I’m feeling a confidence that I rarely feel so early in season

NEW season, new manager, renewed hopes, a united support, excellent signings and the retention of some crucial players — all in all, an excellent way to put the heartache of Moscow behind us and look forward to a season full of promise.

I am trying not to get too carried away with the result against Portsmouth — despite the goals, the one touch football, the overlapping fullbacks and the extra dimension Deco gives us. It is difficult though; after the ‘problems’ of last season, it’s good to have a manager that I can believe in; a manager that I trust to have an idea of what he is doing; a manager that the players obviously respect, a manager that is animated and passionate on the touchline. Even Abramovich was smiling.

Pompey however, were complicit in their own undoing — if that was the kind of performance that they are regularly going to turn in, they will come nowhere near matching the exploits of last season.

Deco looked as if he had played with Terry, Lampard, et al for years and not only did his artistic magic have an impact on the way we played, but he’s obviously given Joe Cole competition for that creative role as he tried to out-Deco Deco. Certain quarters were attempting to report that Cole was surplus to requirement and even more ridiculously infer that he was Liverpool or Tottenham-bound. But Scolari has already shown that Cole and Deco can play together, just as Lampard and Ballack can — it’s all about tactical nous — which the new manager seems to have in spades judging by the number of formations we have already seen in the pre-season.

I know it’s been one game only, but Deco did remind me of a certain Sardinian with magic feet. The mixed reaction to his signing was also familiar — ‘he’s too old’, ‘he’s not suited to the English game’, ‘he’s too light-weight’, etc.

Boswinger too had a very accomplished first competitive game — no wonder Mourinho was desperate to sign him when he was still at the helm and the fact that Abramovich prevented the purchase does still rankle a bit — that three on the bounce could have been ours.

As an aside, interesting that Caladron is saying that Robinho will not be leaving Madrid for SW6 — perhaps someone should tell the Chelsea mega-store, where you can already order a shirt with his name on the back…

The future of Drogba still seems far from settled and the supporters seem split on their feelings for the temperamental striker. Me, I try not to cast my mind back to that Moscow night, but when I do, it’s not Terry’s slip that is at the forefront of my thoughts (honest!) — but the totally unnecessary sending off — that’s what really sets off the what-ifs for me.

But then when he is on song, he is a force of nature that can win games single-handedly but does he want to remain a Chelsea player? According to his intermittent bleating to the papers, apparently not and you can’t hold onto a player against his will.

Although looking at United, you obviously can. I will be watching the Ronaldo situation with interest this season as he was so funda-mental to their success last season — although once Tevez returns and they sign Berbatov (matter of when rather than if I think), perhaps his involvement will not be so crucial.

Speaking of the opposition, am I the only one that is already sick of the same old tosh being spouted about Arsenal and their “young” players. Is anyone other than the press remotely interested at what the average age of their squad is? Wouldn’t the typical goner (slack jaw, spiky hair, three-quarter length trousers, take themselves too seriously — regurgitate and take as their own anything even remotely scouse) rather boast about the contents of their trophy cabinet rather than the fact that Clichy is 23?

Most of us are acutely aware that this is not some sort of Wenger-led crusade, but a necessity due to lack of funds. Perhaps they can turn the trophy room at the Emirates into a crèche until they have finally paid for the Cameldome and are solvent again? Clichy should be drawing his pension about then.

Liverpool too seem to be tied down by the old purse strings somewhat — however, they have an enviable spine in Reina, Carragher, Gerrard and especially Torres so they could perhaps mount some sort of decent challenge should injuries be avoided.

Without wishing to tempt those wicked gods of football, I have a good feeling about this season, a confidence that I so rarely feel, never mind admit to so early on in a campaign.

As much as last season was hard for us fans, the players looked distraught and shell-shocked to be in with a shout of everything and end up with nothing, and they seem determined to win the title first and foremost and put the annus horribilis behind them. That’ll do for starters I suppose, but I do fancy a jaunt to the Eternal City in the spring too...