Gronkjaer buys into the master plan

If, as is widely accepted, Roman Abramovich's decision to buy Chelsea was greatly influenced by the club qualifying for the Champions' League, then Ken Bates and the Stamford Bridge faithful have a lot to thank Jesper Gronkjaer for. Without the Dane's wonderful solo goal against Liverpool on the final day of last season it is highly unlikely the Russian's revolution would have taken place.

Mention this to Gronkjaer and he allows himself a little smile. It has clearly never occurred to him that his winning strike last May changed the landscape of English football forever. "I hadn't thought of that before," he says. "All that mattered to me on the day was that we had finished fourth and qualified for the Champions' League. And all that matters to me today is the same. Thinking about it now, I guess I'm just pleased my goal helped make a bit of a difference."

Gronkjaer's self-effacement is very typical of this shy man from the small Danish town of Nuuk, in Greenland. Too typical, some might say, particularly where his performances are concerned. The general consensus is that Gronkjaer has good pace, excellent technique and terrific dribbling ability, but lets himself down badly when it comes to the final ball. Candid as ever, he agrees. "Some of the criticism has been justified," he said after training on Friday. "Not all the time, but it is true that I can get myself in great positions and then miscue my crosses. It's something that I'm working on."

It is fair to say that Gronkjaer has found the rigours of the Premiership hard going. Equally difficult has been adapting from an attacking 4-3-3 system at Ajax to a more traditional 4-4-2 formation at Chelsea. "All the changes have been tricky to take in," admits Gronkjaer, who was regarded as one of Europe's most exciting talents when he joined Chelsea for £7.8m just over three years ago, "and I must admit that I sometimes wonder whether it has all benefited me. I don't know if you could say that I've gone backwards in my time at Chelsea, but I've certainly gone sideways. I'm definitely not the same player as when I came here. I was seen as a great player at Ajax, but perhaps that is because the Dutch League is easier. It's difficult to say."

Although he is honest enough to recognise his shortcomings, the Danish international, who won his 35th cap during the 3-2 victory over England last November, suggests that there are mitigating circumstances to explain his patchy form. "I'm a left winger-cum-striker first and foremost," he says, "and yet I've never really played in that position since I've been here. I've certainly not had a look-in since Damien Duff joined in the summer, and that has been very tough for me."

Does he regret his move to England? "Absolutely not," he insists, "because I have learned a lot about the game and myself. As a player, I don't think you can turn down the opportunity to try English football. I'm not saying that it's bad to play anywhere else, but England is the place to further your footballing education."

One wonders, though, whether Gronkjaer is not suffering because of the size of the Chelsea squad. "Every player wants to be involved from the start," he says, "but that is not possible here. You should not come to Chelsea if you are not prepared to be involved in the rotation system. It's frustrating at times, but you just have to get on with things. It also means that when you do get your chance, you have to take it. If you don't perform, someone else will replace you."

Gronkjaer adds: "But there is an up-side, too. At Chelsea now, we have the opportunity to do something special and win trophies. That's very exciting, and it explains why so many new players want to come here all the time."

Have the club changed beyond recognition in the last six months? "For the players who were here before Mr Abramovich arrived," Gronkjaer says, "the only thing that has really altered is the level of expectation. These days, we go into every match not only wanting to win, but also believing we will. There are some great players at the club."

However, that self-belief was badly shaken before Christmas, when the Fulham Road superstars were humbled at The Valley by today's visitors, Charlton Athletic. Although Claudio Ranieri's men will be relieved they do not have to contend with Scott Parker this time - Abramovich's millions saw to that during the transfer window - the pressure remains. Having lost four League games this season, Chelsea can ill afford another slip-up. "We were badly beaten by Charlton," Gronkjaer concedes, "and they were better than us in every department. But, hopefully, we have learned the lessons and can set the record straight. We were hurt as a group, so this is our chance to prove that we can respond as one."

The 26-year-old adds: "We're not a team yet, but that's only normal when you consider how many players have arrived. We had a good start to the League campaign, and that put us in a strong position, but I never felt we would be a fantastic side this year. I think that, depending on how many new faces we bring in this summer, maybe next season we will really blossom. Maybe that will be our year." Could it be Gronkjaer's, too?