[size=6]Frank Arnesen to join Hamburg as sporting director [/size]

Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen has signed a three-year contract to take up a similar position at Bundeliga side Hamburg in the summer.

The 54-year-old Dane, who previously held a comparable role at Tottenham, announced last November that he would leave Chelsea at the end of the season.

"I am convinced that with the strength we have and the right decisions we can develop something big," said Arsensen.

Chelsea's chief scout Lee Congerton will also make the move to Germany.

Hamburg approached Arnesen after their first choice, German football federation technical director Matthias Sammer, turned down the job.

Club chairman Ernst-Otto Rieckhoff said the signing of Arnesen was a "great solution" to their two-year search for a sporting director.

Former Denmark international Arnesen played for Ajax, Valencia, Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven, before retiring to become Bobby Robson's assistant at PSV Eindhoven in 1991.

Three years later he became PSV Eindhoven's sporting director, staying for 10 years, during which time Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Dutch winger Arjen Robben both joined the club.

In 2004 he joined Spurs before moving to Chelsea a year later.

The Premier League champions have been criticised for spending huge sums on players rather than producing new talent through the club's academy, which was also Arnesen's responsibility.

Chelsea won the FA Youth Cup last season, the first time since 1961, and 17-year-old English midfielder Josh McEachran has increasingly been used by first-team boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Captain John Terry is the last significant home-grown player to establish himself in the first team.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/9402747.stm

Have no idea who the first guy is, and I don't come in WF all that often because its infected with Arse/Liverpool/Manure superiority

OldSchool, you, joffa, 11.mvfc.11...

we'll pick up form : )

Not too hard to understand seeing as there is only two regular Chelsea fans.

Lampard fears Chelsea 'disaster'

February 19, 2011

.Chelsea stalwart Frank Lampard has admitted failure to qualify for next season's Champions League campaign would be a "disaster" for the London club.

Chelsea have slipped to fifth position in the Premier League with 12 matches to go following a protracted form slump followed by a failure to win either of their last two matches.

The troubled campaign has left Chelsea in an uncomfortable scrap for a Champions League place, a competition they have played in every season since 2003-2004.

"We must finish in the top four and can never take our eye off the ball. It would be a disaster if we didn't qualify," Lampard told the BBC.

With their chances of retaining the league virtually extinguished -- Manchester United are 12 points clear of the Blues -- Lampard said the club would focus on winning the FA Cup and Champions League.

"There's huge importance because you can see the league's going to be difficult and that means it's more important to reach finals," he said.

Lampard, 32, also believes that Chelsea's record STG50 million ($A79.94 million) signing Fernando Torres will eventually settle into the goalscoring groove after flopping in his first two matches for the club.

"He's made a huge difference," Lampard said. "No, he hasn't scored in two games but all the spotlight is on him. There's a huge responsibility, people are looking to him to do it instantly, but he will make a difference to us.

"He's a top-class player, he has boosted the lads already and for sure will come good, he's going to add to us in a big way."

Lampard also praised new defender David Luiz, the second component of a January transfer spree that took Chelsea's spending to 75 million pounds. Lampard said he had not expected Chelsea to spend big in the window.

"I was slightly surprised but it was very exciting and I was pleased," he said. "It's a huge boost to have such quality players that we needed at the time.


http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/lampard-fears-chelsea-disaster-20110218-1azvh.html.

Roma Keep Track Of Chelsea Coach Carlo Ancelotti As Claudio Ranieri Stalls On New Deal - Report

Ancelotti in, Ranieri out at Roma for next season as American owners plan ahead...

By Salvatore Landolina
Feb 9, 2011 10:09:00 AM

Find the best odds and bet on the Premier League. Claudio Ranieri is about to lose grip on the power he holds at Roma as the new owners want to bring in Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.

Thomas R. DiBenedetto is ready to wield his influence on the Premier League and haul Ancelotti back to his former club.

Il Corriere dello Sport reports Roma's new American owner is eager to bring in Ancelotti, whose season in London has been less than perfect.

Latest reports follow news on Tuesday claiming Ranieri has turned his back on a one-year extension offer.

His deal expires in the summer, leaving him with two options - brush aside reluctance and renew his bonds with Roma, or leave the club.

The latter would pave the way for Ancelotti to come in. Ranieri's next step would be a return to the Premier League with Liverpool.

Guus Hiddink was linked as the man to replace Ancelotti, but Goal.com UK revealed a return to Chelsea, where he had a brief spell in 2009, is unlikely.


http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2011/02/09/2344497/roma-keep-track-of-chelsea-coach-carlo-ancelotti-as-claudio

Guus Hiddink Does Not Want Chelsea Return - As He Feels He Is Too Old For Club Management

The 64-year-old Turkey manager feels more suited to international football
Feb 9, 2011 9:14:00 AM

By Wayne Veysey

Guus Hiddink has distanced himself from a return to Chelsea or any other leading club managerial role – because he thinks he is too old.

The 64-year-old Dutchman was sounded out in December through third parties whether he was interested in being parachuted into the Stamford Bridge hot seat for a second time should Carlo Ancelotti be sacked as manager.

But Hiddink does not believe he has the energy to take on a major club job and do it to the standard that he would want.

The highly decorated coach is contracted to manage Turkey until 2012 with the option of another two years but it is understood that there is a break clause which allows him to leave in October should they not qualify for Euro 2012.

Hiddink is under pressure following three consecutive defeats, including a 1-0 qualifying loss to Azerbaijan that he described as “a complete disaster”, and Turkey’s Euro 2012 fate could be sealed by a March 29 visit to Austria, the team’s direct rivals for second place in a Group A that is comfortably led by Germany.

It is understood that even if Hiddink loses his job, he will not be seeking another rescue act at Chelsea, where he enjoyed a good relationship with owner Roman Abramovich.

Golden Guus | Hiddink has the respect of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

“He doesn’t want to go back to club football,” a friend of the Dutchman told Goal.com UK. “I know the impact that Chelsea have on him but if he’s a club manager he wants to be on the pitch every day six days a week.
“He thinks that at his age being on the pitch six days a week for two to three seasons is not possible. If he goes to a club he wants to build something and doesn’t want to go for one year. He wants to go for two to three seasons. At his age, that is the main reason why he doesn’t want a club job.”

In 2009, Hiddink came in as a short-term measure following the dismissal of Luiz Felipe Scolari, and juggled his job as coach of Russia with a three-month spell in charge of Chelsea. During his brief reign, the Londoners finished third in the Premier League, won the FA Cup and were controversially defeated by eventual winners Barcelona in the Champions League at the semi-final stage.

It is believed the former South Korea, Netherlands and Australia boss would favour another international post or a senior executive role at one of Europe’s elite clubs.

The news will be a blow for Tottenham, who have the Dutchman on a shortlist of names to replace Harry Redknapp if he takes over the England team when Fabio Capello steps down next year. Manchester City and Liverpool have also sounded Hiddink out over the last 18 months about a return to the Premier League.

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/02/09/2344438/guus-hiddink-does-not-want-chelsea-return-as-he-feels-he-is

Thats crazy.

Chelsea's wages are 82% of their turnover - more healthy than City's 106% - but way off United's level of 46% and Arsenal's of 49%.

Chelsea plan summer move for Fabregas

0Share.Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is planning a summer swoop for Cesc Fabregas, according to The Sun.

After splashing out for Fernando Torres and David Luiz, Roman Abramovich is eager to continue reinforcing the team and he is prepared to try and bring Cesc Fabregas to Stamford Bridge.

The Spanish midfield maestro has been linked with a return to Barcelona as the Catalans are ready to reignite their interest in the La Macia graduate after having a £40 million bid rejected last summer.

Fabregas has hinted on numerous occasions that he would love to return to Barca, but the £60 million price tag slapped by Arsene Wenger is proving to be a stumbling block for the Catalans.

However, Roman Abramovich will try to hijack any Barca bid in the summer as reports suggest he is willing to offer £50 million for the Spain international.

The possible obstacles to the move could be Fabregas’ desire to join Barcelona as well as his devotion to Arsenal fans, so the Blues will have a lot of persuading to do if they are to land the Gunners star.
.http://www.soccernews.com/chelsea-plan-summer-move-for-fabregas/69922/

Chelsea wages soar

February 4, 2011


Chelsea's annual wage bill has soared to £172.5 million - almost £40 million more than the next highest payers Manchester City.

The figure for the year ending June 2010 is revealed in Chelsea's full annual accounts lodged with Companies House on Friday and shows a significant increase on the previous year.

In 2009, the club spent £165.6 million on wages but that sum included pay-offs worth £12.6 million to sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari and his assistants. Excluding the pay-offs, the rise in wages is £19.5 million and represents a 12.7% increase.

Manchester City's wage bill is £133.3 million, Manchester United's £131.7 million and Arsenal are fourth with £110 million spent annually on salaries, according to their most recent accounts.

Chelsea's wages are 82% of their turnover - more healthy than City's 106% - but way off United's level of 46% and Arsenal's of 49%.

The figures also confirm that Chelsea reported losses of £70.9 million compared to £44.4 million the previous year. The club indicated earlier this week that they believe they will halve their losses in the next financial year.

The latest accounts also reveal that Chelsea will be liable for £3.8 million extra in National Insurance contributions if HM Revenue and Customs succeeds in its legal case that image rights payments should be taxed as income.

If that is proved, the players themselves would be liable to pay any tax individually in relation to image rights.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/875881/chelsea-wages-soar-to-L172.5m?cc=3436

Torres explains Chelsea move

5 February 2011-PA Sport

Fernando Torres has revealed Chelsea made its move for him long before the close of the January transfer window as he promised Liverpool fans the full story behind his controversial Anfield exit.

The Blues' record-breaking swoop for Torres looked to have been a classic smash-and-grab affair, with the £50 million ($79.45 million) deal sealed shortly before Monday's 11pm deadline and only four days after the Reds confirmed they had rejected a £35 million ($55.61 million) bid for the striker.

But Torres revealed during his unveiling as a Chelsea player at a jam-packed press conference that he learnt Chelsea had approached Liverpool '10 days or 12 days' before the window shut, demonstrating the Premier League champions had spent some time attempting to prise him away from Merseyside.

Torres also confirmed that was the point when he told the Reds hierarchy he wanted to leave, which was at least a week before he submitted a written transfer request.

"As soon as I knew that Liverpool and Chelsea were talking about that, I told them then that the decision was made and I would like them to talk seriously about the possibility," he said.

"I was the first one to go straight to the manager and all the people to tell them I wanted to leave."

Torres revealed upon signing for Chelsea that it was last northern summer when he began to feel he needed to move on, when his new club reportedly had another bid for him rejected.

That fuelled speculation the Spaniard had not been fully committed this season but he said: "I never lost my ambition. Too many people are talking about that, but it's just their opinions.

"I was playing out of form for months.

"I was not just playing there for six months, but for three-and-a-half years, and I always tried to help the club move forward."

Torres also spoke on Tuesday about the Blues being on a different level to Liverpool, London offering a better lifestyle than Merseyside and his desire to score against his former club this weekend, comments which irked some already-angry Anfield supporters.

A few had been filmed burning replica Torres shirts when his departure began to look inevitable and he attempted to placate the disenchanted when he said: "I only have good things to say about the Liverpool people and the supporters especially.

"I had a great three-and-a-half years there. They made me feel really good there.

"I will never say anything bad about that club, that city.

"I understand they will be angry and won't understand my decision.

"I'm sure in a few days, weeks, I will explain all the reasons."

The 26-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in the northern summer of 2007, added: "I was an Atletico Madrid fan and when some of the top players left the club, I didn't understand.

"But, in time, I understood they did the best for themselves and their families and their careers.

"I'm sure, with time, they (Liverpool fans) will see what I did there and will think it was fair.

"Football is like this. From one day to another, people can love you and then hate you.

"But I'm sure the majority of Liverpool fans are not thinking like the ones you can see on the TV."

Torres also promised not to celebrate if he scored against his former club, saying: "I have big respect for Liverpool fans."

But he admitted the thought of going one step further and asking to sit out the game had not crossed his mind, adding: "Why would I?"

Such was the interest in Torres, groups of journalists were forced to take turns to interview the most expensive player ever transferred between British clubs.

That was his first taste of the scrutiny he would be under at Stamford Bridge but the super-confident Spain star said: "I have been in this situation before when I signed for Liverpool - big money, big expectations - so it's nothing new for me.

"I'm more than ready for the challenge.

"I'm excited about this new life and this new era I have in front of me."

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/chelsea/news/1043513/Torres-explains-Chelsea-move

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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