Classy Blues make first impression

As statements of intent go Chelsea’s start to their Premier League campaign was as emphatic as they come.

Big Phil Scolari’s first game in charge saw the Blues demolish Harry Redknapp’s normally resilient Portsmouth side 4-0 just a week after Pompey kept Chelsea’s title rivals Manchester United goalless for 90 minutes, albeit in the glorified friendly that is the Community Shield.

It was not just the scoreline but the manner of the performance that would have had the Chelsea faithful purring as Scolari’s men produced the kind of stylish football not yet seen at Stamford Bridge in the Abramovich era.

With new signing Deco pulling the strings, the quick touch, passing football they produced almost transported me back several weeks to the style in which Spain played, and won, in this summer’s European Championships.

The former Barcelona schemer was the hub through which all Chelsea’s intricate play was filtered but it was German Michael Ballack who produced the pass of the day with an exquisite first time flick unleashing Joe Cole to set the home side on their way.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that this was the same Chelsea who had ground out results in a series of dour performances last term.

Deco’s fellow Portuguese international Jose Bosingwa was also impressive in his first outing and playing under the manager who inspired the enterprising full-back play of Cafu and Roberto Carlos as Brazil boss might just be the best thing that happened to Ashley Cole since he left Arsenal in acrimonious circumstances.

But I’m not getting carried away and, despite their stuttering start against Newcastle, I am still backing United to retain the title – even if they don’t end up signing Dimitar Berbatov.

Several bookmakers may have reacted to yesterday’s results by installing Chelsea as new title favourites but Sir Alex Ferguson is not one to rest on his laurels and his appetite for success will not have been sated by last year’s double triumph.

Much has been made of United’s lack of an out and out striker but it is his relentlessly consistent back line that was the unheralded corner stone of last year’s success and will be vital again this campaign.

Rio Ferdinand may be able to lay claim to being the best centre back in the world at the moment and his partner Nemanja Vidic is one of his biggest challengers to that title.

Wes Brown will need to repeat last year’s heroics to keep Gary Neville out the side and Patrice Evra, always a bundle of energy up and down the left flank, is constantly improving his defensive game.

This unit in front of the steady if not spectacular Edwin van der Sar was the key to the Red Devils’ success in the games against their big rivals and laid the platform for United’s more illustrious attacking stars.

We have heard endless complaints about the dominance of the ‘big for’ but Arsenal and Liverpool will be hard pressed to stop it becoming a two-horse race this season.

Liverpool are still too reliant on two players, Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, and Arsenal – who ran out of steam after an impressive start – will find it hard to plug the gaps left by Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb (though Samir Nasri’s eye-catching debut on Saturday will have given them hope).

One man facing an important season at Arsenal is former Southampton forward Theo Walcott.
The 19-year-old has shown flashed of his potential for a long time now and needs to start proving that he can deliver on a consistent basis – week in, week out over 90 minutes.

In perhaps a poignant message to boss Arsene Wenger, Walcott asked for the Gunners’ number 14 shirt over the summer that previously belonged to Thierry Henry, a man converted by Wenger from a reluctant winger into a world class central striker.

As much as I would like to sound original and predict differently, I can’t see anyone breaking into the top four, although I think the best challenge may come from Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa who showed last year scoring goals is not a problem and have invested heavily in their back four during the off season.

Spurs may have started with a disappointed result against Middlesborough and they must resolve the Berbatov situation before they can fully focus on the season ahead and should improve under Juande Ramos.

The key to their success could be making the most of the talents of Luka Modric – a player with the capability to rival Andrea Pirlo as the most adept ball playing midfielder in Europe.

Redknapp’s assistant Tony Adams will demand an improvement in Portsmouth’s defending after yesterday’s shambolic performance and Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch should provide goals against weaker opposition.

But the sad fact is these sides are all just fighting for scraps at the table and the most they can feasibly hope for is an automatic UEFA cup spot.