Everton v Chelsea:Gordon Brown is not synonymous with sporting predictions but when Avram Grant claimed yesterday that nobody, "including the prime minister of England, could have seen us in the position we are in (now) when I received the team," he had got his point across, and with uncharacteristic hyperbole, too.
The under-fire Chelsea manager was in fighting mood ahead of tonight's vital Premier League fixture at Everton and he did not stop with an outspoken defence of his record. Grant felt sufficiently confident to declare that he had started talks with the owner, Roman Abramovich, and scouting director, Frank Arnesen, over transfer targets and he suggested the summer would give him the opportunity to shape the team in the desired image.
Although Grant signed Nicolas Anelka in January and the Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic, who has yet to feature, the team and its style, despite his best efforts, remain largely that of his predecessor, Jose Mourinho.
Abramovich has demanded greater fantasy and Grant believes he will be entrusted with the close-season alterations. "We are already speaking about this all the time, planning for the short- and the long-term," he said.
"It's not about how many (new signings) but which ones you can bring. We want to play a certain type of football and if they can help us with that, we will want to take them.
"The advantage we had three years ago was that the other big clubs didn't have the money, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Barcelona, so we could show the money and get the player. Now it has changed. For example, I don't think Barcelona would give you (Lionel) Messi even if you showed them big money."
At present only Joe Cole consistently quickens the pulse at Chelsea. The club will be in the market for players who are capable of moments of magic and there will be spaces freed up by sales. Didier Drogba is expected to be the highest-profile departure and his fellow strikers Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro do not feature in any long-term plans.
Florent Malouda, the winger signed for £13.5 million from Olympique Lyon last summer, is another the club would like to move on. He left the French champions to play for Mourinho, not Grant, and his performances have been hugely disappointing.
Frank Lampard, meanwhile, must attempt to broker a new contract at the end of the season. His existing deal runs out in the summer of 2009. "I think players will want to join Chelsea," said Grant. "We are a big club, we want to be bigger. Only one team can take the title or the Champions League so you think all the good players will just want to join that one club?"
The level of hostility from Chelsea's fans towards Grant was illustrated yesterday by Pat Nevin, the former Stamford Bridge winger who received over a 1,000 emails from disgruntled supporters. He was as horrified as they were at the team's concession of a late equaliser to Wigan Athletic on Monday, which left Grant's side five points behind the leaders, Manchester United, with four games to play.
"I write for the Chelsea website every Tuesday and usually ask a little question at the end," said Nevin, who would not be "devastated or all that surprised if Barcelona's Frank Rijkaard turns up as the Chelsea manager" next season. "My emails went into meltdown because the only way you can contact the club is through my email address. I've got over 1,000 emails sitting there and they are not answers to the question."
Grant took over from Mourinho in September and when his first game in charge kicked off the team lay sixth in the Premier League, five points behind leaders Arsenal. They had also drawn their opening Champions League group game against Rosenborg.
"Realistically, we did not have a chance from day one that I was here," said Grant. "There was always a team above us with more points. (But]) we have made good developments in the Champions League and the Premier League and now we want to finish it."
Grant is sweating on the fitness of Drogba and the availability of Lampard for tonight's game with Everton. Drogba is struggling with a knee problem while Lampard missed the draw with Wigan on Monday night to be with his mother, Pat, who is in hospital suffering from pneumonia. Petr Cech retains his place in goal.
Everton manager David Moyes has admitted there is only a slim chance midfielders Mikel Arteta and Leon Osman will be fit. Arteta is out with stomach muscle problems while Osman is recovering from a hamstring strain.
