Having signed for Chelsea in 2004 – effectively for €1, it took until 2007 for Alex to join up with us following his 3 year loan spell at PSV. Last year, despite speculation of him wanting a move, Alex signed a new 4-year deal, keeping him at Chelsea until 2013. The trouble is, he doesn’t get to play enough.
Understandable during his first season, where the John Terry/Ricardo Carvalho partnership would’ve kept just about anyone out. Last season, he fared better with an injury-stricken Carvalho barely getting his boots dirty, although the start of this season it was Alex sitting it out following a groin operation in the summer.
He’s back now though and with the injured-again Carvalho having a pretty poor season by his standards, Alex has the perfect opportunity to establish himself as a regular in the first team. He may well have only played 3 games in the last six weeks but his Man of the Match performance against Stoke at the weekend has to have impressed Ancelotti.
It certainly impressed John Terry, who says “He amazes me how he comes in and plays so well. He is not first choice regularly but when he does come in he is brilliant. He made two great tackles in the game (against Stoke), especially the one against Tuncay. It is down to myself and Riccy to maintain our place in the team. Riccy is out with a slight hamstring strain but hopefully he will be back soon and when players come in and play as well as Alex, it gives the manager a problem which is good for the squad.”
I’m not so sure Ancelotti’s even got a decision to make after Alex’s performance last weekend though.
Blue is the colour
