Chelsea’s Greatest Signings under Roman Abramovich

Chelsea have made approximately 50 signings since the take-over of Roman Abramovich. About £470 million (and William Gallas) has been spent on these players – that averages out at just over £9 million (and one of Gallas’ hands) per player.

Compiling a list of the best 10 signings in this time is not a simple task and there will, no doubt, be objections. Many players, such as Damien Duff and Wayne Bridge, are unlucky to miss out; others, like Nicolas Anelka, Mikel, Salomon Kalou and Branislav Ivanovic, may one day reach the heights of this list but have not done enough in their Chelsea careers, yet.

Ballack expressing the the anger of confusion or Stamford Bridge against Barcelona

The best signings that Chelsea have made under Roman Abramovich, in my opinion, so far, are:

10 – Michael Ballack. Truth be told; Ballack was a slight disappointment. He never truly or consistently lived up to his reputation of being one of Europe’s best players. He makes the top-10 because he was free, Chelsea nearly won the Premier League title in 2008 because of his double against Manchester United and because, in spite of what the disgusted media thought, he reacted like every Chelsea supporter would have wanted him to react to Tom Henning Ovrebo.

9 – Ricardo Carvalho. £20 million is a lot for a defender but Carvalho was worth every penny. He was the type of defender, for Chelsea, who would do anything not to concede, no matter how underhand or scrappy. After forming, with John Terry, one of the best defensive partnerships the Premier League has ever seen Carvalho, unfortunately, became a bit injury prone in his last couple of seasons; but this did not ruin his reputation at all. Chelsea received 5 good years (hopefully his best) and nearly £7 million for the 32 year-old from Real Madrid.

Carvalho would do anything not to concede

8 – Arjen Robben. Robben’s first two seasons (out of three) are the reason he is in this list. He wasn’t at Chelsea for very long, but he still remains one of the best players to play for Chelsea. His pace and flair added a new dimension to the Chelsea Premier League Champions of 2005 and 2006. Robben’s popularity with Chelsea supporters can only have grown with his wonder-goal to help knock Manchester United out of the Champions League last season.

7 – Joe Cole. Despite having a poor first season, a bad last season and transferring to one of Chelsea’s rivals Joe Cole was a fantastic signing for Chelsea. Despite some wretched times at Chelsea he will be remembered for some wonderful moments – most recently his back-heeled goal at Old Trafford. Many were disappointing to see Cole move on in the summer but it seemed unlikely that he’d get enough games at Chelsea to pull himself back to his best form. At least he didn’t go to Manchester United.

6 – Florent Malouda. If this list is written again in a year then Malouda may well have an even better position because his form keeps improving. Despite scoring on his debut, Malouda didn’t reach the heights that he reached with Lyon until Guus Hiddink became manager. Since then, Carlo Ancelotti has brought the absolute best out of Malouda. He currently sits at the top of the Premier League goal-scoring charts, is France’s new captain and is on the cusp of becoming a true Chelsea legend.

5 – Ashley Cole. ‘Cashley’ Cole is an unpopular figure in England despite, probably, being England’s best player. Along with people who read gossip magazines, the other main haters of Cole are the Arsenal supporters. Ashley Cole did leave his boyhood club, Arsenal, for their rivals Chelsea, but the accusation that this was a decision based entirely on money is unlikely. Far more likely is the fact that Cole realised that Arsenal, who have not won a trophy for 5 years, did not have aspirations as high as Chelsea or Ashley Cole.

4 – Claude Makelele. Makelele was underappreciated at Real Madrid, undoubtedly. If he wasn’t, then they wouldn’t have let him go so easily. It took a little while for Makelele’s importance to be realised in England but London eventually became the place that Makelele made his name – and his position (“the Makelele-role”). He scored just under a goal every 100 games for Chelsea – and one of these he was lucky to get – but it is appreciated that the Makelele-role is not about scoring.

3 – Michael Essien. His versatility, hard-working nature and set of wonder-goals had never been underappreciated at Chelsea, but it did take a couple of long-term injuries for supporters to realise just how important Essien is to Chelsea. He appears to be fully back to fitness this season and it has been remarked by Carlo Ancelotti that having him back is like having “a new signing”. However good Essien is now, at 27 years-old, the best is yet to come from the Ghanaian.

2 – Petr Cech. Even though Chelsea spent £7 million on him, not many would have predicted that he’d be first-choice goal-keeper for a couple of seasons – especially competing with Chelsea legend, Carlo Cudicini. Cech, however, did. Not only did he help Chelsea to the title, he also broke a Premier League record by not conceding for 1025 minutes. Cech’s form dipped after a severe head injury in 2006. Upon the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti, though, Cech regained his top-form and helped Chelsea back to the Premier League title. Chelsea’s Premier League success is directly correlated with Cech’s good form.

1 – Didier Drogba. It seems as though Drogba’s Chelsea career is put into question during every single transfer window. He has had some rocky times at Chelsea and his departure has seemed very likely at times but he has remained at Chelsea. He is now proving to be one of the best players in the world and is obviously very passionate about Chelsea Football Club. Drogba, along with Terry and Lampard, is a symbol for Chelsea and will, without doubt, go down as one of the club’s greatest ever players.

Pelacur elit dedah semua

SIMPANAN KE-10...pelacur kelas atasan, Loredana, mendakwa isteri Woods tidak cukup penyayang dan lebih berminat kepada harta jaguh golf itu.

LOREDANA Jolie menjadi perempuan simpanan Tiger Woods pertama bakal mendedahkan apa yang berlaku sepanjang hubungannya dengan bekas jaguh golf itu melalui buku.

Dikenali sebagai pelacur kelas atasan, Loredana turut menyalahkan isteri Woods, Elin Nordegren, kerana menjadi faktor penyumbang kepada kecurangan itu.

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  BERPISAH AKHIRNYA...bekas model Sweden, Elin, menerima lebih RM300 juta daripada harta kekayaan Woods, selain hak penjagaan dua anaknya, Sam dan Charlie.

Di sebalik pendedahan terperinci mengenai 20 hubungan seksnya dengan Woods, Loredana mendakwa Elin tidak cukup penyayang dan lebih tamakkan harta ahli sukan itu.

Kata pelacur yang mengenakan bayaran sehingga AS$15,000 (RM46,462) untuk khidmat seks selama satu malam itu, Woods kekal menjadi suami Elin kerana mahu menjaga kekayaannya yang mencecah lebih RM1 bilion itu.

“Anda boleh nampak dengan jelas Woods dan Elin tidak menjalin hubungan akrab kerana fikirlah - jika saya berada di rumah mereka, di mana Elin ketika itu?” katanya.

Menurut Loredana, jika mempunyai suami, dia akan memastikan tiada sesiapa boleh datang ke rumah tanpa pengetahuannya.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, apabila mendapati dia boleh menyelinap masuk ke rumah Woods tanpa diketahui Elin, pelacur itu mula menyedari ada sesuatu yang tidak kena pada pasangan berkenaan.

“Lebih kurang, mereka berkahwin kerana faktor kewangan. Elin berkahwin dengan Woods demi wang,” katanya.

Komen dan publisiti Loredana menjelang pelancaran buku itu bulan depan dijangka terus menconteng arang ke muka bintang golf berkenaan.

Kemunculan buku Loredana juga bertepatan dengan ulang tahun pertama kemalangan kereta membabitkan Woods di Florida.

Insiden itulah membongkar satu demi satu skandal seks jaguh golf berkenaan.

Walaupun mengambil sikap berdiam diri terhadap kecurangannya, Woods kemudian membuat pengakuan terbuka dan meminta maaf kerana bermain kayu tiga di belakang Elin.

Setakat ini, 14 wanita dikaitkan dengan hubungan ranjang Woods, termasuk dua pelakon filem lucah, pelayan bar serta pelayan restoran.

Kemalangan kereta di rumah Woods di Isleworth, Florida, berlaku pada hari majalah AS, National Enquirer, menyiarkan laporan mengaitkan atlet itu dengan pelayan, Rachel Uchitel.

Selepas perceraian dimuktamadkan oleh mahkamah di Florida dua bulan lalu, model kelahiran Sweden berusia 30 tahun itu dikatakan diberikan kira-kira RM314 juta serta hak penjagaan dua anak mereka, Sam dan Charlie.

Loredana, 27, berkata, dia bertemu Woods kali pertama pada 2007 ketika atlet terbabit berkunjung ke New York.

Kata bekas model Playboy itu, Woods dikenakan bayaran RM31,000 dalam pertemuan berkenaan.

Dalam buku berjudul ‘Real Diary: Lessons from the Good Time Girl to Champion’, Loredana turut menggambarkan Woods sebagai penagih seks dan hanya sekali mengupahnya di sepanjang hubungan mereka.

Kata Loredana, dia mula jatuh cinta dengan Woods ketika mengenali rapat atlet itu selama dua tahun.

“Woods juga mempunyai cita rasa seks yang luar biasa kerana selalu berkhayal melihat saya beraksi di ranjang dengan lelaki lain,” katanya.

Itu pun, kata Loredana, dia yang selalu merangsang khayalan Woods.

Katanya, dia bertanya sama ada Woods mahu melihatnya mengadakan hubungan seks dengan lelaki lain.

“Nampaknya kata-kata saya itu merangsangnya,” katanya.

Sementara itu, kemampuan seksual Woods mendapat pujian daripada Loredana, tetapi ia diakui melalui kata-kata kiasan saja.

Kata pelacur itu, sepanjang mengenai Woods, dia hidup seperti di awang-awangan, ‘terutama daripada perspektif seksual’.

“Sekurang-kurangnya tidak ada kesangsian mengenai hakikat tenaga Woods ketika di atas ranjang,” katanya.

Bagi Loredana, Woods ketagih pil tidur kerana menghadapi masalah tidur tidak menentu atau sukar melelapkan mata.

“Saya nampak dia mengambil ubat tidur dan pil penahan sakit,” katanya.

Festival robot di Korea Selatan

DUA robot melakukan aksi taekwondo pada pameran Dunia Robot di Ilsan, Korea Selatan. – AFP

ILSAN, Korea Selatan 1 Nov. – Lima robot penari mendapat tepukan gemuruh daripada penonton ketika membuat persembahan pada festival robot di sini, semalam.

Robot yang digelar Humanoid Dancing Crew itu dan mempunyai ketinggian 30 hingga 40 sentimeter menari mengikut rentak lagu popular Korea sambil memancarkan cahaya merah dan biru.

Sementara itu di bilik berlainan, robot yang menyerupai manusia bermain bola sepak. Pasukan yang kalah kelihatan memegang kepala mereka, manakala pasukan yang menang melompat keriangan dan bertepuk tangan di udara. Kelakuan mereka sama seperti manusia.

Sejak dilancarkan pada 2006, Dunia Robot telah menarik 120,000 pelawat dan 6,000 peserta setiap tahun untuk menunjukkan pembangunan robot yang dilihat oleh Korea Selatan sebagai masa depan pertumbuhan industri.

Tahun ini, sekurang-kurangnya 120 syarikat dan 8,000 peserta mengambil bahagian dalam acara yang berlangsung sejak 28 Oktober lalu hingga semalam ini, yang diadakan di Ilsan, utara Seoul.

“Jumlah pelawat meningkat setiap tahun. Ini adalah peluang baik kepada kami untuk mempromosikan produk kami,” kata Lee Hak-Soo, jurutera di Hanool Robotics yang membangunkan Tiro, robot yang bertindak sebagai pemandu pelancong di kediaman Presiden.

Pelajar-pelajar dari sekolah menegah teknik turut mengadakan lawatan ke festival ini.

“Apa yang pasti, robot-robot tahun ini secara teknikalnya lebih baik daripada tahun lalu. Mereka kini lebih serupa dengan manusia.

“Pelajar-pelajar saya turut menyatakan teknologi mereka hebat dan robot ini mengagumkan,” kata seorang guru dari sekolah menengah teknik mekanikal Incheon, Hyun Yun-Duk.

Festival ini turut mempamerkan perlawanan taekwondo antara robot yang menggunakan teknologi angkasa lepas dan berjaya menarik perhatian kebanyakan penonton. – AFP

Merapi meletus lagi

Penduduk meninggalkan kawasan zon bahaya di Kampung Balerante, Klaten ekoran Gunung Merapi mengeluarkan gas panas dan serpihan semalam.

GUNUNG MERAPI, Pulau Jawa - Gunung Merapi di sini meletus lagi dengan mengeluarkan gas panas dan serpihan dalam letupan paling kuat dalam minggu ini.

Bagaimanapun, tidak ada sebarang kematian dilaporkan ekoran perkembangan terbaru itu.

Gunung Merapi yang merupakan salah sebuah daripada 129 gunung berapi paling aktif di Indonesia telah meragut 38 nyawa sejak ia mula meletus seminggu lalu.

Lebih 69,000 orang telah dipindahkan dari kawasan sekitar cerun gunung itu yang kini diselubungi dengan debu.

Sejumlah orang yang mendapatkan perlindungan di kem-kem milik pemerintah beberapa kilometer dari gunung itu turut melarikan diri ekoran bunyi letusan kuat semalam.

Menurut seorang pegawai yang memantau aktiviti gunung itu, Subrandrio, gunung itu turut mengeluarkan beberapa bunyi letusan.

Gunung itu telah meletus beberapa kali sejak dua abad lalu.

Pada 1994, seramai 60 orang terbunuh manakala pada 1930 puluhan penduduk sebuah kampung melecur menyebabkan 1,300 orang maut.

Seorang ahli vulkanologi pemerintah, Gede Swantika berkata, para pemantau mendapati terdapat lebih banyak gunung berapi didapati menunjukkan tanda-tanda aktiviti seismos bermula 2 September lalu.

"Kami boleh menyatakan ia amat luar biasa, kira-kira 20 (gunung berapi menunjukkan aktiviti seismos) pada masa yang sama," katanya.

Seorang ahli geologi, Brent McInnes berkata, jika terdapat 20 buah gunung berapi menunjukkan peningkatan aktiviti seismos, perhatian perlu diberikan ke atas gunung tersebut.

Dia yang merupakan profesor di Universiti Curtin, Australia berkata, peningkatan aktiviti di gunung-gunung tersebut menunjukkan kemungkinan satu penstrukturan semula plat sedang berlaku.

GAMBAR dari udara menunjukkan rumah-rumah yang diliputi debu Gunung Merapi di Yogyakarta semalam.

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Sementara itu, puluhan penduduk di Desa Sangup, Kecamatan Musuk, Boyolali, Jateng, pengsan kerana terhidu bau belerang akibat letusan Gunung Merapi semalam pada waktu pagi.

Menurut akhbar Kompas.com semalam, mangsa-mangsa itu dirawat di Pos Klinik Desa Karanganyar.

Menurut seorang penduduk, Yulianto, letusan itu menyebabkan bau belerang menjadi kuat manakala udara menjadi panas sehingga menyebabkan penduduk panik dan menyelamatkan diri ke tempat yang selamat. - Agensi

Nenek 87 tahun jadi pengedar dadah

OLA MAE AGEE

MIAMI - Seorang pesara berumur 87 tahun, Ola Mae Agee akan meraikan ulang tahun kelahirannya yang ke-88 di penjara selepas polis menangkapnya semasa dia mengedar dadah dari kediamannya, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Agee dihukum penjara 18 bulan selepas juri sebuah mahkamah mendapati dia bersalah menjual dadah dari kediamannya.

Dia ditangkap selepas seorang anggota polis menyamar untuk membeli kokain berharga AS$24.10 (RM74.48) daripada nenek itu.

Hukuman itu menyebabkan nenek tersebut bakal berumur hampir 90 tahun semasa dia berada di dalam penjara.

Rakaman kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) yang ditayangkan di mahkamah menunjukkan anggota polis yang menyamar itu mengetuk pintu kediaman Agee di Pensacola pada 30 April lalu.

Anggota polis tersebut dibawa ke ruang tamu sebelum Agee menggeledah kerusinya untuk mengeluarkan sejumlah kecil kokain itu.

Nenek itu pernah mengaku salah pada Disember 1996 kerana memiliki barang kawalan dengan niat untuk menjual, mengeluar dan menghantarnya. - Agensi

Historic Steam-Powered Superyacht Gets a $20 Million Price Cut

Back in January when we reported that the SS Delphine (above), one of the last great private steamships of the 1920s, built for motorcar magnate Horace Dodge, was for sale at $70 million we assumed it would be snapped up right away. Now the astounding superyacht has been listed on global luxury marketplace JamesList for just $53 million, a price cut of nearly $20 million, making it a truly exceptional bargain. The listing also includes some great images of the classic craft which we've included in the gallery below. When the 257-ft. yacht was launched in 1921 Dodge had it fitted out with an interior by Tiffany & Co, acres of wood paneling and every conceivable luxury a gentleman could purchase.

She was pressed into service during World War II as the flagship for Admiral Ernest Joseph King, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Navy. Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt are said to have met aboard her prior to convening the Yalta Conference with Stalin in 1945, but she was sadly allowed to rust away in subsequent years. A European clothing mogul had her fully restored to former glory, including the steam engines, several years ago at a cost of $60 million. Along with accommodations for 26 guests and 28 crew members, there's a music salon, cinema, fitness center, spa, sauna, smoking room, swimming pool and original fixtures like the telegraph machine in the mahogany pilothouse.