So as posted on here and in much of the sporting media yesterday and today, the CAS has lifted the ban on Chelsea after an settlement was reached between Chelsea and Lens over Gael Kakuta.
When the news originally broke, the press went to town on Chelsea with one journo even claiming that the fine that will be imposed on Chelsea should be more than the 17m Euros that Adrian Mutu was being chased after (now look whats happened to Mutu since! Click to continue reading...

photo credit: Alex Campos ♂

Just like the stuff that makes fairy tales, Chelsea's curse has been lifted for good. The elite Premier League squad was currently supposed to be suspended from making any transfer moves this summer, but that ban has been recently removed and the powerhouse club will be able to sign as many players as they want.

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By Gf60 The recent finding by the Court of Arbitration for Sport that Chel$ki were not guilty of inducing a breach of contract by Kakuta was a surprise. More of a surprise was the noting that the original contract between Kakuta and Lens was invalid. This raises more questions than it answers. A few hours before this finding was released, [. Click to continue reading...

Manchester United progressed to the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League as group winners as Michael Owen scored a brilliant hat-trick in Wolfsburg, while elsewhere Chelsea signed off with a disappointing draw at home to Apoel Nicosia and Bayern Munich battered Juventus 4-1 in Turin. Click to continue reading...

So we all knew that we had won the group and last nights game, Matchday 6 of the Champions League group stage could possibly of been a non-event. I still would of liked us to go out and stamp our authority on the game and the Champions League.
Ancelotti rotated the side once more to give players a game and some players a rest. Click to continue reading...

That phrase came from Jack in the previous Rant Box thread. I wasn't able to actually watch the game, but was able to listen to it on the radio and follow it on Espn. I CAN tell you that it went from THIS:

To THIS in a very short amount of time...

A lot can be talked about in this match.

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Tonight Chelsea travel to Blackburn for the Carling Cup quarter finals at Ewood Park and I have a feeling that the side that takes to the field tonight could be very different to the side that took the field at the Emirates last Sunday.
Ray Wilkins has said before the game:
"We certainly approach every game to win it and we'll be doing the same tomorrow evening. Click to continue reading...

This, my friend, is the very definition of big. London's oldest top-flight derby resumes Sunday when Chelsea visit the Emirates to face Arsenal. It's third versus first, the league's highest-scoring attack against its best defense.

More over, this match represents a chance for the Blues to pull 11 points clear of the Gunners at the top of the domestic table.

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Happy Thanksgiving kiddies!

Being that it is the day of thanks, I thought I would swipe Daryl's post on the main site and ask supporters/readers of Chelsea Offside what they are thankful for on this glorious day.

It can be funny. It can be endearing. It can even be downright filthy (please keep it within reason, though, people).

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The calm before the storm. Or is it?

Group leaders Chelsea have travelled to Portugal in advance of Matchday 6 of the Champions League group stage . Second-place FC Porto will be the host. The match represents the first of a four-game gauntlet, one that features league matches with both Arsenal and Manchester City as well as a Carling Cup semifinal against Blackburn.

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This week was full of action, in which the MLS Cup was conquered by Real Salt Lake.
*MLS SPECIAL*
The MLS Cup between LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake ended in an epic penalty shootout, both teams put heart into the game, but in the end, Real Salt Lake prevailed in the shootout, claiming the 14th MLS Cup. Click to continue reading...

Gael Kakuta is still a young one, just 18. He's one still running out for the Chelsea reserves.

But that hasn't stopped the now-infamous French starlet from drawing some conclusions on the Premier League after just one match. In fact, Kakuta reckons first-team football is a cinch compared to youth and reserve level, that is.

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Like many Chelsea fans I've wondered why Daniel Sturridge has been given so little time to prove his worth in a Chelsea shirt so far this season. When he joined in the summer from Man City I felt it was a very positive signing: not an exorbitantly priced player in the twilight of his career and a sign that Chelsea were genuinely looking to buy younger, but relatively established, talent.

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Like many Chelsea fans I've wondered why Daniel Sturridge has been given so little time to prove his worth in a Chelsea shirt so far this season. When he joined in the summer from Man City I felt it was a very positive signing: not an exorbitantly priced player in the twilight of his career and a sign that Chelsea were genuinely looking to buy younger, but relatively established, talent.

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In two words, no no. I know my last post of the same, albeit slightly shorter, title aroused a wee bit of skepticism. About my knowledge of football formations, the ages of players concerned, and not the least of which my opinions about a certain Liverpool manager. To clarify my point made in the "comments" chapter of aforementioned blog diary entry, Sergio Aguero is hardly a young up-and-comer (like one Gael Kakuta who looked rather good in his first team debut. Click to continue reading...

Chelsea's interest in Aguero has been rumored for many months.

Is Aguero really heading to England?

Chelsea is reportedly going to pay Atletico 44 million euros for Aguero.

telegraph.co.uk

Chelsea on verge of signing Sergio

Agüero for £40m from Atlético Madrid

Chelsea are expected to clinch a British-record £40 million transfer deal to sign the Argentine international

Sergio Agüero at a meeting scheduled with his agents next Monday.

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Ancelotti aims to bring in 'Marquee' Signing in forthcoming transfer window.

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Chelsea back in the hunt for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery

Chelsea have made Franck Ribery their top transfer target and hope to sign the France international when the January window opens.

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Chelsea's transfer ban has been lifted while FIFA get ready for final decision, Chelsea were banned because of signing Lens' ex-player Gael Kakuta by convincing Kakuta to terminate his contract. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has granted Chelsea's request for their Fifa transfer ban to be suspended pending a final decision by FIFA. Click to continue reading...

I woke up cheerful today, as is normally the case on most Saturday's, especially on Saturday's when we're playing at home. My smile quickly turned into a miserable frown and my joy evolved, faster than than any Richard Dawkin's book, into disgust as I read that Chelsea are now allowed to trade within January's transfer window after the Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS) postponed the FIFA imposed ban until it (CAS) has heard the club's appeal. Click to continue reading...

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) kindly announced today that they would grant Chelsea's request for a stay in the club's transfer ban, meaning Chelsea will now be free to flash the cash in January. Of course their final judgement over the club's alleged wrong-doing over the signing of Gael Kakuta is still to come, but in the short-term Chelsea will be able to strengthen the squad if Ancelotti feels reinforcements are needed.

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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) kindly announced today that they would grant Chelsea's request for a stay in the club's transfer ban, meaning Chelsea will now be free to flash the cash in January. Of course their final judgement over the club's alleged wrong-doing over the signing of Gael Kakuta is still to come, but in the short-term Chelsea will be able to strengthen the squad if Ancelotti feels reinforcements are needed.

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We had reported in September that Chelsea were banned by FIFA till 2011 for their alleged involvement in inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens. However the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS) has temporarily stayed the sanctions until it takes a final decision in the matter. "Such sanctions are now stayed until [. Click to continue reading...

Chelsea's transfer ban has been temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) pending a final decision on the matter.

Fifa had ruled the club could not sign players until 2011 after inducing Gael Kakuta to break his Lens contract. But Chelsea appealed to Cas, which said on Friday:

"Such sanctions are now stayed until the Cas renders its final decision in this matter.

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Chelsea's transfer ban has been temporarily suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) pending a final decision on the matter.

Fifa had ruled the club could not sign players until 2011 after inducing Gael Kakuta to break his Lens contract. But Chelsea appealed to Cas, which said today:

"Such sanctions are now stayed until the Cas renders its final decision in this matter.

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The Fédération Française de Football (FFF), France's governing football body, this week made the peculiar decision to include Gael Kakuta in their U19 squad for next week's Limoges Tournament. You'll recall the FFF were instrumental in getting Kakuta banned for four months by FIFA as part of the Chelsea transfer ban.

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Carlo makes plans...just in case.

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Chelsea are preparing to launch an unexpected January spending spree after submitting an appeal against Fifa's transfer ban.

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The controversy surrounding Manchester United's signing of 16-year-old French prospect Paul Pogba has been cleared up. FIFA have ruled that Manchester United did not contravene any FIFA regulations in their recruitment of the young midfielder specifically Article 19, which focuses on the protection of minors.

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FIFA have approved Paul Pogba's move to Man United after a judge ruled that United didn't get the player to break his contract with Le Havre. Pogba is now able to join Man United. United have said that Pogba will immediately be registered with the United.
Le Havre claimed that Man United offered the players parents a house and money if the played moved to United. Click to continue reading...

English club found to have acted within guidelines.

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Manchester United have been cleared by Fifa to sign 16-year-old Paul Pogba.

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"Sometimes you have a noisy neighbour and have to live with it. You can't do anything about them if they keep on making noise but what we can do, as we showed today, is you can get on with your life, put your television on and turn it up a bit louder."
Sir Alex Ferguson refuses to switch off where Man City are concerned. Click to continue reading...

With my apologizes to Elton John

Goodbye Peter Kenyon
Though I never knew you at all
You arrogance and lack of class
Makes Ken Bates look classy

Of all the owners, agents, players and commentators in football, Peter Kenyon stands alone on top of my most hated list.

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The Premier League have introduced a home-grown player rule and a limit on squad sizes – both of which will come into effect from next season.

The 20 Premier League clubs have voted to introduce the measures which will see all teams limited to a squad of 25 of which eight players must be ‘home-grown'.

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I haven't posted in a while (thanks mostly to the restart of school) and I thought I would throw in some of my thoughts as of late.

DC UNITED

I live and breathe for the Black and Red! This season is bring me back to the dark ages of the Ray Hudson era. Granted United is 3 points out from 1st in the East, United has also played the most matches of every team except for Houston.

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The shock transfer ban recently imposed on Chelsea for their "inducing" of young French player Gael Kakuta has again raised the argument of English clubs scouting for and developing too many foreign players within their youth systems. Why?

It's a simple numbers game.

Football is a global sport, so it would make very little sense for a club to ignore the wealth of upcoming talent outside of their own back yard.

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended the pursuit of the world's best young talent by the Premier League's top clubs.

Wenger has also declared a ban on the transfer of under 18s would be very damaging for the game.

Chelsea have been barred by FIFA from making any new signings for two transfer windows after being found guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens in 2007, when the winger was 16.

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Ken Bates, the hero of small clubs everywhere!

They are after you.

"They" being UEFA and FIFA and "you" being most of the top football teams in Europe.

I am, of course, talking about the massive issue has come of the top European clubs "stealing" young talent away from smaller teams.

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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has welcomed UEFA's crackdown on diving but he wants to see video evidence used more often to punish reckless challenges.
Arsenal striker Eduardo was recently banned for two games after being found guilty of deceiving the referee to win a penalty in their Champions League qualifier against Celtic. Click to continue reading...

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is not sure that a ban on the transfer of players who are under the age of 18 will necessarily improve the situation, as the storm surrounding big English clubs and their alleged 'inducement' of young French players continues to rage.
Manchester City are the latest club to face possible FIFA action, following the transfer ban placed on Chelsea for an alleged breach of the regulations when they signed youngster Gael Kakuta from RC Lens. Click to continue reading...

Big Story
Whatever the legal niceties of it, the backstory of the Premier League's worldwide poaching of talent is the failure of the Academy scheme domestically, put into place 12 years ago nationwide, but hardly bringing through an amazing stream of talent.

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FIFA's transfer ban imposed on Chelsea has, as expected, opened up a can of worms regarding the tapping up of players.Chelsea were banned last week from registering any new players until 2011 for improper conduct when they signed Gael Kakuta from French club Lens in 2007.And already accusations have been lodged at United over the signing of Paul Pogba. Click to continue reading...