http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3985281/Chelsea-news-AVB-training-ground-row-with-Nicolas-Anelka-and-Alex.html
Ruthless.
SUNSPORT can today reveal the astonishing training-ground confrontation between Andre Villas-Boas and his players that left Nicolas Anelka and Alex humiliated... and dumped.
The football world was stunned when Chelsea officially confirmed two of their most senior players would be made available in the January transfer window.
But what the club did not reveal was the chain of events that led to the shock announcement.
The meltdown moment came after Chelsea had been beaten by Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and twice by Liverpool — in the Premier League and then last week's Carling Cup quarter-final.
Pressure was mounting on 34-year-old boss Villas-Boas, with critics challenging his high-line defensive tactics and whether such a young manager had the strength or experience to deal with Chelsea's high-profile but ageing stars.
As the tensions mounted, Villas-Boas called a head-to-head meeting with Chelsea's 'Fab Four' — John Terry, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech.
He told them it was their jobs as senior players to get the team pulling in the right direction and he expected them to relay that to their team-mates.
But the conversation started to turn heated and was only calmed when Villas-Boas suggested they reconvened for lunch together the following day.
However, that never materialised and the issues remained unresolved until Villas-Boas confronted all the players during a practice session at the club's Cobham training ground.
CLEAR OFF ... Brazilian defender Alex was told he can leave the Bridge, too
The players were stunned when their new manager started criticising them one by one in front of each other, pulling no punches and leaving them in little doubt about what he thought of their performances.
An insider revealed: "It was unbelievable. The manager would look at a player, tear him to shreds, then move on to the next one.
"For example, he turned to Didier Drogba and told him, 'You're a fraction of the player you were last season'.
"Then he turned to the next player and laid into him.
"Everyone was stunned, they'd never seen him like this and had never been treated like this before."
But AVB saved his bombshell moment for 32-year-old striker Anelka, and 29-year-old central defender Alex.
Frenchman Anelka, who picked up the Double with former boss Carlo Ancelotti, has barely featured under Villas-Boas — starting just three Premier League games.
Similarly, Brazil star Alex has barely played either, despite also winning the Double alongside Anelka.
Anelka was first to feel the icy blast, with AVB turning to him and saying: "I don't want to see you anywhere near the first team again."
Our insider continued: "The manager told Anelka he wasn't welcome anywhere.
"He was banned from training with the first team, banned from using the training facilities if the first-team squad were using them — and told he would be training with the reserves from now on.
"Then AVB turned to Alex and said 'And the same applies to you'."
The exchange left the entire squad gobsmacked, with many players thinking: "If he can do that to Anelka and Alex, he can do it to any of us."
Our source added: "This is a very tight-knit squad that has been through thick and thin together over the years. To see two buddies treated like that hurt."
Villas-Boas certainly has not avoided controversial decisions since, most recently axing midfield legend Frank Lampard from the team that won Tuesday's critical Champions League showdown against Valencia.
The insider added: "It was a real 'I'm in command' moment. The players were left in no doubt who's in charge and just what the manager is capable of doing.
"If anyone feared AVB wouldn't be strong enough to confront the players, or take them on face to face, that moment erased any doubt."
Anelka and Alex have since put in transfer requests which have been granted. Both will leave in January but they may not be alone.
Florent Malouda and Jose Bosingwa are also being tipped to quit the West London club this winter as AVB tries to put his own stamp on the club.
Frontman Anelka at least looks like he will land on his feet, with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua confident of completing a swoop.
They have offered Anelka a three-year contract, which includes a salary in excess of £6million.
West Ham are also said to be interested but Shanghai spokesman Ma Yue said: "It will be a three-year contract and will involve both football and commercial co-operation."
Chairman Zhu Jun added: "We started to talk about every detail from the first minute of the negotiations. It's comprehensive and complicated, involving the player's image."
Ruthless. 
