Are Chelsea everyone's second favourite team?
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Are Chelsea everyone's second favourite team? Sportsmail looks at if we can love the Blues
Good times at the Bridge: Chelsea have made a 100 per cent start to the season
Twenty-five goals in six games, 100 per cent start to the season and playing attractive attacking football - Chelsea are the team on everyone's lips at the moment.
Long gone are the defensive - but successful - methods of a certain Special One and instead the Stamford Bridge faithful are being treated to Carlo Ancelotti's brand of Italian style.
But can we ever learn to love Chelsea?
SPORTSMAIL SAYS...
JAMIE REDKNAPP
I’m loving watching Chelsea at the moment — they’re electrifying.
They’re mirroring the image of Ancelotti, who was a top player, is a top coach and a top man.
Some players’ on and off-field behaviour put a lot of people off. Let’s not get carried away, though, their season starts now with Man City, Marseille and Arsenal up next.
MATT LAWTON
Love might be too strong a word but we can admire them.
They were the ‘enemies of football’ because of Mourinho’s rows but Abramovich deserves credit for the way he has tackled that image problem.
Ancelotti is far more charming and the football his team play is more adventurous, too.
And if we are jealous of clubs for their wealth, hasn’t the focus now shifted to Manchester City?
SIMON CASS
Chelsea are certainly more loveable than during the Jose Mourinho era.
The Special One provided great soundbites but his arrogance and workmanlike tactics won few admirers.
Ancelotti’s amenable personality and attractive football have changed attitudes.
Outsiders may never grow to love them but there’s no reason to loathe them anymore.
MATT BARLOW
Reasons to warm to Chelsea are emerging: enduring stars, lots of goals, homegrown starlets, Carlo Ancelotti.
Reasons to dislike them are disappearing: unnecessary clumsy boasts are down, Peter Kenyon has gone and Man City have seized their mantle as transfer market bullies.
But love them? That’s a big commitment. Who truly loves two clubs?
IAN LADYMAN
It is hard not to admire a team that can roll sides over as convincingly as Chelsea.
Personally, I never warmed to them under Jose Mourinho and Peter Kenyon. They had a strut back then that they hadn’t earned. Recently, though, I have softened.
They are not the only team in Europe to spend big on players. I will never love them. Why would I? But they do deserve our respect.
JOHN EDWARDS
Probably not, but I could develop a soft spot for them, if they keep playing the way they are.
The old stifling efficiency under Mourinho has given way to flair and freedom.
As a lifelong devotee of non-League Altrincham, where you pay £13 and feel part of the proceedings, I should have a natural aversion to any big-time Charlies from London.
But anyone who enjoys football played with pace and power would have to warm to this Chelsea team.
CHRIS WHEELER
Unlikely. You can admire the ruthless efficiency, as we have in other sports, but that’s as far as it goes.
The secretive Abramovich, the scheming Kenyon and brooding Mourinho gave Chelsea a slightly sinister air which has lingered despite the changes in personnel.
Cole, Terry and Drogba may be fine players but they are unlikely to win many popularity contests.
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man city was everyone's second fav team when it was still under hughes...basically your second fav team have or sign players you wish your fav first team had but didn't
i like resilient or used to be resilient teams like southhampton, conventry, bolton...always survive going down and the cult/godly players at the clubs. now there's a lack of cult/godly players at mid table to bottom clubs...which is what i feel is missing the most from modern football.
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2nd from the bottom maybe....
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For me, Liverpool is my favourite team for life.
But, they are pledged with too many strange and unwanted issues for the past 5 seasons.
Arsenal is actually a good team with low budget but strange enough, they tend to self-destruct in the most critical time.
Man Utd is another team that is every one favourite cos they are the champions and due to alex.
Chelsea is built with money and not so easy with some of the fans.
Man City is supposed to rise up as favourite but they did not really impress.
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yes .. i adored Chelsea... not becos i am their fans... but they generate lots of
for me !!!
