Saints be praised! Onyewu not going to Chelsea!

According to SoccerTimes, Oguchi Onyewu is on his way to Marseille.

I think this is a very good move for Gooch, and only about 15-20% of my opinion is shaped by the fact that I don't want to see him lining up against my Gunners next year.

Gooch apparently has no interest in riding the pine, regardless of how luxurious the seat. Reportedly, Onyewu turned down a Real Madrid offer earlier this year due to concerns over playing time. Similarly, Chelsea can't honestly offer a long run in the starting eleven. After all, the main reason for their defensive weakness of late has been the injury to John Terry, and the captain is set to return to action against Nottingham Forest on the weekend.

There are a number of stong players in the Chelsea defense, and when making the move from second-tier European football to the big leagues, it's best not to make that transition in an extremely competitive situation.*

Meanwhile, at Marseille, the defense has been spotty and needs a strong player. While they have been rampant in January, they have averaged more goals conceded than scored in October, November, and December.

Admittedly, I'm no expert in French soccer, but the only promising Marseille defensive prospect in my estimation is Taye Taiwo. Gooch will be on a very successful club with a strong reputation, and will have a chance to make a long run in the side.

Moreover, the simmering spat between vainglorious manager Claudio Ranieri and the Chelsea board suggest there could be changes in the future for the Blues, and that's not a good situation for someone from a non-traditional footballing country who is trying to make his mark.

Unlike many young American footballers, Gooch seems to be very deliberate in his career choices and with the promise of playing time, medals, and Champion's League soccer, Marseille seems the perfect place for Onyewu to develop into a top class defender.

*Although Onyewu played for Metz around 2002, he had very few first team appearances, so this is really his first real step into big league European football.