Impressed by my teams performances last year and our displays in pre-season, the media have installed us as one of the favourites for the Premier League title. It will be up to my players to justify this tag, as we look forward to the season opener, away against Blackburn.

There was huge travelling support for the opening game at Ewood Park and my team didn’t disappoint. We got off to a flyer and were 2-0 up within thirty minutes, through Lindfield and Pearce. However, after the half time interval, Blackburn came out with an extra spring in their step, quickly grabbing a goal back through a Ryan Nelsen penalty. With my team failing to convert their chances, Blackburn managed to scramble home an injury time equaliser which saw the game end 2-2.

Disappointed, but not too downbeat we prepared for the first leg of the Champions League third round qualifier at home to Greek side Kalamaria, knowing that we had to get the win. My side put in a dominant performance, with four goals from Sahar and a brace from Lindfield helping us to a 6-1 victory and putting us within touching distance of the group stages.

This game was followed by our first home match of the season, against Premiership new boys Preston. Despite playing with ten men for seventy minutes - after Pearce was sent off for a professional foul - my team went on to record a resounding 4-0 victory over the Lilywhites, with goals from Sahar (2), Martinez and Barnes.

We made the short journey across London to the Emirates Stadium for what was our first big test, away against Arsenal. Having staged a remarkable comeback at the same ground last season, we were confident of getting a result. We destroyed the Gunners, with Bojan putting in a virtuoso man of the match display, to record an emphatic 4-1 victory.

With confidence running high, we arrived at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Greece for the return leg of the Champions League third round qualifier. Despite knowing that we had all but qualified for the group stages with our victory in the first leg, I sent out my strongest starting eleven to finish the job. They completed the task in great style, with Sarmiento scoring two goals in an impressive 4-1 victory, which saw us go through 10-2 on aggregate.

Two days later, the draw for the groups stages was made. We have been drawn in a potentially tricky group but should have a good chance of making it through to the knockout stages as we come up against Roma, Besiktas and Dinamo.

August ends with a derby match at home to Fulham. Despite having Martinez sent off on the half hour, a brace from Bojan was enough to secure a 2-0 victory and ensured that we finished the month on a high.

The mood around Stamford Bridge is buoyant, having taken ten points out of a possible twelve, we sit top of the table heading into September. Our great start to the season hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Football Association who have awarded me the Manager of the Month accolade, whilst Martinez has won the Player of the Month.

September will be a quiet month for my team, which should give us more chance to hone our skills on the training ground. The month starts with a two week international break. However, with only a few of my players being called up for their national teams, it could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

The month belatedly gets underway with a trip to Wales to take on another of the promoted teams, Cardiff. Roared on by a passionate home crowd, it was clear that the Cardiff players were well up for this match and they took an early lead through McPhail. However, my team put in a strong second half showing and goals from Sahar and Hobbs earned us a credible 2-1 win over a side who may surprise a few this season.

It was important that we made a winning start to the Champions League group stage, as we travelled to Bucharest to take on Dinamo. We put in a five star display to decimate the Romanian outfit 6-0. It was a match in which we made a statement of intent, the players were more clinical and focused than ever and on their day, they could beat any team.

Next up was the home derby against our London rivals Tottenham. It would be a tough match as Spurs had added some quality players to their squad over the Summer, including the signing of combative midfielder Alan Smith. My side looked off the pace in this match, clearly still feeling the affects of their mid week exertions. Tottenham proved too strong and dealt us our first defeat of the season, running out 3-1 winners.

After this defeat, we had an excellent chance to get back on track as we welcomed League One Oldham to Stamford Bridge in the third round of the League Cup. Despite an unconvincing first half, we ran riot in the second and recorded a 6-1 victory, courtesy of goals from Hobbs (2), Sarmineto, Lindfield, Vela and Barnes.

Despite our excellent goal scoring record, we had looked weak at the back on occasions, so me and my backroom staff have asked Martinez to subdue his attacking instincts and focus more on supporting the back four.

The final league match of the month saw us travel to the City of Manchester Stadium to take on a City side who were in thirteenth place and enduring a difficult start to the season. They sprang a surprise by playing a more defensive minded formation - despite being at home - and this paid early dividends when Ireland scored following a counter attack. A Hobbs equaliser was then cancelled out by a Bojinov goal on the stroke of half time. I implored my players to push forward in the second half and although Martinez levelled the scores shortly after the break, we were unable to find a winner and the game ended in a disappointing 2-2 draw.

Despite the draw, the board were happy with the battling qualities that we had shown and the result moved us up to second place in the division.

We welcomed Besiktas to Stamford Bridge for the final game of the month. The Turkish champions were desperate for a win to kick start their Champions League campaign following an opening day defeat to Roma. However, my team bossed the game from start to finish to come out with a comfortable 4-1 victory. Jack Hobbs was again on the score sheet, grabbing two goals, to take his tally to seven for the season.

Our league form in September had been patchy at best, despite always looking a threat in front of goal, we are very susceptible to being caught on the break. Whilst we have already addressed this problem, I call my defenders to a meeting and outline the importance of keeping it tight at the back. I tell them that being strong defensively will be the key to any success we achieve this season and that they need to improve as a unit. They seem to understand, but it will be interesting to see whether they heed my message over the coming weeks

The month starts at home to a Bolton side who are in a bit of a purple patch and currently sit top of the table at this early stage of the season. However, we brought this run to an abrupt holt, with goals from Sahar (2), Vela and Pearce earning us a convincing 4-1 victory.

Next up was another tough match away against third placed Everton. Again my team concede two sloppy goals and this time the attack were unable to dig the team out of a hole, as we lost 2-1. The result sees Everton climb above us, as we slip to third in the table.

I am livid and keen to address our inconsistency so that it doesn’t affect the whole season. It has become clear that the new formation doesn’t provide enough cover for my young defenders. As a result, I will be reverting back to the 442 system that my players are used to from last season, with Sahin coming in to give us more fight in the middle of the park.

With the new formation in place, we welcomed Roma to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League group stage. A win here would be vital to get my team back on track and put us on course for the knockout stages. We looked much more convincing in this game and put in an accomplished performance, with goals from Barnes, Lindfield and Bojan helping us to an excellent 3-1 victory.

Three days later, we made the long trip up North to take on a Newcastle side who were having a dire start to the season and were currently in eighteenth place. However, they still had some quality players in their team, so my side would need to be at their best. It was a cagey match in which Newcastle flooded the midfield and were successful in knocking us out of our stride. Despite a few late scares, we managed to stand firm and the game ended 0-0.

Our final match of the month sees us travel to Molineux to take on Wolves in the fourth round of the League Cup. It was a match that had the board and fans fuming, as I came under real pressure for the first time during my managerial reign. The Championship side condemned us to a humiliating 3-2 defeat which saw us exit the competition and my players were booed of by the travelling Blues supporters at the final whistle.

For the first time there is a growing unrest at Stamford Bridge. The fans and board are not happy about the way the team are playing and we need to remedy this immediately. I am hoping that in the face of adversity my young team will stand up to be counted and restore our faltering title bid.

At this stage the players are still on my side, but Sukuta-Pasu remains unhappy at the club. He has come to my office complaining of a lack of first team opportunities and says he is still feeling homesick. I tell him his performances haven’t warranted an automatic first team spot - livid, he demands a transfer, I am forced to oblige and he now looks likely to leave during the next transfer window.

Our first game of the month sees us make the short journey across London to take on West Ham at Upton Park. The Chelsea fans travel in their droves, hoping for an improved performance from their team. Things go from bad to worse as we find ourselves 3-0 down at half time. Some of the fans were heading for the exits before the half time whistle had even been blown. I gathered my team in the dressing room and let rip, this was a shocking performance and we were letting the whole club down. I ordered my players to go out and restore some pride to the shirt they are so privileged to wear and try and force an unlikely comeback.

Stoch, Vela and Sahar came on for Sarmiento, Lindfield and Bojan, but it was to no avail. West Ham completed a comprehensive victory, grabbing the only goal of the second half to win 4-0.

Sweeping changes were made for the match at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma. Lindfield, Sarmiento, Sahin, Barnes and Pearce were all dropped, with Sahar, Moses, Merida, Walcott and Nordtveit taking their places. It was time for drastic action and I had to freshen up my team.

Although our recent league form had been poor, we had been on fire in the Champions League winning all of our three games so far. My team put in a classy performance, comprehensively out playing the Italians, with goals from Bojan and Sahar giving us a 2-0 victory. Despite my joy at our victory and qualification for the knockout stage, it did leave me scratching my head as to how we could perform so brilliantly one week and then look distinctly average the next.

I kept the same starting eleven for the visit of Birmingham to Stamford Bridge three days later. It was a match in which young Fran Merida excelled himself, carrying the team to a 2-1 victory. However, we were not as clinical in front of goal as we should have been and against some of the better teams in the division we may have been made to pay. But I will focus on the positives and it is a relief to get back to winning ways.

Our next match saw us travel to Old Trafford to take on reigning champions Manchester United. It was important that we got something out of this match, to stay in touch with the leading pack. However, United were far from unbeatable, they had lost two of their last four matches and despite being third in the division, were in a bit of a slump of their own.

It was a cagey affair, with both teams short on confidence, there was little quality on display. However, a goal by Sahar two minutes before half time was enough to secure a hard fought victory which moved us up to fifth in the table. The fans were delighted with the result and stayed behind after the game to cheer the players off the pitch.

I hoped that this result would prove to be the turning point in our season, as we went into our next match at home to Dinamo. We maintained our one hundred percent record in the Champions League with a quality display, Traore was in phenomenal form scoring one and setting up two more in a comprehensive 4-0 victory.

The final game of the month saw us welcome Liverpool to Stamford Bridge. It would be another difficult match for my team, as the Reds had world class players all over the pitch. Liverpool were far more clinical in front of goal than we were. They went in 2-0 up at half time and despite a quick reply from us after the break, they went on to win the game 3-1.

November had been a month to forget for us, a terrible start had been followed by a resurgence of sorts mid way through the month. However, the deflating defeat to Liverpool in the final game leaves us with a lot of work to do in December. There are still doubts over my managerial tenure, with a number of fans calling for me to be sacked. They say that after sixteen months in charge I should know my best starting eleven and my continued chopping and changing is having an adverse affect on the teams performance.

Determined to turn the tide, we travel to the Hawthorns to take on eighteenth placed West Brom. The pressure intensified on me, despite dominating the match, we succumbed to an eight-seventh minute goal from John Hartson, which saw the game end 1-0. The away stand was empty at the final whistle, as the disgusted fans left early.

The following day I am called to a meeting with Mr Abramovich and Peter Kenyon. They tell me that they have been extremely disappointed with the teams performance this season. They expected us to be challenging for the title, yet we are now languishing in eighth position. Although they are happy that we have performed well in the Champions League, they say I have had more than enough funds for new players and that we should be challenging for trophies on all fronts. I am told in no uncertain terms that unless there is a marked improvement in the teams results over the Christmas period, then they may have to look elsewhere for a manager who can take the team forward.

With these words ringing in my ears, I called a crisis meeting with my backroom staff to inform them of the situation. I tell them that all our jobs are on the line and if we don’t do something now, then we will be out of work come the new year. We spent hours watching tapes of our recent displays, trying to work out where things were going wrong.

We came to the conclusion that opposition teams had sussed out our formation and pin pointed our full backs as our main weakness. There marauding forward runs were leaving plenty of space in behind and we were leaving ourselves vulnerable to the counter. We have decided to stop this practice with immediate effect, putting an emphasis on keeping a tight back line. We will also be asking the wingers to get the ball into the box quicker rather than always pushing for the byline, in the hope that this will bring more goals.

Only time will tell if this is the right move, but one thing is for sure, if it isn’t I will be heading for the exit door and Chelsea could find themselves slipping towards the relegation zone.

Our next four games were all must wins and we had an extremely difficult start as we travelled to Turkey to take on Besiktas. Despite already qualifying for the knockout stages, we had to win this game to get some momentum going.

With Besiktas needing to win to stand any chance of qualifying for the knockout stages, the atmosphere at the Inonu Stadi was red hot as both sides took to the field for this vital match. I sat in the dugout in an apprehensive mindset and I soon had great cause for concern, as Besiktas took a thirteenth minute lead. However, my team showed great strength of character to claw back the initiative and equalised in the forty-second minute through Martinez.

With the game seemingly heading for a draw and the clock running down on my managerial reign, Jack Hobbs popped up to head home an eighty-sixth minute corner which had me and all my backroom staff celebrating wildly, as we went on to win the match 2-1. It was a result that meant we qualified top of our group, with six wins out of six.

Next up was Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Mr. Abramovich and Mr. Kenyon looked on ominously from the directors box as my unchanged team took to the field. They were standing to acclaim the teams performance come the final whistle. A breathtaking display of attacking flair had seen us destroy The Villans, with a brace from Sahar helping us to a 5-0 victory!

We moved up to seventh and within six points of table topping Tottenham, but the situation was still on a knife edge as we travelled to the JJB Stadium to take on Wigan. An early goal from Sahar settled our nerves, but Wigan equalised through Hungarian striker Szabics and we were unable to find the winner, with the game ending 1-1.

It wasn’t the best result but we had avoided defeat, we now faced our biggest game of the season at home to thirteenth placed Middlesbrough on Boxing Day. Stamford Bridge was packed to the rafters for the midday encounter, I made it clear to the players that a defeat at this stage could well mean the end of my managerial reign. I asked them to put in a performance - not only for the fans - but also for their manager. I prayed that they would respond.

We got off to a flying start and were 1-0 up within a minute through Merida. Lindfield added a second two minutes later and then scored again on the stroke of half time, the crowd were in dreamland as the players walked off at the interval three goals to the good. Lindfield completed his hat trick shortly after the break to give us a 4-0 victory.

I thanked my players after the game, I told them they may very well have saved my job.

The following day I waited with baited breath to be summoned to Mr. Abramovich’s office. However, the call never came and I was told by one of his assistants that he would be out of the country until New Years Eve, so I would be in charge of the team for the visit of seventh placed Portsmouth.

My team put in a battling performance against a dogged Portsmouth side. Despite conceding an early goal, we rallied in the second half to earn a hard fought draw.

The result saw us end a turbulent year in sixth place in the division. The irony of the situation is that we are much better off than we were this time last year. However, I wandered if this would be enough for Mr. Abramovich as I was summoned to his office directly after the match.

He told me that he had been impressed with the way the team had responded since he issued his ultimatum to me. He was willing to grant me a stay of execution, but if the team failed to deliver silverware at the end of the season then I would be fired. He wanted me to know that he liked me as a manager and that is why he had given me so much leeway, he wished me well for 2009 and told me to remember his words.

In the midst of all the off field drama, we have been handed a difficult tie in the second round of the Champions League. We will face Italian side Milan in what is sure to be an entertaining encounter. With us being seven points off the pace in the Premier League, this may be our best chance of winning some silverware this season. However, even that may not be enough to placate the board, with many pundits suggesting that I am living on borrowed time.

Part Four >>