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Chelsea left back Ashley Cole has said that Chelsea can win a historic treble next season if they buy new players to supplement the quality they already have. The Blues endured a lukewarm campaign last time round, ending the season trophyless after finishing second in the League, nine points behind winners Manchester United.
Now the defender believes that strengthening the side in the summer can prove to be the difference next season and make an already good Chelsea side great, and take it on the road to victory.
Talking to reporters, Cole said that injuries played spoilsport last season, with key men like Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and others missing out at crucial times. He stated that a team of Chelsea’s stature should be winning the League two times on the bounce, and expressed regret on their inability to do the same.
He said-
“We just fell short last season, we had a lot of injuries so hopefully if we do bring players in we can strengthen the squad and kick on because we’ve got so many great players in Chelsea we should be winning the league two times on the trot, which we didn’t,”
Cole said that Chelsea should have the right mix of players if they are to challenge for top honours. He was convinced that Chelsea had the experience, they just needed some young blood and they would be unstoppable. He said-
“I think all teams would love to see fresh faces, but the age thing, it creeps up on players and as you get older you get knocks more and things like that but they’re very professional players in Chelsea and if we can add to that with maybe some younger players I don’t see why we can’t improve on last season and win the league, win the Champions League and win the FA Cup because we’ve got the players to do it.
The England international particularly expressed dismay at losing out on the Champions League with two defeats in two finals as a player, and reiterated his hunger to win the trophy they called Big Ears.
“A lot of players’ dreams are to win the Champions League, I have played in two finals, but of course we want to win – but we want to win any trophy.”
When asked about new manager Villas-Boas and his age, he dismissed all talks of inexperience and said that he had managed a top team in Porto and had led them to unprecedented success; and that the players looked at him just as their manager and would fight for him next season.
“Age is just a number, he has experience of being at Porto, a big club,”
“Hopefully he can bring that glory to Chelsea, but I don’t think the age thing is anything to worry about, I don’t think the players think about that. He is our manager now and we have to go out and fight for him.”
Villas-Boas has apparently been given a bumper transfer warchest with which to buy new players. The ball is now in Chelsea’s court.
