[mosdef]

It seems that Malouda to Chelsea is a done deal now.

The impact of this will depend on what happens to Robben. I think Robben is a fantastic player who grates Mourinho, so it seems like a good buy opportunity for someone. Looks like Real Madrid, but RM claims they're about to buy every player under the sun.

I think Malouda is a good player, but it doesn't seem to address what is (IMO) Chelsea's biggest problem: Essien, Ballack, and Lampard are all most effective as central midfielders, and there's only one central midfield spot when Mourinho insists on having Makelele holding. Until they get those guys out of the way of each other (Lampard to Juve/Barcelona makes sense) they're going to be a tactical mess.