Here are your Chelsea morning digest for Saturday, November 7.
How much Roman Abramovich has spent sacking managers
There are few football club owners as ruthless as Roman Abramovich, as his record at Chelsea attests.
The approach has often come under criticism, but it has ultimately delivered results, with the Blues winning five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, the Champions League and Europa League during his time in charge.
Over the same period, no club in English football has won more silverware - but it’s come at a cost, with an eye-watering £94.6 million spent on paying off the likes of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte.
It’s been a different approach at Manchester United, who have shown more patience with their current coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - but would emulating Chelsea be better for them?
Hakim Ziyech explains impressive start to life at Stamford Bridge
Summer signing Hakim Ziyech has outlined why he’s hitting the ground running at Chelsea.
The former Ajax winger was made to be patient for his competitive debut after suffering an injury in pre-season, but now he’s fit again he looks a key member of Frank Lampard’s squad, with two goals in his first three starts.
He looked particularly lively in last weekend’s 3-0 win at Burnley, scoring the opener before setting up fellow new recruit Timo Werner for the third.
"I’ve settled really well," he told the club's matchday programme for tomorrow's match at home to Sheffield United.
"I’ve found my place, it feels like home and a lot of people have helped me – in the squad and also people outside the squad that work for the club. They’ve settled me really well.
"On the pitch, I’m enjoying building an understanding with the other players, which is always something to look forward to.
“You know how it goes in football – you work together every day and the last month I’ve been here, everything has gone well with my team-mates, so it’s really exciting.”
Zola has no regrets over Chelsea exit
Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has given an interesting new interview with Italian outlet Il Cagliari Live (via Sport Witness ).
The 54-year-old, who scored 80 goals in 311 appearances for the Blues, left the club just as it began to be transformed by Abramovich’s investment in 2003 but has no regrets over the move.
He saw out the final years of his career with Cagliari, a club he’d later return to manage, and it’s a period of his career that he looks back on fondly.
“From Chelsea to Cagliari as a player? I’d do it a thousand times, but training was a gamble,” he said.
“The move from Chelsea was not difficult at all, also because I arrived there with the right spirit and the right idea.
“I had a great motivation, that is to play in the team of my region, for which I cheered as a kid. I strongly wanted to do well in the club and end my career in the rossoblù.”
