A new dawn for Roman Abramovich

It is a rare situation when the European Champions are generally considered to be far from the best team in Europe. But that is exactly where Chelsea find themselves after their incredible triumph in the Allianz Arena, where they defeated Bayern Munich after a penalty shootout. As many have said, the ironic thing is that Chelsea have had far better sides over the past decade yet it was this year's crop of players that finally claimed owner Roman Abramovich's holy grail of the Champions League under caretaker coach Roberto Di Matteo.

Since the Russian oligarch's arrival in West London back in 2003, lots of money has been spent and success has been relatively constant. Three league titles, four FA cups and two league cups were already in the bag before the triumph in Munich but now it appears to be the time for the Blues to rebuild. It is likely that the Champions League victory will mark the beginning of a new era at Stamford Bridge. The departure of final hero Didier Drogba, after 8 years in a Chelsea shirt, spearheads the exodus of players which is expected to follow, with long-time fringe players (who both started the Champions League final) Salomon Kalou and Jose Bosingwa already being released.

The biggest factor affecting the rebuild could well be the introduction of a new manager. Surprisingly Di Matteo has not been offered the job on a permanent basis yet and he may be getting increasingly worried about whether he will get the chance to lead Chelsea out again in the new season. Many would have expected the man who finally delivered the Champions League, as well as an impressive FA Cup victory over Liverpool, to be a shoo-in for the position but the Chelsea board seem to think otherwise, delaying their move while they consider all options. Perhaps the indifferent league form, with only five wins, three draws and three defeats in the eleven games after Andre Villas-Boas' sacking, resulting in a sixth-place finish could cost Di Matteo. However, he clearly managed to balance a packed fixture list incredibly well by claiming two trophies and defeating the likes of Barcelona and Bayern in Europe and Tottenham and Liverpool in the last two rounds of the FA Cup. Unless Chelsea can finally gain some stability on a managerial front it may be difficult for them to obtain the kind of domestic domination which Barcelona have achieved over the past five years. Pep Guardiola, of course, is being strongly linked with the Chelsea role although he is intending to take a year out from the game. Abramovich's money may well convince him otherwise.

Looking to the season ahead there is much to be excited about for the Stamford Bridge faithful. Marko Marin, a skillful German attacking midfielder has already been signed by the club and as I write this they are reportedly closing in on the signing of the much-vaunted Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard from Lille. With the relatively young duo of Juan Mata and Ramires coming off the back of a very impressive season and defenders Gary Cahill and David Luiz still improving the future looks bright for the Blues. Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Petr Cech look to have plenty left to offer, although Terry's form at the tail-end of the season was certainly of concern to the club. Branislav Ivanovic has been linked with a move to Real Madrid but he remains a key component of the squad with four years left on his contract so it is unlikely that the club will let him leave.

What the new Chelsea manager, be it Di Matteo, Guardiola or another, has to make sure of doing is not overseeing a repeat of summer 2010. With Carlo Ancelotti's side having won the domestic double, a mini clear-out was undertaken with Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti leaving. But with Carvalho and Belletti in particular not being adequately replaced, Chelsea struggled to retain their crown and finished nine points adrift of Manchester United, who also knocked them out in the Champions League quarter-finals. Villas-Boas's attempted rebuild also failed in the opening months of this season resulting in his sacking. This time, the Stamford Bridge club need to ensure that whoever leaves is adequately replaced and doesn't leave any gaping holes in certain areas of the squad.

Another major issue for the manager will be getting the best from Fernando Torres. With Drogba gone, Torres is finally the main man up front but Daniel Sturridge and the under-used Romelu Lukaku will both be looking to oust the Spaniard from the starting XI or at least play alongside him. While Torres found some form towards the end of the season, with his late goal at the Nou Camp and hat-trick against QPR being notable highlights, he vented his frustration at not being in the starting line-up for the Champions League final. His tally of 11 goals in 49 season appearances still makes for abysmal reading for a forward of his quality and he will be hoping David Villa's absence from Spain's squad at Euro 2012 will allow him to have a stellar tournament and hit the next season in top form. It is of course possible that Chelsea may look to bring a new striker in as well but it is unlikely that they will revert from their tried and tested formula of playing only one centre forward.

With the holy grail achieved, some may think Abramovich would be satisfied with his investment, but the need to keep pace with the two Manchester clubs on the domestic front, and the target of consistent success will keep Chelsea battling over the coming years. Whoever is given the task of managing them next season will surely find that the pressure is as high as ever, and failure to compete will most likely be greeted by the Russian's over-used axe.

My Premier League Team of the Season 2011/12

Last Sunday saw the most exciting climax to the Premier League season imaginable with two injury time goals from Manchester City ensuring they won their first league title since 1968 at the expense of city rivals Manchester United. That was the final act in a season which has thrown up some of the most ridiculous results and amazing goals for years. Here is my squad of choice based purely on this season's performances:

Goalkeeper: Joe Hart

England's undisputed number one 'keeper further cemented his reputation as one of the world's finest with a series of incredible performances. Saves from Darren Bent at Villa Park and Andy Carroll at Anfield particularly stand out but Hart was one of the key components throughout Manchester City's title winning campaign. The Sky Blues only conceded 29 goals in 38 matches and Hart played in every game. Athleticism, leadership skills and raw shot-stopping ability mean that the 25-year-old will not be fearing for his place at the Etihad Stadium any time soon, even with the club's incredible financial resources. 

Right back: Kyle Walker

The PFA Young Player of the Year built on last season's impressive loan spell at Aston Villa by becoming Spurs' undisputed first choice right back. Fantastic going forward and astute defensively, the 21-year-old has caught the eye this year - not least through a couple of fantastic goals. A 25-yard screamer to win the North London derby at White Hart Lane and an incredible swerving free-kick against Blackburn may have been his only two goals of the campaign but they won't be forgotten quickly. There is much more to come from the former Sheffield United man who will be devastated to be ruled out of the Euro 2012 squad through injury.

Centre back (captain): Vincent Kompany

The Belgian's stock has risen year-on-year during his spell at the Etihad Stadium and under Roberto Mancini has developed into a true leader of men. Awarded the captaincy this season, the former defensive midfielder didn't disappoint. Forming a formidable partnership with Joleon Lescott, his aerial ability, confidence on the ball and competitive nature have made him the Premier League striker's worst nightmare. Kompany's importance to his club was emphasized by a loss of defensive stability when he missed a few games through suspension during the winter. He only scored three goals all year but crucially, the last was the match winner against United in the crunch late-season derby at the Etihad. The big centre back will be disappointed that he won't have the opportunity to show his skills off at Euro 2012 this summer, as Belgium failed to qualify.

Centre back: Jonny Evans


The Northern Irish defender was awarded the number 6 shirt by Sir Alex Ferguson at the start of the season, but even then most people wouldn't have expected him to play as many games as he has. Following on from a couple of disappointing seasons, Evans was made the scapegoat for his red card in United's humiliating 6-1 defeat to Manchester City in October. However, Nemanja Vidic's injury alllowed him to form a partnership with Rio Ferdinand for the second half of the campaign which saw United remain in the title race right until the final day. Evans has fantastic passing ability for a defender and over the course of the season has grown in stature and confidence to become one of the best centre-backs in the league. At 24, the Belfast-born Red Devil will be hoping that on Vidic's return, it will be Ferdinand and not him who is ousted from the team.

Left back: Leighton Baines


The Everton left-back's reputation within the game has been growing over the past few years and this season was one of his best yet. Playing in an Everton team who struggled before the January additions of Nikica Jelavic, Darron Gibson and Steven Pienaar saw them rocket up the table, the former Wigan man was one of the rare constants. A pearler of a free-kick against Swansea in March was only a glimpse of Baines' talent as he is now recognised as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League. Rumours have indicated that both Bayern Munich and Manchester United are interested in signing Everton's number 3 in the summer, and the Toffees would do well to hold onto him.

Right midfield: Antonio Valencia

Easily Manchester United's most dynamic player during the title run-in, the Ecuadorean winger has bounced back after last season's broken ankle and has become one of the most feared wide men in England. A pin-point cross, something which deserts many of his contemporaries, a powerful shot and most potently his blistering pace makes Valencia one of the most effective players in Sir Alex Ferguson's armoury. The 26-year-old lacks the tricks of Nani and can't hit free-kicks like Ashley Young but his consistency is what has made him United's first choice winger in the eyes of most fans. Surprisingly Ferguson omitted him from the starting line up in the late-season showdown at the Etihad, but few expect him to make that mistake again.

Centre midfield: Yohan Cabaye


The French midfielder was signed by Newcastle last summer to little fanfare yet connoisseurs of the European game were already aware of his blossoming talent.  A crucial element in Lille's first title-winning campaign for 57 years last season, the £4.4m transfer fee paid for the 26-year-old has turned out to be an incredible bargain. Demba Ba and later Papiss Cisse have been raking in the plaudits for their goalscoring efforts but it is the number 4 who has been pulling the strings at St James' Park. A wonderful free-kick against Manchester United in January will last long in the memories of the Geordie faithful and he may yet figure as a key player for the France national team at Euro 2012.

Centre midfield: Ramires


Chelsea have had a bizarre season to say the least, with two different managers, a captain facing an impending court case and league form which has not been up to the standards of the past decade at Stamford Bridge. Yet one player who has come on leaps and bounds this year has been the Brazilian midfielder Ramires. Employed in a central midfield shuttling role under Andre Villas-Boas and now on the right side of Roberto Di Matteo's 4-2-3-1, the former Benfica man has got better and better. Netting 12 goals in all competitions as opposed to just two last season, the Blues' number 7 is going to be a huge loss in tomorrow night's Champions League final which he will miss through suspension.

Left midfield: David Silva


Labelled the 'Spanish Messi' by some, Manchester City's playmaker-winger extraordinaire may not get as many goals as Barcelona's Argentine but he has the same rare finesse only seen in the world's most technically gifted players. The stand-out player in City's infamous 6-1 victory at Old Trafford, the Canary-Islander displayed the kind of genius not seen in the Premier League since the days of Gianfranco Zola and Dennis Bergkamp. Silva's form tailed off when City struggled during March and early April but he came to the fore again in time to be a central figure when Roberto Mancini's men claimed the title on the final day of the season. A true joy to watch and unfortunate to miss out on the PFA Player of the Year award.

Centre forward: Sergio Aguero


A rare big money signing who has lived up to his transfer fee without any questions asked. The son-in-law of Diego Maradona has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, netting 30 goals in all competitions in his debut season in England. Crucially Aguero stood up when his manager and team-mates most needed him and scored what is sure to become a legendary goal deep into injury time against QPR on the final day. Aguero's form throughout the whole season meant the self-inflicted absence of Carlos Tevez hardly affected Roberto Mancini's men and the calibre, as well as quantity, of the former Atletico Madrid man's strikes has made him feared across the country. Still only 23, the scary thing is that he can surely only get better.

Centre forward: Robin Van Persie


The deserved victor of the PFA Player's Player of the Year, it would have been unthinkable to omit the fiery Dutchman after his greatest season to date. 37 goals in all competitions for the Arsenal captain only begins to tell of the ability that the former Feyenoord striker possesses. Incisive passing, accurate crosses, fantastic close control and a thunderous shot are just some of the weapon's at Van Persie's disposal. For Arsenal fans, it doesn't bear thinking about where the club would have finished without their talisman this season and Arsene Wenger will be doing everything within his power to keep the Dutchman at the Emirates Stadium next season. But as we saw with Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri last summer, the veteran manager can't always have it his own way.

Substitutes

Tim Krul: The Dutch goalkeeper has been ever present for Newcastle United this season and has been a major factor behind their outstanding 5th place finish.

Rio Ferdinand: The veteran defender put his injury woes behind him, not missing a game since January, and will count himself extremely unfortunate not to be in the England squad for Euro 2012 as he is still the country's most talented defender.

Fabricio Coloccini: Another huge player for the Toon Army this season, the Argentine centre-back has been rock solid all season, a true leader on the pitch who's technical ability shouldn't be underestimated.

Gareth Bale: Tottenham's form may have tailed off during the latter part of the season but the Welsh winger played a huge part in his club's top-four finish. Amazingly still only 22 years old.

Yaya Toure: The Ivorian powerhouse may have missed part of the season due to the African Nations Cup but he really came to the fore as City became Premier League Champions for the first time. The complete midfield player.

Juan Mata: An impressive debut season in England for the former Valencia man, who has scored plenty of goals, set up many more and quickly won over the fans at Stamford Bridge.

Papiss Cisse:  For a player only signed during the January transfer window, 13 goals is an incredibly impressive tally yet it is the quality of the Senegalese frontman's finishes which has really caught the eye. Especially THAT goal at Stamford Bridge.

Rest of Squad

Michel Vorm, Joleon Lescott, Grant Holt, Paul Scholes, Mikel Arteta,  Leon Britton, Wayne Rooney. 

England provide an unenviable task for Hodgson

Last week, the FA made the long overdue appointment of Fabio Capello's successor as England manager. To the surpise of many, it was West Brom's Roy Hodgson who got the nod, against the popular demand of Harry Redknapp. Arguably the key factor in Hodgson's favour is the vast amount of international experience he already has having previously managed Switzerland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates to varying degrees of success. Those three international jobs have been spread across a vast career at club level which has seen success in Sweden and Denmark as well as two stints at Internazionale and most recently impressive spells at Fulham and West Brom, either side of the debacle at Liverpool. What happened at Anfield shouldn't be forgotten but it is a minor blip on a largely successful career and the many factors which played a part in Hodgson's failure there must be taken into consideration. It certainly wasn't all his fault that it didn't work out.

Despite the incredible levels of experience which Hodgson has, the task of leading the Three Lions is certain to be the most difficult he has faced. The pressure from fans, media and even the incredible amount of big-name players is incomparable to most other jobs in football and Hodgson will be keen to get off to a winning start on the field with the forthcoming Norway and Belgium friendlies, and of course the Euro 2012 group stage. However, before then he has the incredibly difficult task of naming a squad for a tournament despite having previously worked with very few of the players available. The biggest issue to settle does seem to be the possibility of including Rio Ferdinand and John Terry in the squad together. Both have apparently stated they are happy to play together but with the much-discussed racism court case hanging over the Chelsea captain, his mental state may be subject to questioning. Having already been stripped of the England captaincy twice, is Terry really of any further use to England? Certainly he is a great defender, but England are not lacking in the department with Ferdinand, Joleon Lescott, Gary Cahill, Micah Richards, Phil Jagielka and Phil Jones all available. In the past few weeks Terry has not been on sparkling form, with his unbelievably idiotic red card in the Nou Camp followed by a genuinely disastrous performance at Anfield this week. When Hodgson thinks about whether his inclusion is really worth it, he is likely to conclude that it isn't.

Even with that settled, there is much more to be decided upon. Not least the captaincy, which Stuart Pearce temporarily handed to Scott Parker in February's friendly defeat to Holland. A major stumbling block here is who is actually guaranteed to start every match? Previous captains Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard both have injury issues. Wayne Rooney has his two-match ban at the start of the group stage and his international disciplinary record is hardly one which makes him captaincy material. As good as Parker has been this season, it is not even certain that he will start every game. Ashley Cole has the most caps out of everyone in the squad and is certain to start but his off-field track record is comparable to Terry's and on the field he isn't exactly leadership material. Joe Hart is young, at 24, but arguably the right man for the job. Playing in goal hasn't been an issue for Iker Casillas captaining Spain to success and Hart is focused, exemplary, level-headed and comes with no baggage. As well as Cole and (after suspension) Rooney, he is also guaranteed to play every game. Also, unlike most of the outfield players, he has no history of niggling injuries. With Hodgson having managed Ben Foster this season, he may manage to convince the on-loan Birmingham 'keeper to change his mind about not playing for his country and provide back-up in a position where England are dangerously thin on the ground.

There are problem positions all over the pitch for England with Richards, Glen Johnson, Kyle Walker and Jones all options at right-back (Chris Smalling's injury could be a blessing in disguise as it narrows Hodgson's options). The central midfielders in the frame seem to be Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry, Parker and Michael Carrick - all of whom are on the wrong side of 30. With Jack Wilshere missing the entire season through injury and Jack Rodwell and Tom Cleverley suffering from their own injuries it would appear the next generation will have to wait for the next tournament. Parker, Barry, Lampard and Carrick have all performed admirably this season, the latter two particularly in the second half of the campaign but the Liverpool captain is still viewed as a world class performer by many and it would be hard not to select him. Carrick would have almost certainly missed out under Capello but with a new man at the helm, he could find himself back in favour.

On the wings, Ashley Young seems a dead cert following his form for England in recent matches and his growing role at Manchester United. Theo Walcott is currently recovering from injury, Aaron Lennon has missed larged spells this season and Adam Johnson has failed to force himself into Roberto Mancini's first choice team at the Etihad Stadium. James Milner will fancy his chances of a starting role but again Hodgson has a decision to make over how many players he can take. The much-vaunted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a shock call-up but it would be hard for Hodgson to justify after so little game time for Arsenal. Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck have both had impressive, if not quite world-beating seasons in the Premier League, and both can play on the flanks as well as at centre-forward. Rooney's suspension would appear to put Welbeck in pole position to lead the line but the much-maligned Peter Crouch, also-maligned Andy Carroll, similarly-maligned Bobby Zamora and uncapped yet still-maligned Norwich City striker Grant Holt (the second highest English scorer in the Premier League this season) will all be looking for a call up if Hodgson wants a target man. Evidently, none of these options will please all of the fans. Darren Bent's injury looks certain to rule him out of the tournament but Jermain Defoe will still be hopeful of a place in the squad, if not the starting line-up.

So, it can be seen, that Roy Hodgson has a mountain to climb. But he has succeeded in the past with major challenges - turning West Brom from relegation fodder to a stable mid-table outfit should not be underestimated, and leading Fulham to the Europa League Final was a modern-day football miracle. It has been said that Hodgson has only truly excelled in 'making average teams look a bit better', but judging on the past few years of England performances, that is exactly what the man needs to do to this current outfit. He'll do well to get out of the group stage. If he reaches the semi-finals, a feat which England haven't done since 1996, he will become a demi-god.

Same old story?

On Saturday May 19th the UEFA Champions League Final will get underway at Munich's Allianz Arena and the eyes of the football world will be focused upon it. Yet few would have predicted that Chelsea and Bayern Munich would have been the two teams walking out to contest football's greatest club match, particularly when the quarter and semi-final draw was made back in March. The path seemed to be laid out for Barcelona and Real Madrid to meet in what would have been the first ever El Clasico European Cup Final. The Blaugranas had crushed Bayer Leverkusen 10-2 on aggregate in the last sixteen and los Merengues had cruised past CSKA Moscow winning 4-1 in the second leg at the Bernabeu. Lionel Messi had netted five against Bayer, the first man to do so in the Champions League era (Soren Lerby last did it in the old European Cup for Ajax back in 1979) and in Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid are in possession of the one player on earth who can keep even remotely close to the Argentine's goal-scoring exploits. Both teams were managed by men who have two Champions League winner's medals already.  Domestically, both teams were also miles ahead of the likes of Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid and Valencia who have all been making waves in the Europa League this season. Who could possibly stop the two Spanish giants from reaching the final? The quarter-finals came and went and things looked even more strongly in the favour of Guardiola and Mourinho's men. The former swept aside a toothless AC Milan outfit while the latter put eight past Cypriot surprise package APOEL. With both clubs playing the semi-final second leg at home, what could possibly go wrong?

The simple answer is that you can never, ever predict football with absolute certainty. Yes Barcelona and Real Madrid are, on paper, the two best squads in Europe. But, football doesn't work like that. In Chelsea and Bayern Munich, the Spaniards came up against two teams who are by no means the most impressive in the world, but hit form and performed at the crucial moments. Whereas Barcelona hit the woodwork four times over the two legs, Didier Drogba, Ramires and Fernando Torres all kept cool heads to put their rare chances away. Whereas £136m-worth of former World Players of the Year in the shape of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka couldn't find the back of the net from 12 yards, David Alaba, Mario Gomez and Bastian Schweinsteiger all buried their spot-kicks. Guardiola was crushed and has since announced his departure from the Nou Camp. Mourinho can take consolation from an impending La Liga crown, but whether his tumultuous relationship with the Real hierarchy continues beyond the summer remains to be seen. The inevitable, it is clear, was never truly inevitable.

This is nothing new. People have spoken about the Champions League as a closed shop, but that is not true at all. Since it was rebranded in 1992 there have been 20 tournaments, yet no team has claimed the trophy more than three times. Not a single team has defended it successfully and this is no coincidence. The pressure and skill levels at this very highest level should not be underestimated. Look at how the two Manchester clubs, who have dominated the Premier League all season, both fell at the first hurdle. To claim victory, you require more than a skilful squad of players, a savvy manager and some good luck. You need to be able to cope with the high pressure situations which are unlike those found anywhere else in the club game. Mourinho and Guardiola have both proven themselves at this level already, but the fact it is Roberto Di Matteo and Jupp Heynckes leading their teams to the Final shows that you can never rest on your laurels at this level.

Where does this leave the La Liga duo? Are they the greatest two squads in the world? Quite probably. But there is much work to be done. Barca face a possible rebuilding job with Guardiola on his way out, although the new boss Tito Vilanova will be looking to stabilise things having been part of the coaching staff throughout the club's recent years of success. Madrid will probably go out and spend big again this summer, as they do every year. Never satisfied until his club are European champions President Florentino Perez will have his eyes on the likes of Robin Van Persie to bolster his already galactical squad. The Champions League has become an obsession, as Cristiano Ronaldo puts it, at Madrid 'everyone talks about the Champions League, in the dressing room and outside. Nothing else.' It is also an obsession of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness, the big cheeses of the clubs who will actually be at this year's closing event. If the Blues win, it will be the club's first ever European Cup, for Die Roten, it will end an eleven-year wait. Both have recently lost finals. Will whoever wins genuinely be the best team in Europe? As neither will be national champions of their respective leagues, probably not. But that's what keeps it interesting. Whoever labels football boring and predictable is a fool and the Champions League is the greatest example of this. For Madrid and Barca, there's always next year...

Follow James on Twitter @jfaphillips