100% backing: Abramovich tells AVB to do what is needed at Chelsea
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will back manager Andre Villas-Boas to the hilt in 2012.
The Sun says Abramovich made it clear that he is sticking with his young Portuguese boss despite the team's disappointing results.
Blues fans were shocked when AVB chucked in the Premier League towel on Boxing Day following the 1-1 draw with Fulham.
And a number of senior stars have had their noses put out of joint by the manager's team selections.
But Red Rom has given Villas-Boas, 34, the all-clear to launch a major dressing-room shake-up in the summer.
Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, John Obi Mikel and Salomon Kalou are all set to follow Nicolas Anelka and Alex out of the club.
It is a dramatic change of policy by Abramovich, who backed the players when they complained about former bosses Luiz Felipe Scolari, Claudio Ranieri and Avram Grant.
But now the multi-billionaire Russian is convinced Chelsea's ageing squad is in need of a complete overhaul.
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Results & Fixtures
Matches
| Home | Away | Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun May 13th | |||
| West Bromwich Albion | Arsenal | 2 - 3 | 14:00 |
| Everton | Newcastle United | 3 - 1 | 14:00 |
| Sunderland | Manchester United | - 1 | 14:00 |
| Wigan Athletic | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 3 - 2 | 14:00 |
| Manchester City | Queens Park Rangers | 3 - 2 | 14:00 |
| Swansea City | Liverpool | 14:00 | |
| Norwich City | Aston Villa | 14:00 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Fulham | 14:00 | |
| Chelsea | Blackburn Rovers | 2 - 1 | 14:00 |
| Stoke City | Bolton Wanderers | 2 - 2 | 14:00 |
Tables
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 64 | 89 |
| Manchester United | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 56 | 89 |
| Arsenal | 38 | 21 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 70 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 69 |
| Newcastle United | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 65 |
| Chelsea | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 64 |
| Everton | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 56 |
| Liverpool | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 52 |
| Fulham | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | -3 | 52 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | -7 | 47 |
| Swansea City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | -7 | 47 |
| Norwich City | 38 | 12 | 11 | 15 | -14 | 47 |
| Sunderland | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | -1 | 45 |
| Stoke City | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | -17 | 45 |
| Wigan Athletic | 38 | 11 | 10 | 17 | -20 | 43 |
| Aston Villa | 38 | 7 | 17 | 14 | -16 | 38 |
| Queens Park Rangers | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | -23 | 37 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | -31 | 36 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 38 | 8 | 7 | 23 | -30 | 31 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 38 | 5 | 10 | 23 | -42 | 25 |
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Comments (13)
I'll advice AVB 2 try & consider David Liuz 4 a place either @ d front of d defender or d front of d person playing 4 becos he has a kind of motivatin & sacrificial move dat can open up d opponent's defense 4 goal
The Sun's story may be true. But concerning the speculations over who leaves n who stays, they are not true. Lampard ll finish his carreer at Chelsea. Mikel 'll not be sold. Drogbd, Malouda and Ferriera may be allowed to leave only because of their ages. Moreover, AVB ll not make big money signings not even in the summer. Chelsea ll operate like Arsenal and Barca from henceforth: which is about raising exciting young talents through the academy. Chelsea ll come good. Abramovich loves football and ll commit his interest to Chelsea for ever. Thank you
Is one mistake or two lapses too big to be forgiven by avb
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