ancelotti readies chelsea for first premiership ´final´

... london (afp) - chelsea manager carlo ancelotti says his side will face the first of nine 'finals' when their quest for the premier league title continues against aston villa at stamford bridge on saturday ... chelsea, who thrashed basement club portsmouth 5-0 in midweek, also face villa in the semi-finals of the fa cup and ancelotti said: "there are eight or nine games until the end of the season and we need to maintain this spirit ... he limped off before the finish at fratton park but ancelotti expects him to be fit to face villa ... "it is a very important season for drogba, a fantastic striker, but i am looking at what he can do in the next nine games," ancelotti said

premier league prize is bottom line for chelsea boss carlo ancelotti

... apparently, translating carlo ancelotti's best attempt at an italian equivalent of 'squeaky bum time' back into english is a little too risqu?or a family newspaper ... when it comes to the pressure of a title run-in ancelotti claimed he liked to keep everything on the inside what a relief ... eye on the prize: chelsea manager carlo ancelotti is content with his side's positionand while ancelotti knows he is embroiled in a titanic battle with ferguson and arsenal manager arsene wenger, two mangers who know a thing or two about winning league titles in england, ancelotti certainly does not view his status as the new kid on the block as a disadvantage ... 'we have the same problem because we show tranquility on the outside but, on the inside, it's different,' said ancelotti, the former ac milan manager ... 'neither does ancelotti see it as a problem that he has only one italian title to his name ... but ancelotti admits a good display against aston villa today will provide a much better indication as to whether chelsea have blown away the cobwebs in the nick of time as the title race enters the closing stages

chelsea must banish thoughts of being nearly men, says carlo ancelotti

... carlo ancelotti says his chelsea players must eradicate their self-doubts to have any chance of winning the title, having grown used to being nearly men in the last three seasons ... ancelotti admitted yesterday that those near misses, and their on-going frustrations regarding securing the european cup, could be unnerving with critical games to come ... ancelotti suggested ivanovic could yet return from a knee injury ahead of schedule for the game at old trafford next saturday and the club are hopeful that cole will be fit enough to feature in the game against stoke city on 25 april

title credentials: who will win the premier league?

... he hasn't even felt the need to bother involving his rivals in mind games chelseacarlo ancelotti has won an awful lot of trophies in europe but i just have a feeling that maybe his lack of premier league experience will count against him ... i don't know the man and i don't like to criticise but ancelotti does seem a much colder fish than josé mourinho ... they had good results playing this way and carlo ancelotti has persisted with this approach

european leagues preview

... coach carlo ancelotti will be hoping didier drogba maintains the rich vein of form which has taken him to 24 league goals so far this season, bringing him within range of prolific united marksman wayne rooney (26 goals)

another podcast packed with reaction

... first there's reaction to the 1-1 draw with blackburn as carlo ancelotti sums up a difficult week for the blues and john mikel obi discusses the tough fixture ... there's reaction from ancelotti, who expresses his delight with chelsea's performance, before drogba reveals how happy he is to score twice and help take his side to within one point of manchester united

ancelotti: the most important match

... his defensive resources may be stretched towards their limit but carlo ancelotti has confidence in those who are fit to keep aston villa at bay on saturday afternoon ... ' ancelotti stated after the big portsmouth win that he will not consider his side back on form until they add to it a win over aston villa, and he has spoken further on that thought ... ' ancelotti believes there is a chance knee-injury-victim branislav ivanovic could be back for the game against old trafford in eight days' time but michael essien will definitely not be back in time

ancelotti seeks chelsea advantage over title rivals

... chelsea boss carlo ancelotti says their champions league exit may help them win the premier league this season ... chelsea's rivals are both still in the champions league and ancelotti said: "we are disappointed to be out of the europe, but it could be an advantage ... ancelotti added: "mentally, it wasn't good for us to go out of the champions league

chelsea confirm carvalho blow

... " blues head coach carlo ancelotti had said after the fratton park romp: "ricardo turned his ankle

squad sheets: chelsea v aston villa

... carlo ancelotti made great play after wednesday's thrashing of portsmouth that this game will provide a truer test as to whether chelsea have revived from their untimely slump ... ancelotti's charges, stripped of defensive options, must win if they are to remain in touch with manchester united ahead of their trip to old trafford next week