Once Premier League was all about football; players now a day are having trouble keeping focus on the pitch after another sex scandal have emerged in England. 

Monday, Sunderland midfielder Adam Johnson was arrested and released on bail on suspicion of having sex with a 15-year-old girl, as well as suspended by the club. Another sex scandal haunts the Premier League.

It's far from the first time a Premier League player is in trouble for playing in the bedroom rather than on the pitch. Through time, we have seen John Terry taking well care of his teammate's wives, Ashley Cole and Olivier Giroud doing anyone else than their (well fit) wives. If we go back to the late 1990's, some will remember (or desperately try to forget) Mark Bosnich and Dwight York being spanked wearing women's clothing. Oh, the Premier League is more than 20 teams and a shit load of money!

And there are much more where that comes from, but do we as fans really need to know what the players are doing outside the pitch? The answer is both yes and no. 

Yes, because as a Premier League star, you are a role model for lots of children and young people around the world following and copying their favorite player. Being a role model means you have to maintain a strong ethic and moral and not put yourself in a spot where your acts can be questioned. That includes adultery and having sex with minors. 

No, because players have a life outside the pitch as well. They should be allowed to live a life outside the media eye, but when you are famous for what you do, you must expect that the press will be keeping a eye on you - constantly. 

The FA has a history of investigating and punishing racial abuse from players. The question is if they should start investigating players when they are involved in cases as harmful as Adam Johnsons. However, in Johnsons case the alleged crime has been committed during his time off, and it can be argued that the FA has nothing to say then. 

One thing is for sure; if the players either need to control their sex life or at least keep it under the media radar. 

Rio Ferdinand and John Terry have played their last England match, and now it seems as Ashley Cole is joining the Ex-international. Can Luke Shaw get his first World Cup?

The veterans are ruled out one by one. First Rio Ferdinand was out; then Roy Hodgson announced that John Terry was a part of the past and with Ashley Coles lack of playing time in Chelsea, he looks to be the next to be sacked by England manager. 

The 33-year old defender have not started a Premier League match since 11 January and is being linked with a move away in the summer. César Azpilicueta is the favorite for José Mourinho, and he is not ready to give Cole a chance even though it can cost the defender his World Cup place:

Cole's 106 caps for England are being challenged by Everton's Leighton Baines who has been around the squad for a couple of years now. However, two other players are also pressuring Hodgson for a place in the World Cup squad; Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs and Southampton's Luke Shaw. 

While Gibbs is battling with Nacho Monreal for a place in the Arsenal starting line up, Luke Shaw has played 23 matches for Southampton this season, and is considered as one of the greatest England talents for years. The 18-year old are a future prospect for the England side, and will sooner of later earn his spot on the team. 

Leighton Baines are in front of the two younger defenders when it comes to starting for England against Denmark on the 5th of March as well as for the World Cup. However, either Shaw or Gibbs will probably replace the 33-year old Cole in the squad, with the first most likely to be called up. The new England is beginning to take shape.

The summer transfer window has hardly closed before we can look forward to the next. Many players are surrounded by rumours sending them to or away from the Premier League in January - Great Dane Football Blog list the most likely to join or leave EPL.

Not any transfer window goes by without linking Yann M'Vila to either Arsenal, Chelsea or Tottenham. The french midfielder from Rennes is eager to leave France and join the Premier League. At the moment, Arsenal seems to be the best club for him as they have sold Alex Song. M'Vila can be the replacement on the defensive midfield.

Ashley Cole is one of the elder player in Chelsea and is probably on his way out of the team. According to The Mirror, Abramovich has said that no player over 30 will be offered more than a one year contract. Ashley Cole's contract expires next season, leaving the January window as the only option for Chelsea to make money on him. It is well known that Cole is a fan of money, which makes PSG an opportunity as the next employee. Furthermore, PSG-manager Carlo Ancelotti has opened the door for the defender saying his is one of the best on his position.

Like M'Vila Falcoa is also linked with a transfer to England, in every transfer window the last couple of years. The Columbian has been rumoured close to Chelsea more times than I can count. However, often there has been nothing in the story. The current economic crisis in Spanish football can send Falcao to Chelsea given Atletico Madrid a much needed £45m. 

2. Nani to Juventus

Several media reports that Nani should be unhappy with his wage at Old Trafford. Juventus is keeping an eye on the Portuguese and looks as the club most likely to buy him. However, Nani has two years left of his contract and might be too expensive for the Italians.

1. Robert Lewandowski to Manchester United

Manchester United has been out for Robert Lewandowski for the last year and especially after his last season in Dortmund. The Polish striker has rejected to sign a new contract at Dortmund, and the club might want to sell him in January in order to make money on him. United seems as the club most likely to become Lewandowski's next employee having brought his former teammate Shinji Kagawa in earlier this year.

Pressure is on the Chelsea manager Andrés Villas-Boas as the club has had the worst set of results for more than 10 years and is in danger of not playing in Champions League for the first time since the 2002-2003 season. Rafael Benitez stands by to take over according to the media - But should AVB have more time?

Roman Abramovich bought Andrés Villas-Boas for the amount of £13.3 million last summer, making him not only the most expensive manager in the PL but also the youngest (34). Being compared to José Mourinho, the manager has been under pressure almost since his first match.

Villas-Boas has presented a three year plan to change the team and the club structure; however, a club like Chelsea demands results right from the start. To understand what Villas-Boas is up against, we should take a look at the former managers during the Abramovich ownership.

Claudio Ranieri 2000-2004

Win ratio:53.3 per cent

Notable signings: Wayne Bridge, Joe Cole,

                  Claude Makelele

Silverware: No Silverware, but guided Chelsea to

            second in the league (highest in 49

            seasons)

José Mourinho 2004-2007

 Win ratio: 67.6 per cent

 Notable signings: Didier Drogba, Paulo Ferreria, 

                   Ricardo Carvalho, Arjen Robben,

                   Michael Essien

 Silverware: 2 x Premier League, 2 x FA Cup, 

             2 x Carling Cup, Community Shield

 

 

 

 

 

 Avram Grant 2007-2008

 Win ratio: 66.7 per cent

 Notable signings: Nicholas Anelka, Branislav

                   Ivanovic

 Silverware: No silverware, but the first manager

             to bring Chelsea to a Champions

             League final

 

               

 Luiz Felipe Scolari 2008-2009

 Win ratio: 55.6 per cent 

 Notable signings: Jose Bosingwa, Deco 

 Silverware: No Silverware

  Guus Hiddink 2009

  Win ratio: 72.7 per cent

  Notable signings: None

  Silverware: FA Cup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlo Ancelotti 2009-2011

Win ratio: 62.2 per cent

Notable signings: Ramires, Ross Turnbull,

                  Yuri Zhirkov, David Luiz, 

                  Daniel Sturridge, Fernando

                  Torres

Silverware: Community Shield, FA Cup, Premier League

Taken from The Telegraph 

The Chelsea-fans, as well as, club owner Roman Abramovich have been used to winning or at least being in the top since he bought the club. However, it seems as the team has lost its “magic” since Mourinho left Chelsea, and the hiring of AVB could be seen on as an attempt to bring it back. As mentioned before, Villas-Boas has come up with a three year plan to change not only the team but also the structure of the club.This takes time and the manager insists that he has Abramovich’s back up. Let us take a closer look at one of the most important but also hardest parts the plan.

First of all AVB is trying to revolutionise an ageing team.  Many of the players have been in Chelsea for a couple of years now and are “over the hill” – the team simply needs new and younger players. This is something the manager has tried to bring to the club by the signings of Juan Mata, Oriel Romeu and Romelo Lukaku. The hard part is to clear out in the squad – to get rid of some of the old boys – as Drogba, Florent Malauda, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard. Villas-Boas have more than once put the older, more experienced players on the bench, given place to the young talents in the starting eleven. This has given him problems as the players who have been in the club for several years have stood up against him. At the same time are the fans furious when a club icon as Frank Lampard is being held on the bench. To make things worse for the manager have he often trusted  in his Portuguese players as Meireles, Bosingwa and David Luiz who more than often has failed. AVB himself said on the 16th of February that he do not need the support of his players as long as he has the support from Abramovich. 


Personally, I do not believe it is enough for Chelsea to get rid of the “old boys”. They need to sell the players that do not have an impact on the team – players as the harmless attacker Fernando Torres or Michael Essien – in order to bring some new faces to the squad. Porto’s attacker Hulk has already been mentioned as a new striker for the blues.


Time might be running out for Andrés Villas-Boas. If he does not get the results needed for keeping Chelsea in - or just outside - the top of Premier League in this season. However, Chelsea fans and Abramovich should open their eyes and see that AVB is not the “special one”. Perhaps not even the “next special one”. As long as the “Ghost of Mourinho “ is haunting at Stamford Bridge, Villas-Boas will not have the time and space to rebuild a new and younger Chelsea team. The question is can Rafael Benitez do it better?