Carlo Ancelotti is calling on his players to learn lessons from the two defeats against Manchester City last season before going into today's match at Eastlands.
Happily the six points lost in those fixtures were not enough to prevent Chelsea crossing the finishing line first in the race for the title last campaign, but with City expected to be among the challengers this season there is no guarantee similar-slip ups wouldn't be more costly this time around.
The game at Stamford Bridge in February especially, when despite going a goal down Roberto Mancini's side came back to run out 4-2 winners, was one that highlighted City strengths.
'It was not a good moment for us, we played well the first half but second half we lost balance and conceded goals from the counter-attack,' Ancelotti recalls.
'For this new game we have to remember this is one of the reasons we lost and we have to pay attention to counter attacks, because we want to play attacking football.'
Carlos Tevez who scored twice in that game remains but the pace of Craig Bellamy, who also netted two goals, is no longer available to Mancini and there are likely to be other changes in their team from seven months ago, included in midfield where they have added Yaya Toure from Barcelona.
'I think compared to last season they are trying to put more strength and more power into midfield where they are using three midfielders and they have good skills.
'In England you have to be able use quality and you have to be able to use strength and power. You play against some teams who have a lot of power so you have to have in your team both power and quality.
'They can use maybe [James] Milner as a left winger, he is a runner, and I think for this reason they want to put more strength and power in midfield and use Tevez in front with the support of Milner and David Silva.'
Looking at his own side, Ancelotti believes his players are now up to full speed, including the World Cup participants who suffered both summer disappointment and a truncated pre-season.
'You can see from the condition of Ashley Cole, Anelka, Malouda in games that they now are 100 per cent fit,' he points out.
'I am watching the same John Terry as last year - a player focused, concentrating on the training ground, good leadership, good performance on the pitch. This is not a surprise.
'We are not looking for revenge for last season in this game. The motivation is that we want to maintain our lead at the top of the table. This game is an important step for us because it is away and it is at Man City. It will be difficult but our aim is this.'
Happily the six points lost in those fixtures were not enough to prevent Chelsea crossing the finishing line first in the race for the title last campaign, but with City expected to be among the challengers this season there is no guarantee similar-slip ups wouldn't be more costly this time around.
The game at Stamford Bridge in February especially, when despite going a goal down Roberto Mancini's side came back to run out 4-2 winners, was one that highlighted City strengths.
'It was not a good moment for us, we played well the first half but second half we lost balance and conceded goals from the counter-attack,' Ancelotti recalls.
'For this new game we have to remember this is one of the reasons we lost and we have to pay attention to counter attacks, because we want to play attacking football.'
Carlos Tevez who scored twice in that game remains but the pace of Craig Bellamy, who also netted two goals, is no longer available to Mancini and there are likely to be other changes in their team from seven months ago, included in midfield where they have added Yaya Toure from Barcelona.
'I think compared to last season they are trying to put more strength and more power into midfield where they are using three midfielders and they have good skills.
'In England you have to be able use quality and you have to be able to use strength and power. You play against some teams who have a lot of power so you have to have in your team both power and quality.
'They can use maybe [James] Milner as a left winger, he is a runner, and I think for this reason they want to put more strength and power in midfield and use Tevez in front with the support of Milner and David Silva.'
Looking at his own side, Ancelotti believes his players are now up to full speed, including the World Cup participants who suffered both summer disappointment and a truncated pre-season.
'You can see from the condition of Ashley Cole, Anelka, Malouda in games that they now are 100 per cent fit,' he points out.
'I am watching the same John Terry as last year - a player focused, concentrating on the training ground, good leadership, good performance on the pitch. This is not a surprise.
'We are not looking for revenge for last season in this game. The motivation is that we want to maintain our lead at the top of the table. This game is an important step for us because it is away and it is at Man City. It will be difficult but our aim is this.'
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