ANCELOTTI IN NO RUSH OVER CONTRACT

Posted 03/11/10 08:41

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti insists he has no need to discuss a new contract any time soon.

The former AC Milan chief has 18 months left on his current deal at Stamford Bridge but is unconcerned by talk of his future, insisting that a coach's contract is very different to that of a player.

"I have a contract with Chelsea until 2012 and I want to respect this," he said.

"So we haven't started talking about a new one yet - it's not necessary.

"Now is not the time. There is a long season to play. Then we will see.

"Maybe a player would start to talk now but a coach is not like a player. The situation is different.

"The coach's contract has a different weight from the contract of a player because the coach's contract is not the property of the club.

"If a player misses two games, the club doesn't say to him 'You have to go.' If the coach gets it wrong and loses two games, maybe sometimes they do!"

Ancelotti insists he is not thinking about leaving Chelsea, but admits he would relish the chance to manage a national side one day.

"I hope to stay. I won't have a problem to sign a new contract," he said.

"But even then this won't be my last job. I would like to have experience with a national team."

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_6483724,00.html

Carlo Ancelotti not interested in Fernando Torres

Date: 3rd November 2010 at 8:40 am | Written by FFC News Desk

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has no interest in signing Liverpool striker Fernando Torres when the transfer window reopens in January.

Speaking ahead of his side's Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge, former AC Milan boss Ancelotti insisted he was happy with his table-topping squad.

He confirmed:"I've always said that Torres is not our aim for the future because we have trust in a lot of young players.

"We have fantastic strikers in Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou. We also have fantastic young players like Daniel Sturridge and Gael Kakuta.

"So, at this moment, we don't really need to have a striker, a fantastic striker, like Fernando Torres.

"We can be competitive in all competitions with this squad. The most important thing is to avoid injury, when possible.

"We have to maintain the squad with all the players fit. This is the most difficult thing to do, but we're trying and working hard to do this, to control the recovery of the players.

"I want to be sure that the players who will be involved in the game against Spartak will be fresh. If everyone stays fit we won't need anyone else. I think we have a fantastic squad."

http://www.footballfancast.com/2010/11/football-news/carlo-ancelotti-not-interested-in-fernando-torres?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ffc_Premiership_Blogs+%28FFC_Premiership_Blogs%29

Chelsea v Spartak Moscow live online tonight

Aiden McGeady is back from the USSR with new club Spartak and you can watch their Champions League match with Chelsea live online with STV. As well as seeing all the action on our high-quality stream you can join the discussion with our interactive chat.

.03 November 2010 07:30 GMT

Chelsea face Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night knowing that a win will guarantee them qualification for the knockout stages. With the Champions League trophy the one prize coveted most by Roman Abramovich, progression from the group stage is a necessity for Carlo Ancelotti and his players.

With maximum points from the three games played in the competition so far, it seems a safe bet that Chelsea would make it out of the group even if they failed to win against Spartak. The efficiency that has been the watchword under Ancelotti means there is little chance of Chelsea taking it easy though.

Spartak travel to London accepting that a draw would be a decent result but, although they currently occupy second place in the group, have some concerns over qualification themselves. With Marseille sitting three points behind but taking on bottom seeds MSK Zilina while the top two play at Stamford Bridge, the Russians know that any points gained against Chelsea could be vital after losing to Ancelotti’s side in Moscow two weeks ago.

"Chelsea are expected to win every game they play, so for us it doesn't make a difference," former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady said ahead of the match.

"You want to win every game, but if not then a draw would be great."

McGeady’s side have reasons to be both optimistic and wary. Though out of the running for the league title, Spartak have put together an eight-match unbeaten run in domestic football, including a win over league leaders Zenit. However, injuries are starting to rack up for the Moscow side with Brazilian striker Ari and Austrian defender Martin Stranzl already ruled out.

Chelsea have injury problems of their own. Frank Lampard, Jose Bosingwa and Yossi Benayoun remain unavailable and Florent Malouda, arguably the side’s best player this season, will play no part after picking up an ankle knock.

The players that remain should be enough to cause Spartak problems though and after winning the Moscow match with a little to spare they will be confident they can dispose of the same opponents in front of a home crowd.

Ancelotti hinted that he may rotate his squad a little as the games come thick and fast for Chelsea but he insisted he was not taking the match lightly having seen signs of Spartak’s strength in the previous game. He also put forward his opinion that there were no easy matches in what he felt was the toughest competition in world football.

“Spartak played very well in the last game and we had a problem in the second half,” he said. “We had a lot of difficulty and we want to avoid this kind of difficulty tomorrow. We had a problem in the second half, we played too defensively and we want to play a different game tomorrow.

“The Champions League is the best competition in the world; it shows better football in comparison to the World Cup because the team has a possibility to prepare their play and squad during the season.

“You can see football is better compared to the World Cup, as a club side it is the best competition in the world.”


STV will be streaming the match live online with interactive chat from 7.30pm. Everyone has an opinion, what's yours?

http://sport.stv.tv/uefa-champions-league/206349-chelsea-v-spartak-moscow-preview/

Who do Chelsea really owe their current success to?

By William Turvill on November 4th, 2010.

“Scolari reckons that Chelsea’s success is all down to him”, “Scolari insists that Chelsea’s current domination of England is thanks to him” and “I made Chelsea Great!” are ludicrous statements from a number of newspapers recently.

I’m sure many other football supporters, like me, were intrigued by how ridiculous and audacious these claims sound. Everyone who loves controversial/absurd statements like this will be disappointed when they read that Luiz Felipe Scolari was actually just pointing out that he has contributed to the progress of several Chelsea players.

However unfounded the headlines from various newspapers were this morning; they do raise an interesting question. How much, or little, have Chelsea’s previous 6 managers, in the last 7 years, contributed to the current success of the club?

Claudio Ranieri: 2000-2004
Without Ranieri’s team defying the odds and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League in 2003, Abramovich probably wouldn’t have taken over the club and Chelsea wouldn’t have experienced the success that they have done in the last 7 years. Ranieri was also responsible for the signing of Frank Lampard and was the first manager to make John Terry a captain.

Despite this, he was sacked within a year of Abramovich coming to London because he wasted a lot of money, only finished second in the Premier League and only reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. As this information suggests, not many Chelsea supporters wanted him to leave the club.

Contribution to current success: 10%

Jose Mourinho: 2004-2007
Mourinho’s instant impact at Chelsea meant that Ranieri was soon forgotten. Chelsea only lost 1 game in his first season in charge as they stormed to the title with a record number of points. There was more success the next year and then an FA Cup win the year after that. Despite his domestic success, Mourinho was surprisingly sacked after a slow start to the 2007-2008 season, some uninspiring signings, a lack of Champions League success and, most importantly, a scrappy style of football that didn’t suit Abramovich’s taste.

Contribution percentage: 30%

He brought the winning mentality and is not forgotten at the club.

Avram Grant: 2007-2008
Grant never really stood a chance. Not until he begun to lead Chelsea towards a title fight did the Chelsea supporters, who were still mourning the loss of Mourinho, really begin to warm to him. Things could have been so different if John Terry had not slipped in Moscow. Grant may well have still been at Chelsea instead of fighting to keep West Ham in the Premier League.

However well Grant did in his short spell at the club, Abramovich was not convinced by his managerial skills and ruthlessly sacked him.

Contribution percentage: 5%

He took Chelsea to the Champions League final; this could prove a really important experience for the Chelsea players in getting there again this season.

Luiz Felipe Scolari: 2008-2009
He had a fantastic start to life in London but, within 7 months, Scolari was largely considered a liability by the players, supporters and, crucially, Roman Abramovich. He may, as he has claimed, have contributed to the development of a few crucial Chelsea players but he was the worst manager for Chelsea, on this list. The last 2 months of his Chelsea career were a terrible time to be a Chelsea supporter – especially for the humiliating losses at Old Trafford and Anfield.

Contribution percentage: 0%

If anything he took the club backwards. He may be thanked by a few players in 20 or 30 years, but he won’t be just yet.

Guus Hiddink: 2009
Hiddink’s time at Chelsea was short and sweet. His original goal was to ensure that Chelsea qualified for the Chamipns League and he nearly mounted a serious title-challenge. He was also desperately unlucky not to lead Chelsea to a second Champions League final in a year. The players, the supporters and, probably, Abramovich didn’t want Hiddink to leave but he was still the national manager of Russia so there was not much hope of him staying.

Contribution percentage: 5%

He did really well and brought a little bit of belief back to the players after a tough year, or so.

Carlo Ancelotti: 2009-present
Arguably, Ancelotti had the hardest job of all of these managers. He had come at a time where the supporter-confidence in the appointments of Abramovich was at an all-time low. There was a lot of worry that Ancelotti could emulate Scolari so it took a long while for Chelsea fans to truly believe in Ancelotti. As it transpired, Ancelotti, like Mourinho, led Chelsea to victory in his first year; unlike Mourinho, he did it in a style which suited Abramovich’s taste.

Ancelotti was, and is, exactly the type of manager that Chelsea need. He is a good manager who has brought the best out of Chelsea and he deflects the controversy that the English media are so keen to dig-up at Chelsea.

Contribution percentage: 50%



He really has done well. It was all set-up for him to falter like Scolari did, but he has actually put Chelsea into a better position than ever before. He is getting the best out of all of his players, he is gradually bringing younger players through the system and he is making Chelsea a better and more admirable team.

http://soccerlens.com/who-do-chelsea-really-owe-their-current-success-to/60320/

Frank Lampard finally poised for Chelsea comeback

Date: 11th November 2010 at 9:40 am | Written by FFC News Desk

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident that England midfielder Frank Lampard will finally make his return from injury in the clash with Sunderland next Sunday.

The 32-year-old has been sidelined since late August after undergoing hernia surgery, with his return delayed on several occasions, but Ancelotti is hopeful that Lampard will play some part against the Black Cats.

He told reporters:"I think he'll be okay for Sunday. He started to train two days ago with the team.

"He doesn't have a problem and is showing confidence. I hope he will be ready, not necessarily to play for 90 minutes, but just to be involved in the squad.

"If he's okay, he can start. I don't think he will be able to play 90 minutes, but he can play part of the game – he can do that."

http://www.footballfancast.com/2010/11/football-news/frank-lampard-finally-poised-for-chelsea-comeback

This should almost be renamed the Joffa posts articles related to Chelsea thread. They have no support

CARLO ANCELOTTI: I COULDN’T SAVE MYFRIEND FROM THE AXE



Carlo Ancelotti is disappointed to lose Ray Wilkins
Saturday November 13,2010
By Tony Banks CARLO ANCELOTTI says he was powerless to prevent assistant Ray Wilkins being ruthlessly ousted by Chelsea after a 38-year association with the club.


Wilkins was told his contract was not being renewed on Thursday afternoon and left the club immediately, 12 hours after helping Ancelotti guide Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Fulham that put them four points clear at the top.


A clearly uncomfortable Ancelotti was left to field questions alone about the brutal dismissal of a man he had called “fundamental” to his success at the club, with chief executive Ron Gourlay, the man who had wielded the axe at half-time in a reserve game 24 hours earlier, conspicuous by his absence.On a damaging day for Chelsea, it was also confirmed that England midfielder Frank Lampard had yet another setback in his battle to recover from a groin problem and will be out for at least three more weeks.


Ray was a fantastic assistant and I want to thank him because he was superb support last season
Carlo Ancelotti has said Wilkins was crucial in winning the double last season


Without revealing the reasons for Wilkins’ sacking, Ancelotti said: “Ray was a fantastic assistant and I want to thank him because he was superb support last season, and this. He did a brilliant job. He helped me and the team win the Double. He is my friend. I have a fantastic relationship with him.

“The club made this decision. It was difficult for everyone. I respect the decision. So does Ray.”

It had been thought Ancelotti had not fought very hard to keep a man he had cited as so crucial. But last night it was clear Italian Ancelotti had given his opinion but had little choice once owner Roman Abramovich had decided the fate of the £350,000-a-year former England skipper.




“A job is one thing, a personal relationship is another. As far as that goes I don’t have a problem, Ray doesn’t have a problem,” said Ancelotti.

“Is it ideal to change now? I don’t know. The staff can maintain the same job without Ray. Sometimes clubs take these decisions. I have experience. You move on and maintain your focus.

“Nobody will forget what Ray did for this club. I don’t think this decision fails to show respect for him. Everyone has respect for Ray.”

Ancelotti also insisted that speculation that he would be choosing his new assistant from outside the club was misguided, and that someone from within the set-up would step up. Assistant coach Paul Clement is highly regarded, as is director of scouting Michael Emanalo.

The loss of Lampard for another three weeks is a desperate blow, especially with fellow midfielder Michael Essien banned for three games after being sent off against Fulham.

Ancelotti, whose side meet Sunderland tomorrow, was adamant no further surgery is needed on the groin problems that have now already sidelined Lampard for 11 weeks.

“Frank did a fantastic session but then had a problem on his adductor,” said Ancelotti.

“He will be out until the start of December. We are disappointed because he was so close. We are unlucky.

“It’s bad news but we have to move on. We have to wait but he will not need more surgery.”


http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/211301/Carlo-Ancelotti-I-couldn-t-save-myfriend-from-the-axe

Chelsea captain John Terry faces 'months' on sidelines

Terry has been suffering with the problem since last season

Chelsea captain John Terry could be out for "months" with a nerve problem in his right leg, BBC Sport understands.

The mystery injury forced Terry to miss Chelsea's 3-0 home defeat by Sunderland and he has also pulled out of England's friendly against France on Wednesday.

A Chelsea source told BBC Sport: "It could be months although that's the pessimistic view.

"We don't know the route of the pain and he can't keep struggling so he has to get to the source of the problem."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/9193773.stm

Chelsea To Sign £15m England Man To Solve Defensive Problems



The John Terry fitness debate looks certain to dominate Chelsea’s winter.

Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday that he was more optimistic Terry would soon recover from his painful back injury and return to action.

But medical experts fear Terry could be sidelined until March.

That would be a massive blow to the Blues and probably spark a January move for a new central defender such as Bolton’s £15million-rated Gary Cahill.

The fear is that Terry’s long-term problem can only be cured by rest. (Mirror)

If reports are true and John Terry faces a number of months on the sidelines, Gary Gahill would be the perfect solution. He has consistently proved his worth in the Premier League, and would be eligible to play in the Champions League with Chelsea.

At £15million, he may be a little over-priced, but Chelsea will need to bring in such a player in order to solve their defensive issues, which have seen them lose two games on the bounce in the Premier League.

http://www.caughtoffside.com/2010/11/21/chelsea-to-sign-15m-england-man-to-solve-defensive-problems/

Chelsea players fear Ancelotti will soon leave

tribalfootball.com - November 23, 2010, 11:08 pm

Chelsea players fear they will lose manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Sun says they are worried the Italian has been seriously undermined by the axing of assistant Ray Wilkins and the appointment of Michael Emenalo as No 2.

Ancelotti was not involved in the decisions - taken at board level.

And he has cut a lonely figure as the Blues have lost at home to Sunderland and away at Birmingham.

But club owner Roman Abramovich has told the team to buck up - and wants Ancelotti to belt up and get on with the job.

The feeling is Ancelotti can only be humiliated for so long before deciding he cannot take any more.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/news/article/-/8377423/chelsea-players-fear-ancelotti-soon-leave

ROMAN COULD START CIVIL WAR SAYS FRANK LEBOEUF

Frank Leboeuf blamed Ancelotti for causing the sudden instability at Stamford Bridge.

Saturday November 27,2010
By Tony Banks

CHELSEA legend Frank Leboeuf has accused Roman Abramovich of “knowing nothing” about football and told him to let manager Carlo Ancelotti get on with his job.


Ancelotti leads injury-hit Chelsea into a crucial game at Newcastle tomorrow on the back of three defeats in his last four Premier League matches, knowing anything less than a win will increase doubts about his reign.

But former Chelsea and France defender Leboeuf blamed the club’s owner for causing the sudden instability at Stamford Bridge, and warned he could even spark a civil war.

Abramovich sacked Ancelotti’s assistant Ray Wilkins two weeks ago and promoted inexperienced Nigerian Michael Emenalo to replace him. That coincided with a dramatic slump in form with Chelsea scoring just one goal in four domestic outings. But World Cup winner Leboeuf, who played more than 200 games for the club, winning two FA Cups and the European Cup Winners’ Cup, pointed the finger at Abramovich for causing the problems.
“Roman Abramovich knows nothing about football, knows nothing about how to prepare a team or a club, unlike Carlo Ancelotti,” he said.

“Saying things because he is the chairman, and not knowing the consequences of his acts – that’s a problem for Chelsea.

“It is bizarre that after a few losses, everything is in jeopardy for Chelsea. Yet they won the league and FA Cup Double last year. Ancelotti is doing a good job. But they lose two games so there is a drama. You need stability and calmness in a club. At every level of Chelsea, it is a war.


“When we thought everything was going OK, you suddenly see Ray Wilkins leaving the club. I worked with him under Gianluca Vialli. He is the nicest guy in the world. Him leaving the club, it is a crisis.

“The problem with the new assistant coming in is that the players got on very well with Ray, and maybe don’t accept the new assistant. That is a problem created.”

Ancelotti will ask Brazilian centre-back Alex to push himself through another game tomorrow, even though the 28-year-old is due to have keyhole surgery on his knee next week. With skipper John Terry still a week away from fitness and Newcastle’s in-form England striker Andy Carroll lying in wait, he has little choice, but full-back Jose Bosingwa is available again.

Ancelotti, forced to deny he was quitting a week ago, admits he is under pressure but insists that it is not from Abramovich.

“The owner doesn’t put me under pressure,” said Ancelotti. “That is because of results. However, when I am under pressure I have more concentration.

“The owner always supports me and is supporting me now.”

If either Manchester United or Arsenal win today, Chelsea will be knocked off the top of the table for the first time this season.


http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/213991/Roman-could-start-civil-war-says-Frank-Leboeuf

CARLO ANCELOTTI revealed Chelsea have cash available for next month's transfer window - but that is if he is around to spend it.

Poor form has left the Blues and the boss facing their 'destiny' in the next three league games.

The run kicks off tomorrow at Tottenham, followed by Manchester United and Arsenal - this on the back of four defeats in eight games.


Ancelotti held crunch talks with billionaire owner Roman Abramovich after the latest faltering step in the season - Wednesday's 1-0 Champions League defeat in Marseille - to secure funding for boosting a squad which suddenly looks woefully weak.

The Italian said: "We spoke about the situation of the team. If we need to improve our squad in January, the owner is available for us to do this.

"But now's not the time to think about this. We have to play with these players against Tottenham. Our aim for now is the three games against Tottenham, United and Arsenal. Our destiny passes through these games.

"For this reason, we must not lose focus by looking at January. If we need to do something then, we will.

"The next games will show if we are able to fight for the title this year. My destiny is the same as the destiny for my players.

"I don't fear for my job. I feel I have the total support of my players, which is very important. I feel I have the total support of my club.

"I am an optimist that everything will be OK for this season. I spoke with Roman after the game and he gave me total support. He understood the problem of the team. He's doing his best to give every one of us at the club, my players and my staff, his total support. I have trust in him and I think he has trust in me."

Ancelotti is Abramovich's sixth manager in seven years at Stamford Bridge. Recent results and shifting sands behind the scenes suggest a growing distance between the two men.


Chelsea have been heavily linked with a move for Benfica's £25million-rated defender David Luiz and Abramovich's support of his manager will be tested at a time when Chelsea do not traditionally spend big.

Ancelotti's team, have conceded EIGHT goals in the last six games, compared to just two in the first six when they raced out of the blocks. Skipper John Terry fears they have lost their early grip on the defence of the title.

Ancelotti added: "The easy things are difficult at this moment, but we can't lose confidence. We have skill, ability and personality.

"I don't think it's a question of appetite. Terry and the players have appetite.

"We can use the Spurs game to move on. You have to go back to basics, defend well to make sure you don't concede and play simply.

"We want to play our football, not change identity or shape. We've been working with it for a year and a half. We have to stay calm, don't be afraid.

"We are changing some drills to avoid the same old routine in training, but to break totally everything isn't the right way.

"We're doing more tactical sessions, but nothing bigger. Maybe walking over hot coals is an idea!"

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3271519/Will-Carlo-Ancelotti-stick-around-long-enough-to-spend-Chelseas-money.html

Lampard to miss Spurs showdown
Dec 10, 9:42 am EST


COBHAM, England (AFP) - Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admitted on Friday that Frank Lampard will miss his side's crucial London derby at Tottenham this weekend.

Lampard has been sidelined for three months after hernia surgery and a groin injury, but it was suggested this week that he would feature at White Hart Lane on Sunday after returning to training.

However, Ancelotti believes Lampard needs at least one practice match before he is ready for the demands of the Premier League, so he will once again be without the England midfielder for a match his team desperately need to win.

The Blues have slipped to third in the table after taking five points from their last six matches and another loss to Spurs would only increase the pressure on Ancelotti.

Instead, Ancelotti hopes his star midfielder will prove his fitness in a friendly this week and then return to action when Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge next weekend.

"He is not fit again. He is out. I can say this with a smile because he trained well but we think it will be a very tough game against Spurs," Ancelotti told reporters at the club's training ground.

"We didn't have a chance to test him in a game. We have to arrange a game for him, maybe on Thursday, after that he can be available.

"He trained well, he doesn't have a problem to train, but this is a tough game. So he will play a friendly and be ready for the Man Utd game."

Ancelotti will also be without Jose Bosingwa as the Portugal right-back struggles with a torn hamstring, but captain John Terry and left-back Ashley Cole will be fit to start.

England defender Terry came off in the second half of Wednesday's defeat against Marseille to protect an ankle injury, while Cole missed that Champions League tie to rest an ankle problem.

"Terry is ok, Ashley Cole had a problem on his ankle, but he is ok as well. Bosingwa is out with a tear on his hamstring," Ancelotti added.

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=afp-fblengprchelseatottenhamlampard

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United's clash with Chelsea will go long way to deciding Premier League race

From: AFP December 17, 2010

MANCHESTER United will attempt to take a grip on the Premier League title race this weekend when they travel to Chelsea aiming to end an eight-year winless streak at Stamford Bridge.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men have not tasted victory at Chelsea since April 2002, but a win in the heavyweight encounter on Monday morning (Qld time) will leave United six points clear of the champions, having played a game less.

United, who remain unbeaten this season after 16 games, head into the match fresh from a 1-0 victory over rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford last start.

Another three points against top four opposition will fuel United's belief that they can mount a sustained challenge for a record 19th league title.

"Sunday is a massive game," said Ferguson.

"That will go a long way to establishing what happens at the top of the league.

"We are 16 games undefeated. Now we have to make it 17."

After a slow start to the season, United have now won 20 points from their a possible 24, with Ferguson believing the return to form and fitness of the United defence has played a crucial role.

Chelsea, by contrast, are still searching for their first Premier League victory in six matches after a dismal run of form stretching back to early November, which has seen them take only six points from a possible 21.

Elsewhere, Arsenal will seek to bounce back from the disappointment of defeat at Old Trafford when they face mid-table Stoke at the Emirates.

The match will be the first time Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross faces Arsenal since he broke Gunners' midfielder Aaron Ramsey's leg in February.

But Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger dismissed suggestions the game would have an edge to it, and denied reports that Shawcross would be given a special security detail on arrival at the ground.

Wenger, who has angered Stoke in the past by branding them a "rugby team" because of their physical style, says past encounters will count for nothing.

"It is Arsenal against Stoke. Every game is different and it is a new start," Wenger said.

"We do not have any preconceived ideas before the game about any individual. We want to win the game, focus on it and respect our opponent as we always do. What happened in the past, happened in the past."

Manchester City, meanwhile, will hope to set aside the simmering spat involving captain Carlos Tevez when they entertain Everton at Eastlands on Tuesday morning (Qld time).

Tevez stunned the club this week by issuing a transfer request, but it is not clear whether the Argentine international will continue to be available for selection.

Tottenham will hope to maintain their push for a place in the top four when they travel to Blackpool on Monday morning (Qld time).

Blackburn will begin life without sacked manager Sam Allardyce with a match against West Ham at Ewood Park.

Hammers boss Avram Grant has reportedly been given three matches to save himself from the sack as West Ham try to haul themselves off the bottom of the table, where they are four points adrift of safety.

English Premier League fixtures
Sat: Sunderland v Bolton (10.45pm, Fox Sports 1)

Sun: Arsenal v Stoke (12.55am, Fox Sports 1)

Birmingham v Newcastle (12.55am, viewers' choice)

Wigan v Aston Villa (12.55am, viewers' choice)

Blackburn v West Ham (12.55am, Fox Sports 3)

Liverpool v Fulham (3.25am, Fox Sports 1)

West Brom v Wolves (9.55pm, Fox Sports 1)

Blackpool v Tottenham (11.55pm, Fox Sports 1)

Mon: Chelsea v Man Utd (2am, Fox Sports 1)

Tue: Man City v Everton (6am, Fox Sports 1)

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/soccer/sir-alex-ferguson-says-manchester-uniteds-clash-with-chelsea-will-go-long-way-to-deciding-premier-league-race/story-e6frepmf-1225972715142

Lampard can stop the rot at Chelsea

By James Lawton
Friday December 24 2010

John Terry was scarcely handing out a state secret when he announced this week that Chelsea have never attempted to spread themselves so thinly ever since Roman Abramovich first started throwing around the roubles.

Everything is relative, however, and the presence of Terry, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien at the Emirates Stadium next Monday is a reminder that the reigning champions are far from dead.

Misfiring, certainly. Heading for decline in too many vital areas, inevitably. But the team-sheet against Arsenal is potentially the most significant statement in what at times has seemed a terminally irresolute struggle for the title.

Terry and Essien are still hugely important ingredients of a successful Chelsea team. Whatever you think of Terry's style off the field, he remains an immense factor on it, strong in his self-belief and inspiring to his team-mates. Essien on his best days is a force of nature, witheringly powerful in the tackle and unswerving in his application.

It is Lampard, though, to whom coach Carlo Ancelotti will look most hopefully at the Emirates.

crude

One of the main reasons for Ancelotti's current disenchantment, apart from the crude axing of his faithful 'Man Friday' Ray Wilkins, is that he believes he was sold desperately short by the oligarch owner in the summer transfer action.

He wanted Bastian Schweinsteiger, a German Essien to say the very least of it, and he got Ramires, a frail Brazilian wisp who operated on the margins of his nation's failed World Cup bid.

Ancelotti said that with Michael Ballack gone, Chelsea would be left desperately exposed in the vital midfield engine room if mishap should befall either Lampard or Essien. Ramires, at £18m, was not his idea of a bargain and if there was any doubt about his conclusion it has been confirmed at least half a dozen times as Chelsea have floundered in the absence of the man who in many ways has been confirmed as their most influential player.

Without the thrust and the hunger of Lampard, Chelsea have looked a much slighter team, still gifted, still capable of deadly menace in front of goal, but also plainly diminished by the absence of their central and unifying force.

The instinct here, certainly, is that with a re-instated and healthy Lampard, Chelsea are about to re-emerge as the best bet to end the competitive drift at the top of the league.

Plainly, there are four serious runners and one -- Tottenham -- roughly 90pc of the way towards that status. Of the top four, Manchester United might be said to be the least flawed in terms of consistency but still desperately short of the bite they lost when Cristiano Ronaldo fled Old Trafford the summer before last. The crisis of Wayne Rooney hasn't helped -- and nor has the ageing of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs which requires that they are used increasingly sparingly.

Yet their biggest deficiency is the one that, in the shape of Lampard, Chelsea may just be about to rectify.

The Brazilian Anderson has done well enough to earn a second chance at Old Trafford and Nani has become their brightest, if somewhat flickering, light but from Michael Carrick there is still dismaying evidence that he is player of class who has irretrievably lost his way.

Darren Fletcher is Darren Fletcher, impressively committed but not in the same league as Lampard or Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

Rooney's form and state of mind is another imponderable -- and another nudge towards the belief that the finishing order is likely to be Chelsea, United, Arsenal and, and short of a full-scale psychological meltdown, Manchester City.

City's capacity for self-destruction remains huge, as we saw earlier this week when Everton went to Eastlands and, despite being a man down for most of the second half, gave vital lessons in the advantages of looking like a team rather than an over-priced rabble.

It hints at least that Tottenham might just get into the late running, given Rafael van der Vaart's full recovery from injury, Luka Modric's continued creativity and optimum progress by the discovery of the season, Gareth Bale.

Alex Ferguson granted Harry Redknapp's team the status of a serious threat to his own hopes when he announced that "Harry has done brilliant work bringing on Tottenham and no team in the league can now afford to ignore them. They've become a serious team."

It is something Arsenal have been speculating fondly about themselves for some time but with always the same bleak result: harsh evidence that nothing is more guaranteed to dim their brilliance than the presence of one of the leading teams, who now, devastatingly for old certainties, include their north London neighbours.

Spurs' 3-2 victory at the Emirates last month was confirmation of a new durability and optimism -- and an old soft centre at the heart of Arsenal's effort. Arsene Wenger denied that his team had showed fatal frailty in the absence of the injured Thomas Vermaelen in the middle of defence. He said that his team still had a winning mentality and could still lift their first trophy since 2005.

He was saying the same thing a few weeks later when Arsenal went to Old Trafford to prove that they had indeed acquired a new quality of defiance. Unfortunately, he was working from even less hard evidence. The margin was just one goal but the narrowness of the result was illusory. In terms of commitment and belief there was only one team in it. Now Barcelona present themselves, again, in the first round of Champions League knock-out action.

Last season Barca supplied a firestorm of superiority and their current form threatens a repeat -- one that may well strip away the last of Arsenal's besieged belief that they are finally ready to slug it out at the highest level.

This leaves us with one certain point of conviction. It is Frank Lampard's refreshed belief that once again he can give Chelsea an impetus that a few months ago appeared to have separated them from the rest of the Premier League -- and most of the European game. It is, anyway, the best bet in the league that so far no-one has proved they can win.

- James Lawton

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/lampard-can-stop-the-rot-at-chelsea-2473133.html

How Chelsea fell apart
Senseless sacking of Wilkins sparked champions' decline
By Alan Smith


Friday January 07 2011
Over-Reliance on didier Drogba

You cannot expect the centre-forward to deliver all the time. After leading the charge in previous seasons, there will inevitably come a spell when Didier Drogba struggles, be it through lack of form or, in this case, a bout of malaria.

Critically, no one has made up the shortfall. Florent Malouda has managed just two league goals in his last 20 appearances, Salomon Kalou only one in 11, while Nicolas Anelka has not scored in nine.

In addition, Daniel Sturridge has failed to make an impression off the bench. If you study the statistics, this is clearly more of a problem than anything happening elsewhere.

Changes in Defence

It is indeed surprising that the team have conceded only one more league goal than at this stage last season, when they went on to clinch the Premier League and FA Cup.

That said, the lack of a settled back four has not helped understanding.

Jose Bosingwa has been in and out, Alex is recovering from a knee operation and Paulo Ferreira has proved unreliable.

Consequently, the rearguard have lost some of their aura. Opposing strikers now fancy their chances of getting some joy.

frank Lampard's Absence

Losing the midfielder for four months hit extremely hard. It was not just his goals either, though that was bad enough.

Having scored 27 last season, he has so far only managed two, leaving a huge hole in Chelsea's tally. And even if he does not score, those brilliantly-timed runs beyond the strikers cause the opposition all sorts of problems.

Without them, however, Chelsea became more predictable, often playing in front of teams rather than getting behind.

The good news, though, is that Lampard is finding his feet again, delivering some killer passes and popping up unmarked in the box. That will certainly help Drogba, who depends on his team-mate for the quick pass.

Ageing Squad

Not so easy to solve, this one, unless you have got a spare £100m. The club have allowed this talented group of players to grow old together without gradually introducing younger components.

Against Aston Villa recently, seven players in their 30s started the game. The result is a team lacking energy and verve. Set against Arsenal's young bucks or the pace at Tottenham, Chelsea start to look rather pedestrian.

Neither do the young kids being promoted look capable of solving the problem. Josh McEachran definitely has a big future, but the others are either not ready or not good enough. It is going to be a massive problem at Stamford Bridge.

No Room for Rotation

The squad is not just ageing, it is also very small, leaving Carlo Ancelotti with little room for manoeuvre.

As a result, the same faces are being asked to turn out every match. No wonder some looked tired at Molineux. Most of them had played four games in 10 days -- a stark contrast to their main rivals, who can rotate.

So with the FA Cup upon us and the Champions League resuming next month, Chelsea desperately need more bodies to cope with the challenge.

Low Confidence and Morale

When all is said and done, this is the main reason for Chelsea's woes. The senseless sacking of Ray Wilkins kick-started the decline and a string of poor results has compounded the problems.

In essence, some very good players are failing in the basics -- always a sure sign that confidence is low.

Think of how easy it was for Villa's Stewart Downing to get in his cross for Emile Heskey's headed goal last Sunday.

Ashley Cole, normally so reliable in these situations, did not do enough to stop the cross.

It was a similar story at Wolves the other night. Lampard failed to do his job properly at the near post, adopting the wrong position to allow a low corner past, resulting in Bosingwa's own goal.

What's more, at times like these someone needs to have a quiet word, either in the dressing room or on the training ground.

Without Wilkins, Ancelotti finds himself alone, robbed of experienced lieutenants who can speak with authority.

With all due respect to Paul Clement and Michael Emenalo, will established internationals listen to a former youth team coach with no playing experience, or a bloke promoted from chief scout, boasting Molenbeek and Notts County on a limited CV?

In this regard, then, Ancelotti finds himself isolated, unable to call on trusted advice. (© Daily Telegraph, London)

- Alan Smith

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/how-chelsea-fell-apart-2487596.html

Ray Wilkins backs Carlo Ancelotti to halt Chelsea slump• Ray Wilkins says his former boss can cope with pressure

• Sacked assistant rules out chance of return to Chelsea

guardian.co.uk, Sunday 9 January 2011

Ray Wilkins has backed the Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti to turn around the club's torrid season.

Chelsea have gone into freefall since Wilkins was sacked as assistant coach two months ago, slipping from the top of the Premier League to fifth place, nine points behind the leaders Manchester United.

Wilkins puts Didier Drogba's loss of form down to his bout of malaria, but admits other players have shown a surprising lack of belief. Wilkins said: "When I watch them play there's a lack of confidence there from a few of the players that shouldn't really be the case because they are top quality players, and I'm sure they will get back to the standards that they have performed at.

"It's been very disappointing. If you look at the level of performance it certainly hasn't been there and when you have a number of world-class players not actually playing to their maximum it's magnified 10 fold."

However, Wilkins believes Ancelotti will cope with the pressure. He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme: "Carlo's obviously been manager of AC Milan for eight years, therefore that does come with a lot of pressure so Carlo is used to the pressure that comes with big jobs. The one thing that will be hurting Carlo won't be the media attention, it will be the way the team are playing. He's extremely passionate about his football.

"He's a very decent bloke and he is a fun guy and he is laid back, but he has this burning passion for the fact that the players aren't really playing to their full potential."

Asked if he could return to Chelsea, as some reports have suggested, Wilkins added: "No, I wouldn't have thought so. I think once Roman [Abramovich, the owner] has made up his mind that something will happen, then it happens."


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jan/09/ray-wilkins-chelsea-carlo-ancelotti?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Ffootball%2Frss+%28Football%29

Lampard: 'I'll need to nurse injury for the rest of my career'

By Mark Fleming
Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Frank Lampard has revealed that he will never fully recover from the torn tendon injury that kept him out for four months, and that he was not told the full extent of the problem by Chelsea's medical staff.


Lampard, 32, has played six games since returning from the longest spell on the sidelines in his career, which began in August when he missed England's Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland to undergo keyhole surgery on a hernia. At the time manager Carlo Ancelotti said: "He will be out for one or two weeks. It is not a big problem."

However, Lampard admits he trained too hard too soon after the operation and subsequently the hamstring tendon was torn from a bone close to his pelvis, resulting in a further three months out of action. The England midfielder only found out the full extent of the injury when he decided to seek another opinion and visited a Harley Street specialist, who gave him the full story.

After scoring two goals in Chelsea's 7-0 thrashing of Ipswich in the FA Cup on Sunday, Lampard spoke of how his frustration over the injury was compounded by the confused messages he had been given.

Lampard said: "It was a bad injury and I wasn't really told that in the beginning. I was expecting it to be a few weeks and people were telling me that, and in the end I went to see someone who told me it was a three-month minimum injury.

"Once I got my head round that it was easier to take. When you think you're going to be back every week and everyone's asking you about it and you're not, it becomes even more frustrating."

Lampard said the problem was not one of misdiagnosis: "It wasn't misdiagnosed. It was probably a bit my fault because I always try and push. If I could go back I would have given it a lot more rest when I first got the injury. I was trying to push to be fit for games. It's always easy with hindsight," he said.

Chelsea have suffered several injuries to key players this season which have proved tough correctly to diagnose. John Terry's trapped thigh nerve was a recurring problem until the captain visited the renowned chiropractor Dr Jean-Pierre Meersseman in Milan. In October midfielder Yossi Benayoun claimed his torn Achilles tendon had been "missed" by Chelsea's doctors until he underwent an MRI scan in Israel.

Lampard also said his injury is so severe he will never fully recover but will be something he needs to nurse for the rest of his career. With Terry also having to manage his thigh injury, and Ashley Cole carrying a chronic ankle problem, it is worrying news for Chelsea.

Lampard said: "I've got to try and keep it strong because I've got a weakness there. My tendon came off the bone and it doesn't go back, you just have to stay very strong in that area. I've spoken to players who've had it and they know the frustrations and the aftermath and what you have to do. It's no problem, you just have to do an extra two or three sessions a week in the gym to keep it strong.

"It was a bad injury and I still feel it occasionally. There are no sharp pains or anything, but the more games I play the sharper I'll be, and I'm determined to have a good second half to the season because I basically missed the first half."

Sunday's victory was just Chelsea's third in 12 games and Lampard gave an honest assessment of the team's recent lack of form.

"There are quite a few reasons, a lack of confidence being one of them, but there has also been a lack of quality and workrate," he said.

"We need to step it up across the board to get back to where we want to be. Everyone at Chelsea understands we're not expected to have the run of results we've had. We have high standards and the results we've had the last two months is not the level we expect."

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/lampard-ill-need-to-nurse-injury-for-the-rest-of-my-career-2181158.html

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti to replace Claudio Ranieri at Roma in summer - report
13 Jan 2011 13:09:00

Find the best odds and bet on the Premier League. For all the latest reports and transfer rumours, visit our dedicated section here.

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti and Roma's Claudio Ranieri could face a tumultuous summer at the end of term with the former replacing the latter in the Italian capital.

Tuttosport claims friction between Ranieri and club legend Francesco Totti – who has been left on the bench numerous times this season – has seen tensions rise to the extent that many feel the coach will step aside.

In England meanwhile, Ancelotti has not had it as good as pre-season expectations suggested. Chelsea have been unstable and are well off the pace in the Premier League title race.

Owner Roman Abramovich is said to have lost patience with the Italian, who could return to Serie A and take over Ranieri at Roma.

However, Ancelotti would require a degree of financial backing from Roma if he takes over - that also depends on who buys the club from its creditors UniCredit.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2011/01/13/2303395/chelsea-boss-carlo-ancelotti-to-replace-claudio-ranieri-at

Guus Hiddink: Chelsea Have Slipped Alarmingly This Season And Have A Number Of Problems

Dutch manager backs Carlo Ancelotti to get Blues back on track
Jan 21, 2011 1:23:00 PM
By Tom Bellwood | Southern Correspondent

Guus Hiddink believes his former club Chelsea have "slipped alarmingly" and says it's a "mystery" why the Blues' recent form has been so poor, but has backed his successor Carlo Ancelotti to get them back to winning ways.

Hiddink took temporary charge at Stamford Bridge in February 2009 after the sacking of Phil Scolari, leading the club to a Champions League semi-final, while lifting the FA Cup and losing just one game in charge.

Carlo Ancelotti replaced Hiddink and led Chelsea to the first Double in the club's history last season.

But now they sit fourth in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Manchester United after squandering the five-point lead they had built up earlier in the season.

The Blues have suffered a number of damaging injuries, most notably to talismanic midfielder Frank Lampard, but Hiddink is baffled as to why his former team's form has dipped so dramatically.

"They were on top for so long and they looked very good but their slip over recent weeks is alarming, it's a real mystery," said Hiddink at the Nike Chance global finals in London.

“I've seen them play a few times since I left and they have a number of problems.

“But Ancelotti is a good manager, I'm sure he will turn it round and they will recover."

But the Dutchman, currently in charge of Turkey’s national side, has ruled out the possibility of a return to west London.

Hiddink is committed to the project he has taken on and will see out the contract which ties him to the job until the summer of 2012.

He said: “I can tell you I’m fully committed with a lot of joy to the Turkish federation. The national side is in a state of transition, we are trying to build a competitive team.

“That’s all I’m focused on and that is what I’m sticking to.”

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/01/21/2316477/guus-hiddink-chelsea-have-slipped-alarmingly-this-season-and

Carlo Ancelotti says Chelsea style is paramount

By Ben Rumsby, PA


Monday, 24 January 2011

Carlo Ancelotti has admitted his Chelsea side are incapable of winning ugly, but insists he would not have it any other way.

Ancelotti accepts the Blues are currently no match for unbeaten Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United when it comes to grinding out results.

The Italian's claim casts huge doubt on the champions' hopes of staging an extraordinary comeback in the title race, with the team that finishes top often proving the best at picking up points when playing badly.

However, Ancelotti has no intention of changing the approach which brought Chelsea the double last season.

"For Chelsea to win a game, we have to play well, play good football," said Ancelotti, whose side travel to Bolton tonight 10 points adrift of United.

"We are not able to win a game if we are not able to play well. We played very well last season and when we didn't play well, we lost the game the same way we have lost them this season.

"Our aim is to improve our football. This is the way to win the game. It is our philosophy.

"We don't want to stay back and maybe use the long ball or use the counter-attack.

"Maybe this is also the reason that if we don't play well, we are vulnerable."

United stretched their club-record unbeaten start to the season to 22 games on Saturday, but Ancelotti is convinced they will not emulate Arsenal's 2004 'Invincibles'.

"I think it's impossible because if we want to come back to fight for the title we have to beat Man United," Ancelotti added.

As well as beating United home and away, Ancelotti admits Chelsea must also win their head-to-heads with third-placed Manchester City and fifth-placed Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in the second half of the season.

"We have to win these games. That is the key to come back to win the title," said Ancelotti, who admitted he had not been completely satisfied with his team's performance since they beat second-placed Arsenal almost four months ago.

"We have to play twice against Man Utd, we have to play Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool."

Ancelotti has already admitted Chelsea must win at least 13 of their remaining 16 games to retain the title and knows there is almost no margin for error, as he found out in similar circumstances while captain of Roma 25 years ago.

"In 1986 we needed to close a gap of eight points when it was two points for a win," he said of his side's battle to overhaul Juventus.

"We ran for two months closing the points, eight, seven, six, five.

"The last but one game we were level and we lost 3-2 at home to the bottom team, Lecce.

"Before, there was a celebration in the stadium. The coach of Lecce even said, 'I am a fan of Roma. I hate Juventus'.

"We were not able to win and Juventus won the title. This is life."


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/carlo-ancelotti-says-chelsea-style-is-paramount-2192833.html

Torres asks for move as Chelsea set to increase offer to a record £38m

Abramovich confident of signing striker and David Luiz / Liverpool hope Suarez deal will convince Spaniard to stay

By Mark Fleming
Saturday, 29 January 2011

Fernando Torres will be the subject of another record-breaking bid from Chelsea

Chelsea are to make another bid for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres before the transfer window closes on Monday night, and will offer Daniel Sturridge as a potential makeweight in the deal.


The Premier League champions have already seen two offers for the Spaniard turned down by the Liverpool board, but they are hopeful their third attempt of around £38m – which would be a new British record – will be successful, particularly as Ajax yesterday accepted Liverpool's offer of £22.8m for Luis Suarez.

The Anfield club had hoped the Uruguayan striker Suarez would be a partner for Torres, but it may yet prove he is instead to be the World Cup winner's replacement, as Torres is understood to be keen to leave.

The Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, believes he can lure Torres to Stamford Bridge in the next three days as the Spaniard's representatives have indicated he has reached a point where he believes leaving Anfield is the right move for him.

Chelsea first offered £28m earlier this week and then £35m but they were rebuffed by Liverpool who are keen to hold on to Torres, particularly with new manager Kenny Dalglish having only been in the job for a matter of weeks. Torres was unsettled in the summer but was talked into staying by the then managing director Christian Purslow. However, he now feels some assurances given to him at the time have been broken and he is believed to have informed the club's owner, the Fenway Sports Group, that he would like them to agree terms with Chelsea.

Representatives from Chelsea believe there is a good chance a deal will be struck, even though Liverpool are saying Torres is not for sale. Chelsea are prepared to offer striker Sturridge, valued at £5m, in part exchange. Liverpool enquired about taking the England under-21 striker on loan to Anfield in December, although that was before previous manager Roy Hodgson was sacked.

At the time Chelsea ruled out the deal, but are willing to use the 21-year-old as part of the Torres transfer. Abramovich is prepared to offer Torres a basic £160,000-a-week salary, plus bonuses and a substantial signing-on fee. Torres moved to Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in July 2007 for £23m, and has scored 81 goals in 142 appearances for the club.

Should the deal come off, it would break the British transfer record of £32.5m set when Manchester City signed the Brazilian Robinho from Real Madrid in August 2008.

It would also be by far the most stunning transfer of the eight years that Abramovich has been ruling the roost in SW6. At 26, Torres is in his prime and would be eligible to play in the Champions League. His first game for his new club could potentially be when Liverpool visit Stamford Bridge next weekend.

Chelsea's interest in Torres comes after the club suffered the worst run of results in more than a decade. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has said that his squad is strong enough to recover, but in private sources say he has been championing the need to strengthen.

The club have already lost out on £3m midfielder Steven Pienaar, who chose Tottenham over the defending champions when he moved from Everton, and are in danger of missing out on defender David Luiz, as negotiations with Benfica over the Brazilian's move to London have proved to be a long, drawn-out affair.

Chelsea are still confident of signing Luiz, despite claims from the Portuguese club that negotiations have broken down. Sources say Chelsea have offered £28m for the 23-year-old centre-half, who has recently broken into the Brazil team, but Benfica are demanding a further £4m to cover development fees to Luiz's former club Victoria da Bahia and commissions to the agents involved.

Benfica issued a statement on their website yesterday which read: "Negotiations between Benfica and Chelsea, with a view to the possible transfer of David Luiz, were concluded today without the parties having reached an agreement. Contrary to reports, David Luiz never tried to force his way out of the club and is a model professional."

Chelsea nevertheless seemed optimistic a deal could still be concluded before the window closes. It would be a remarkable piece of business if they could land both Torres and Luiz for a total of more than £60m in the next three days.

Ancelotti said yesterday that he is delighted the club is attempting to recruit such talents. In a sometimes tetchy press conference, Ancelotti was clearly uncomfortable fielding so many queries about Chelsea's moves in the transfer market. He wanted to talk about today's FA Cup fourth round tie at Everton, but the questions were all about Torres.

"The club is doing a fantastic job in this transfer market," he said. "It is not desperation. If we didn't buy, the squad would be good enough. We have fantastic strikers and midfielders also. We are looking not just for this season but for the future of the club."

Ancelotti added that he was sure he could fit Torres into his attack alongside Didier Drogba, even if it might upset Nicolas Anelka. "Drogba can play with anybody, including Torres. He doesn't have a problem. He has to play in front. But the pitch is wide," he said. "I don't have to say anything to Didier and Nicolas."

Liverpool hope the news that they have concluded a deal with Ajax for Suarez may convince Torres to stay. The 24-year-old Uruguayan will join next week subject to agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.

Liverpool initially offered £12.8m but after further negotiations involving Damien Comolli, Liverpool's director of football strategy, and the Ajax general manager, Rik van den Boog, in Amsterdam yesterday a deal was struck.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/torres-asks-for-move-as-chelsea-set-to-increase-offer-to-a-record-16338m-2197678.html

Dalglish agrees to sell Torres to Chelsea

It is being reported this morning that the Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will be leaving for Chelsea on Monday after Kenny Dalglish agreed that he didn’t want an unhappy player at Anfield, but Chelsea will need to pay the full £50m asking price.

It seems that Torres has not been happy at Anfield for a long time and feels that the promises made to him when he signed a new contract in 2009 have not been fulfilled. They quote a “team-mate” as saying: “He has always been admired by his teammates, but not loved.”

The Mail reports that John W Henry and Kenny Dalglish have agreed that they will let the “sulky” Spaniard leave if the price is met, but will ask for Nicolas Anelka to be included as part of the deal.

The Mail then goes on to say that Chelsea will tomorrow offer £38m plus Daniel Sturridge, but Liverpool will demand the full £50m in cash or £42m plus Anelka, and Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich is willing to pay whatever it takes to secure the 26 year-old, especially as he will be eligible to play in the knockout stages of the Champions League next month.

Torres is set to go down in history as the most expensive player in a transfer between two Premiership clubs ever.

http://www.footylatest.com/dalglish-agrees-to-sell-torres-to-chelsea/19544

Chelsea turn to Far East for new stadium sponsor

03.02.11 | tribalfootball.com


Chelsea hope their trip to the Far East later this year nets them a stadium sponsor.

The Guardian says Chelsea's best hopes of plugging the £75m gap in their finances left by their January transfer business rest with their stadium-naming rights.

Chelsea hope their participation in the Asia Cup in Hong Kong in July will showcase them to potential sponsors.

It's suggested we are more likely to be referring to the China Mobile Stamford Bridge rather than the Vodafone Stadium in future.

http://www.tribalfootball.com/articles/chelsea-turn-far-east-new-stadium-sponsor-1427201