Sturridge stirs trouble at Chelsea over ‘old guard’

That Arsenal should be sitting pretty and Chelsea fretting about being left out in the cold in terms of Europe next season only speaks for what a fickle game football is. And for Arsenal and Arsene Wenger’s astute football management.

The old guard at Chelsea may have quelled doubts that it is not the players that run the club, but the manager, but their refusal to budge is the next big crisis at the club.

John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba head the old guard and can take credit for Chelsea’s revival in the Champions League.

But if the future of the club is to be looked at, young stars are feeling increasingly frustrated and may be forced to move.

Like Daniel Sturridge.

In an exclusive story in The Sun (https://bit.ly/GMZQCc), Sturridge believes that only can he replace Wayne Rooney for England at Euro 2012, but more importantly, that he should play instead of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres at Chelsea.

"I am young and free-thinking with new ideas and a new positivity. 

"I am an attacking player. I am young and fresh and I want to prove myself. 

"I am someone who is trying to champion a new way of playing — in my team, in my national team and in my career."

"Wayne Rooney is obviously a world-class player, everyone knows that. But the one thing that's always driven me on is that desire to succeed, to be the best I can be. So I would love the opportunity."

Studge just wants to be the main man down the middle for Chelsea.

He insisted: "That's the position I will always pick myself, centre-forward."

And he added,: "But whatever position the manager picks me in I'm happy and right now, for the team, I'm in the wide position.

"I will always give 100 per cent and work as hard as I can to get the success we all want."

Chelsea are chasing the Champions League, FA Cup and a top-four finish, ensuring a dramatic climax to the season. Then come the Euros. 

Meanwhile, Chelsea have to now deal with Benfica star striker Oscar Cardozo, 28.

This season his goal in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United was his sixth in four outings against English teams.

The clubs meet in the first leg in Portugal on Tuesday and Cardozo (right) is in superb form, scoring 14 goals in his last 15 outings.