from the Bolton Wanderers’ squad for their third round defeat by Sheffield United on Saturday. This ensures he will not be cup-tied should he complete an anticipated 15 million pounds move to Chelsea.
Chelsea manager Grant refused to discuss individual targets, although he did admit new purchases were likely.
“Because of the injuries and the African Nations, we are thinking about all the possibilities,” he said. We are always thinking about this situation but there is nothing new to say about that. “I won’t speak about any individual players until they are joining: I am responsible for things only when they definitely happen. Lots of names are being talked about but that is natural.”
>>Check out the top 3 online sportsbooks here at BookieLabRat.com.
Add comment January 6th, 2008