Early Chelsea form promises much more

It may be just three games into the new Premier League season - and plenty of players and teams have failed badly after a bright start in the past - but Chelsea finally look the real deal again and appear to have landed a future world star in Eden Hazard.

The Blues made it three wins out of three with a comfortable 2-0 success over Newcastle and the European champions' impressive start bodes well for not only a sustainable top-four challenge this season (bearing in mind last term's disappointing sixth-place finish) but also an all-out assault on the title.

Traditionally, it was only after three games that the table would be published. The usual opening-day shock results were out of the way and, after 270 minutes of football, we were supposed to get a much better sense of who can expect to battle for the big prizes and which clubs will struggle.

And so it's Chelsea who are the early pacesetters this year with Roberto Di Matteo's side making a confident start and building on their stunning Champions League victory over Bayern Munich in May.

Supporters who log-on to watch their live scores online have seen the Blues dispatch Wigan, Reading and the Magpies without too many problems and they already have the look of a side that believes they can compete with the Manchester clubs for the title.

After their under-performance in the league last season, many will be wondering why there has been such a dramatic and swift upturn in Chelsea's fortunes. Winning the European Cup clearly galvanised a squad and, simply, the summer arrivals have added depth and real quality to a side that was in danger of losing ground to their rivals.

Hazard, albeit after just three games, looks a top-drawer player and the way he has settled into life in England's top flight has been quicker than many predicted. The Belgian may have made sport news headlines due to his protracted, Twitter-announced, move from France, but he oozes class and his six assists so far prove he will be the Blues' chief creator this season. Others have clearly fed off his arrival and a rejuvenated Fernando Torres is clearly benefiting with their fledgling partnership an early season eye-catcher.

Other recruits like Oscar, Cesar Azpilicueta and Marko Marin also look good additions and have improved a squad that needed to be taken to the next level if they were to challenge City and co again.

No titles have ever been won in August, of course, and, in some respects, Chelsea remain a work in progress under Di Matteo. But the Blues have laid down an ominious marker for the rest, some of whom are already playing catch up.

Mikel’s Mad Thinking

Chelsea’s midfielder, John Obi Mikel, must be in cloud cuckoo land after claiming that the Blues will regain the Premier League title and defend their Champions League trophy this season.

Speaking ahead of the campaign, which got off to a solid start with a 2-0 away win against Wigan, the 25-year-old Nigeria international is in an overly optimistic mood.

As well as saying that the Stamford Bridge-based outfit could do the Premier League and Champions League double, Mikel believes they can also compete for the FA Cup and League Cup. What planet is he on?

Last season, the Blues finished a massive 25 points behind the winners, Manchester City, and have done nothing between now and then to show they will close that gap.

The side go into the new season as 9/2 outside favourites on Bet Victor to win the Premier League.        

Didier Drogba – who was instrumental in the Blues’ FA Cup and Champions League double last season – has left London for Shanghai Shenhua; it was his big match mentality that allowed the Blues to jinx their way through to picking up the most coveted cup in European football. 

The Ivorian had an ability to score the big goals when it mattered. Chelsea have not, and will no doubt struggle to replace that.

Brazilian, Oscar, will take time to settle into English football, while Eden Hazard looks a top player, but he must up his work-rate off the ball to be an asset worth the £32million that Roman Abromavich forked out.

Frenando Torres needs to step up to the plate, something which he has failed so momentously to do since switching to Chelsea from Liverpool.

But even if Torres and Hazard do improve, there are still other questions that need answering.

Mikel’s comments may be part of a ‘positive’ attitude that the club will want to exude but to defend the Champions League – won so fortuitously – and knock City off their perch would be akin to a miracle.

Fans interested in Chelsea betting will no doubt have an opinion of their own; go online today for the best odds for Premier League gambling.

Mancini should relax over no new arrivals

Manchester City should not be regarded as favourites to retain their Premier League title, according to their clearly agitated boss Roberto Mancini, who is becoming increasingly frustrated at a summer of inactivity in the transfer market at Eastlands.

But is the Italian right to declare that other clubs are in a better position to take their crown? Or is he cleverly playing down City's chances before a ball has even been kicked?

For the past few years, City have been THE big summer spenders in the top flight, bringing in a raft of players - with varying degrees of success - to boost their squad. There can be no argument that the likes of Yaya Toure,  Sergio Aguero and David Silva were all key buys who contributed plenty to last season's title glory but the less said about the previous millions shelled out on such players as Roque Santa Cruz and Wayne Bridge in past years the better.

However, so far this summer it has been a different story with, as yet, no major big summer purchases winding their way to the Etihad – despite the latest odds putting them favourites to retain their title.

Some will argue, probably rightly, that a club that has spent well over £400m since they were taken over in 2008 by the Abu Dhabi Group with seemingly bottomless pockets, should not have to shell out more every year to improve a highly-paid, expensively-assembled squad that their rivals can only dream of.

Mancini has seen Chelsea lavish their millions once again with a string of high-profile purchases, most notably being Brazilianstarlet Oscar and Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard, while Arsenal, too, have made significant buys.

Manchester United, who were City's closest challengers last term, have been prudent and Sir Alex Ferguson is probably also frustrated with his summer dealings so far, adding just Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell to his ranks, after missing out on top target Lucas Moura to Paris Saint-Germain - a club attempting to match City in the spending stakes following their lucrative takeover.

But City, strangely, have yet to splash the cash and Mancini is concerned they could drop behind the others in the race for the title, with most premier league predictions predicting a three-way fight for the title this year.

Whether he is right to think that, though, is another matter because the champions should still have enough talent at their disposal to retain the crown they won so thrillingly on the final day of last season without any additions at all.

Afobe Loan Deal Well Worth Arsenal Wait

Arsenal fans should be delighted to hear the news that their young striker, Benik Afobe, is to spend a season-long loan at Bolton Wanderers.

Afobe follows in the footsteps of Jack Whilshere, in moving to the Reebok Stadium, and the clear benefits to Wilshere’s game can be expected to rub off on Afobe’s.

The 19-year-old has never played in the Arsenal first team, but he is likely to get his chance, next season, should this campaign go well at Bolton.

Under the guidance of Owen Coyle, Afobe will be given the chance to learn the game just as Whilshere did.

For when Wilshere – then 18 – joined Bolton on loan, his talent was evident but his game was not quite there.

Wilshere often looked lightweight in his first few outings at the Reebok, yet after a prolonged spell under Coyle, he developed into one of England’s best midfielders.

Gunners boss, Arsené Wenger, clearly sees Afobe’s path going the same direction.

The striker, who has already had loan spells at Reading and Huddersfield, could be what a future Arsenal squad needs to stage an attack on the Premier League title.

He is quick, strong and looks to play on the shoulder of the last man. He scored five goals when at Huddersfield, aiding the Yorkshire club in their promotion to the Championship, and it is clear he is good enough to hold his own in that division.

What Coyle will offer the youngster is an opportunity to develop not only his game, but also his strength.

Championship defenders are notoriously hard, and what they lack in ball control they easily make up for in single-minded determination.

Afobe will learn quick how to adjust to new surroundings and should evolve into a dominating striker before heading back to the Emirates.

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