Its age may have prompted a few barbs but not even Sir Alex Ferguson could find substantial fault with the size, depth and quality of Chelsea's squad.
In fact, the only manager who has voiced complaint with Chelsea's personnel is Luiz Felipe Scolari. The Brazilian has confirmed he only wants to operate with a squad of 25 players and the next three weeks are likely to witness more goings than comings. However, it is also likely to witness a big-name arrival - possibly Kaka, more likely Robinho.
Chelsea boast a formidable unit but they still lack the sort of outstanding creative talent that Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal all possess in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas. Didier Drogba has been their talisman for the past three seasons but both his reputation and fitness is on the wane.
Considering that Scolari was lured by a salary believed to be without equal in world football after the club's owner billionaire apparently tired of the functional his predecessors encouraged, it is odd that Chelsea have since failed to add a marquee name. While the arrival of a Kaka or a Robinho isn't urgent, neither would it be an unnecessary indulgence.
Close inspection of the Chelsea squad also reveals another surprising flaw - namely, the absence of a recognised fourth centre-half, a deficiency that wrecked their title aspirations two years ago. Tal Ben Haim may not have impressed during his year-long stay in West London but he at least provided reassuring depth. Bratislav Ivanovic is listed as cover behind John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Alex but he has yet to make a single first-team appearance and a transfer to Italy is reportedly imminent. It's a vacancy that ought to be filled.
More alarming must be the dearth of strikers available at the start of the season, a shortage that will become more acute when and if both Claudio Pizarro and Andrei Shevchenko are offloaded. With Salomon Kalou at the Olympics and Drogba still struggling with his longstanding knee problem, Scolari may be forced to shelve plans to deploy two strikers unless Real Madrid can be persuaded to sell Robinho or Kaka can be prised from Milan.
For the time being, Chelsea will be hugely reliant on Nicolas Anelka rediscovering his goalscoring sparkle - a sizeable risk given that he managed just one league goal last season after leaving Bolton in January.
Other critical questions remain unanswered. In pre-season, Chelsea have alternated between using a traditional 4-4-2, the tried-and-understood 4-3-3 and a new system in the form of a 4-1-2-1-2 that has the newly-arrived Deco as the playmaker, Obi Mikel inheriting Claude Makelele's position at the base of midfield and Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack competing for the two remaining positions. If that is the system that Scolari will eventually favour then Joe Cole, Chelsea's player of the year for 2008, will have to accept a bit-part role as Deco's deputy.
The uncertainty about which formula Chelsea will use also explains why the expected cull of their squad has been slow to materialise. For the moment, Shaun-Wright Phillips and Florent Malouda are still on the payroll but it's difficult to see how both players will fit into Scolari's plan once Kalou and Drogba return (and that marquee name arrives).
Were wingers to be gradually phased out, the onus will be on Deco to compensate with creativity in the middle of the park and for both full-backs to provide width. Ashley Cole, whose form since joining Chelsea has been patchy, will surely relish being given licence to attack while it's worth noting that Chelsea's latest right-back, the £17m Jose Bosingwa, began his career as a midfielder. Even if he is only worth half of his fee, he should complete a formidable back four.
Once Scolari persuaded the perplexingly-underrated Ricardo Carvalho to resist the temptation to reunite with Jose Mourinho, defensive solidity was all-but guaranteed for another season. If there is a concern about Chelsea's rearguard it may be in an unusual position: goalkeeper.
Carlo Cudicini is generally considered to be the best back-up goalkeeper in the Premier League but his display at Barnsley in the FA Cup suggested his skills had been eroded by years of stagnation, while Petr Cech can no longer justifiably be ranked the best goalkeeper in the world after a moderate season ended with a disastrous Euro 2008. But that debate can wait. Before August 31, Scolari still has plenty of work to do.
All Bases Covered? How The Chelsea Squad Measures Up*
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech, Carlo Cudicini, Hilario.
Right-Back: Jose Bosingwa, Juliano Belletti, Paulo Ferreira.
Left-Back: Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge.
Centre-Half: Ricardo Carvalho, Bratislav Ivanovic.
Centre-Half: John Terry, Alex.
Right-Midfield: Florent Malouda, Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Centre-Midfield: Michael Ballack, Deco, John Mikel.
Centre-Midfield: Frank Lampard, Michael Essien.
Left-Midfield: Joe Cole, Salomon Kalou.
Striker: Nicolas Anelka, Claudio Pizarro, Franco Di Santo
Striker: Didier Drogba, Andrei Shevchenko.
Pete Gill
* Although Chelsea are unlikely to use a 4-4-2 next season, we've set out their squad as such to facilitate comparison with those of Liverpool, Arsenal and ManYoo.
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