Carlo Ancelotti was more satisfied with the position his team finds itself in following two Group F matches than the performance that put it there.
While opposing manager Didier Deschamps spoke of a gulf in class between the two teams on Tuesday night, the Chelsea coach was contrasting the two 45 minute spells that made up the2-0 win.
The first-half contained a goal from John Terry and another calmly-taken Nicolas Anelka penalty. The half-time score didn't flatter the Blues. But the French champions made it harder for their English counterparts after the break.
'The win was not comfortable because we had a difficult game in the second half,' pointed out Ancelotti.
'We played very well in the first half and the second half was more difficult because Marseille wanted to come back into the game and put more pressure on our midfield. We didn't play so well but we still had a lot of chances in the second half.'
Indeed Alex hit the post with a thunderbolt free-kick, as did Michael Essien in open play. At the other end, Alex was part of a defence that prevented Marseille turning spells of pressure into genuine chances.
'Marseille have good attacking play and they wanted to score and we had a good defence second half,' agreed Ancelotti
'In the second half we had more difficultly in playing from the back because they put more pressure on us there. They took a risk of conceding a counter attack and we did have the good chances but Marseille was in the game until the end.'
The manager praised the skill of Terry in turning in a corner at the near post for a seventh minute opener, and declared he was confident that Anelka would convert his first spot kick in the Champions League since Moscow in 2008.
'I have never seen Anelka afraid or nervous. He is always calm.
'Kakuta was good,' he added, the 19-year-old having started the game and supplied the delivery from which Terry scored.
'He was involved in the game and he plays for the team and this is the most important thing for a young player because sometimes a young player wants to show his ability and quality. It was important for us that he can play for the team and I have to congratulate him for the performance.'
Deschamps was asked whether fine details such as failure by a player on the post to stop Chelsea's first goal had cost his side dear, but he responded:
'You could say that was a fine detail and I prefer to concentrate on the decisive detail, the huge difference between the two sides.
'We were dominated both technically and physically and Chelsea had a very effective first half.
'We found really tough, hard to hold the ball up front, it kept coming back at us, and we lacked a little aggression in certain areas. We tried a bit hard second half and we had more of the ball but Chelsea could have got a third.'
The former France international captain also praised one of his nation's current crop, Florent Malouda, who was the outstanding player in the first half.
'Florent is in a great vein of form at the moment. He found space and technically his skill was superb. He works well in tandem with Ashley Cole.'
The win leaves Chelsea with six points out of six ahead of back-to-back matches with Spartak Moscow who have also won their two games.
'It is a good step this victory but the next two games will be very important,' announced Ancelotti, 'but we have a good chance to arrive in the first place.'
While opposing manager Didier Deschamps spoke of a gulf in class between the two teams on Tuesday night, the Chelsea coach was contrasting the two 45 minute spells that made up the2-0 win.
The first-half contained a goal from John Terry and another calmly-taken Nicolas Anelka penalty. The half-time score didn't flatter the Blues. But the French champions made it harder for their English counterparts after the break.
'The win was not comfortable because we had a difficult game in the second half,' pointed out Ancelotti.
'We played very well in the first half and the second half was more difficult because Marseille wanted to come back into the game and put more pressure on our midfield. We didn't play so well but we still had a lot of chances in the second half.'
Indeed Alex hit the post with a thunderbolt free-kick, as did Michael Essien in open play. At the other end, Alex was part of a defence that prevented Marseille turning spells of pressure into genuine chances.
'Marseille have good attacking play and they wanted to score and we had a good defence second half,' agreed Ancelotti
'In the second half we had more difficultly in playing from the back because they put more pressure on us there. They took a risk of conceding a counter attack and we did have the good chances but Marseille was in the game until the end.'
The manager praised the skill of Terry in turning in a corner at the near post for a seventh minute opener, and declared he was confident that Anelka would convert his first spot kick in the Champions League since Moscow in 2008.
'I have never seen Anelka afraid or nervous. He is always calm.
'Kakuta was good,' he added, the 19-year-old having started the game and supplied the delivery from which Terry scored.
'He was involved in the game and he plays for the team and this is the most important thing for a young player because sometimes a young player wants to show his ability and quality. It was important for us that he can play for the team and I have to congratulate him for the performance.'
Deschamps was asked whether fine details such as failure by a player on the post to stop Chelsea's first goal had cost his side dear, but he responded:
'You could say that was a fine detail and I prefer to concentrate on the decisive detail, the huge difference between the two sides.
'We were dominated both technically and physically and Chelsea had a very effective first half.
'We found really tough, hard to hold the ball up front, it kept coming back at us, and we lacked a little aggression in certain areas. We tried a bit hard second half and we had more of the ball but Chelsea could have got a third.'
The former France international captain also praised one of his nation's current crop, Florent Malouda, who was the outstanding player in the first half.
'Florent is in a great vein of form at the moment. He found space and technically his skill was superb. He works well in tandem with Ashley Cole.'
The win leaves Chelsea with six points out of six ahead of back-to-back matches with Spartak Moscow who have also won their two games.
'It is a good step this victory but the next two games will be very important,' announced Ancelotti, 'but we have a good chance to arrive in the first place.'
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