Salomon Kalou: Avram Grant made Chelsea too scared to attack

Luiz Felipe Scolari plans to take the shackles off the boring Chelsea team which failed under Avram Grant last season.

Striker Salomon Kalou and his team-mates have only worked with the Brazilian since the start of this month but they have seen enough to know the days of cautious football are over.

Out have gone the lone striker role, the emphasis on wingers and two holding midfielders.

In will come the creative talents of Deco, Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard in front of Michael Essien with two strikers up front as Scolari bids to do for Chelsea what he has done for Portugal and Brazil before them.

Kalou, 22, said: "The manager wants to play an attacking game which is exciting. It's good for players who want to play more.

"Last year it was more about teamwork, being defensive, not conceding goals and trying to score one, but now it will be different.

"We have different players and a different system. Players like Deco, Ballack and Lampard can really put good balls through to the strikers so it's going to be a good season."

Grant had swept into Stamford Bridge last season insisting he would dispense with the safety-first tactics of Jose Mourinho and get the Blues playing like Barcelona.

In the end, however, it was clear he was relying on the same methods as his predecessor.

And speaking in the aftermath of the Blues' 4-0 win over Chinese side Guangzhou Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday night, Kalou said: "Grant didn't really change anything, but you can see from the players Scolari has taken over and the way we have played in our first match that things are going to be different.

"It's the first time since I've been at Chelsea we played with four midfielders and two strikers.

"Normally we play with two defensive midfielders and two wingers. The difference this season is every player is trying to attack and all our players are comfortable with this system.

"With the style of players we have we can play attacking football and be the best - I'm looking forward to playing attacking football."

Chelsea have struggled for some time to shake off their reputation for boring football, despite their dual Premier League successes under Mourinho.

The west Londoners have tried to turn the negative perception of their play into a positive by claiming theirs is winning football compared to the likes of Arsenal.

And Manchester United proved in the Premier League and Europe it is possible to play good football and win, prompting the replacement of Grant with Scolari.

Kalou admitted: "We were too cautious last season. There were some games when we were waiting and didn't take out chances.

"This year we can make it better. We have a lot of competitions to play for with a strong team so I'm looking forward to starting the season and trying to win every competition.

Team-mate John Obi Mikel even believes the attacking 4-3-3 formation to which Chelsea switched in Guangzhou was evidence they have also become a far more flexible team under Scolari.

Mikel said: "That's one of the ways he wants us to start playing, and it gave the team more fluid football and less running."

Kalou has been a peripheral figure at Chelsea and seldom seen in the club's strongest team. With Didier Drogba's future still unclear, however, and the club's move for Real Madrid striker Robinho yettobe concluded, the Ivorian has a chance to press his claims alongside Nicolas Anelka in China.

He went on: "Since I've been at Chelsea I've played in every position along the front, left-winger and right-winger, but this season it looks like I will have the chance to play as a second striker.

"I'm feeling comfortable with that position, and even though I have top names in front of me like Anelka and Drogba, football is strange and everyone has the chance to show what they can do.

"If the manager gives me that opportunity it's my goal to make one of those positions mine.

"Last year I played as a leftwinger, but this year I have an opportunity to play as a second striker. I can't wait to play in that system."

Chelsea fans cannot wait to see it too.

THELAST THREE MEN IN THE BRIDGE HOT SEAT

Claudio Ranieri, Sept 2000 - May 2004

WHAT HE WON: Ranieri reached the 2002 FA Cup Final and the Champions League semi-final in 2004, but failed to win a trophy.

STYLE OF PLAY: His sides were entertaining going forward, but they lacked the defensive solidity to win honours. Lampard thrived under Ranieri.

ULTIMATE DOWNFALL: The Italian earned the nickname "The Tinkerman" because he rarely stuck with an unchanged starting XI. His habit of fiddling with the team caused European Cup exit in 2004.

HITOR MISS? MISS

Jose Mourinho, June 2004 - Sept 2007

WHAT HE WON: Premier League (2005, 2006), Carling Cup (2005, 2007), FA Cup (2007) and the Community Shield (2005).

STYLE OF PLAY: Mourinho believed in substance over style. His team's resilience at the back made them almost impossible to beat resulting in many 1-0 wins.

ULTIMATE DOWNFALL: Mourinho's teams never produced the entertaining football Roman Abramovich craved. His refusal to budge, as well as several rows with the club's top brass, saw him sacked.

HIT OR MISS? HIT

Avram Grant, Sept 2007 - May '08

WHAT HE WON: He came close to winning the Premier League, Champions League and Carling Cup but missed out on all three.

STYLE OF PLAY: Grant insisted Chelsea were more exciting under him, but they were no more adventurous than under Mourinho. Lost knack of winning trophies.

ULTIMATE DOWNFALL: Grant never won the respect of the players the way Mourinho had. But had Terry scored that penalty, could Abramovich have sacked a man who made them European champions?

HIT OR MISS? MISS

WHERE WILL THE GOALS COME FROM IF CHELSEA SELL DIDIER DROGBA?

DIDIER DROGBA

Games 174
Goals 80
Goals/ game 0.46

ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO

Games 76
Goals 22
Goals/ game 0.29

NICOLAS ANELKA

Games 24
Goals 2
Goals/ game 0.08

SALOMON KALOU

Games 106
Goals 20
Goals/ game 0.19

FLORENT MALOUDA

Games 38
Goals 4
Goals/ game 0.11

SHAUN WRIGHT PHILLIPS

Games 124
Goals 10
Goals/ game 0.08

MICHAEL ESSIEN

Games 143
Goals 14
Goals/ game 0.10

JOHN OBI MIKEL

Games 81
Goals 0
Goals/ game 0.45

JOE COLE

Games 223
Goals 35
Goals/ game 0.16

FRANK LAMPARD

Games 369
Goals 110
Goals/ game 0.45

MICHAEL BALLACK

Games 76
Goals 16
Goals/ game 0.21

DECO (FOR BARCELONA)

Games 145
Goals 17
Goals/ game 0.12

ROBINHO (FOR REAL MADRID)

Games 101
Goals 25
Goals/ game 0.25

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