As he waves goodbye to 2009, Michael Ballack believes squad strength can see Chelsea through a tough start to 2010.

A run of just one win in seven was arrested with victory over Fulham on Monday, and now the midfielder hopes we can kick on in January despite the absence of our African internationals, who are at the Cup of Nations.

'We have a strong squad, we have always shown this,' said the German. 'During the season so far we have had a few injuries but we can still compete and I hope we can deal with the situation.

'Everyone wants to beat us now as we have seen in the last months when we played against even the teams fighting at the bottom, and that's what we will expect in the next weeks.

'We are on top of the league and it is different to play like this from the front, everyone wants to catch us. We have to be strong and stay together, especially in January and try to replace the players that have left for the African Nations Cup. We have to cover this period and try still to be in first position when the African players return.'

With others away, the pressure falls greater on the bigger characters that remain, such as Ballack, Frank Lampard and John Terry, while giving a number of younger players on the fringes of the squad a chance to impress - already Gael Kakuta, Nemanja Matic, Fabio Borini, Jeffrey Bruma and Daniel Sturridge have had chances to show their ability, while manager Carlo Ancelotti is adamant he will not be spending money in the transfer window.

'The pressure shouldn't be on these players because they are young. There shouldn't be so much focus on them, they should have time to grow over time,' Ballack argued. 'We'll see what the manager thinks about the situation but I hope there is not too much pressure on the young boys.

'It would not be fair to say they have to fill this gap, it is a big challenge and there are a lot of other players that can do it. But, for the young guys it is a chance with no pressure to have a few more games than before and make a name and help the team.'

At 33, Ballack's name is already well and truly made. He is approaching 100 international caps and has played in some of the biggest matches possible. How does it feel to be seen as such an icon?

'It is a huge honour to hear things like this,' he said, the embarrassment in his voice noticeable even down the phone. 'It makes me very proud... It's very nice to hear!'

And is it possible to pick out a single moment in the last decade as a favourite?

'Woah, that is too difficult,' he said, having pondered for almost half a minute. 'I've had so many good memories, I can't just pick a special one.

'Always when you move to a new club it is very exciting, going to a new city or even a new country like with Chelsea is very special. There have also been European Championships and Champions League Finals, so far too many to pick just one.'

As for 2009, Ballack thinks it will be remembered well by Chelsea fans, with an FA Cup and a strong record - 41 wins from 61 matches, with 14 draws and six defeats. On a personal level, Ballack played in 52 of those games, scoring seven times.

'It was a very exciting year. We won a trophy, had a really good finish in the league but couldn't win the title and I think we had a great year, especially in the second half,' he said. 'The Champions League had some very exciting games and we were very unlucky at Stamford Bridge to lose against Barcelona. The new season has started well with the new manager so it has been a good year, and I hope it will continue next year.'

And typically professional, he'll be seeing in the new year in low-key fashion.

'Tonight I'll stay at home and we'll have a little party with friends and family, a very quiet one,' he explained.

If he can help the Blues tick over into 2010 with just as little fuss, it will be a very good start to the year.

Picture and Article from chelseafc.com