Anelka Explains Goal Gesture

Nicolas Anelka fired two first-half goals to put Chelsea on the way to a comfortable 4-1 victory over MSK Zilina and then revealed the meaning of his 'handcuff' goal celebration.

Anelka set up Michael Essien's 13th-minute opener before scoring twice himself after 24 and 28 minutes as Chelsea cruised to victory in Slovakia.

Daniel Sturridge scored his first Champions League goal three minutes after the interval before Zilina's Tomas Oravec netted a consolation for the home side.

Anelka, banned by the French Football Federation for 18 games because of his part in the World Cup mutiny, was hailed as the "key" to Chelsea's victory by coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The 31-year-old has since insisted he will never play for his country again but admitted his gesture was aimed at the French authorities and he knows other France players will understand.

"It was just something for the French Federation about what happened at the World Cup," said Anelka.

"What happened in summer is in the past, now I'm 100% focused for Chelsea."

When asked if he would ever consider playing for France again, he replied: "No, never. It was just a joke about what happened. I'm not angry."

Anelka's movement in attack in the absence of the suspended Didier Drogba was pivotal, according to a satisfied Ancelotti.

"The key was Anelka, he played a fantastic game," said the Italian. "He created space, he had opportunities, he was the key for this game.

"He can play the position in front, sometimes we use him more wide, sometimes he plays in the middle but he shows the same skills if he plays wide."

Malouda: London Calling

Florent Malouda admits even with just one group game completed, Wembley is on the players' minds as we pursue European glory.

This season's Champions League Final will be held at the national stadium in north-west London, an arena that has been both kind and familiar to Chelsea in recent years, with 10 appearances there since its reopening in May 2007.

After our 4-1 win at Zilina, in front of 11,000 spectators in a damp Slovakia, Malouda admitted the glamour of the Final seemed a long way off, but by no means unimaginable.

'We have it in mind because it is Wembley, it is like our home, and we try every year,' said the Frenchman. 'Of course we are at the beginning and trying to finish first in the group, and we have to play game after game. We will see in May if we can be at Wembley.'

On a soggy night without key players Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, the goals continued to flow - four in Zilina make it 21 for the season in five games - and Malouda believes other teams need to beware of our potency in front of goal.

'I think that's our strength, we play a system where everybody knows what he has to do and players come in and out and the result is still the same,' he explained. 'Everybody can score and it is difficult for the opponent teams.

'We have to maintain that good atmosphere and keep our focus because we play every competition to win, obviously it will be difficult but we have to be really hungry.

'We're playing good football but every game is different and at the end we made scoring look easy but we just try to start each game playing well first and look for an opportunity. That's what we did.'

Michael Essien's strike after 12 minutes was his third in two games, and his team-mate is delighted the Ghanaian is back and firing after seven months out at the end of last season.

'He is a machine, a train, and I am really happy to see Michael get his fitness,' said the 30-year-old. 'He is playing full of confidence, he is top and he is scoring goals. I think he will give more to the team and the best is still to come.'

Nothing could be more ominous for opponents Blackpool this weekend, though with Lampard hopeful of a return, it may be that he takes a more defensive role than the one he has fulfilled in the England man's absence.

Daniel Sturridge Hoping For More First-Team Opportunities After Scoring Against MSK Zilina

Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge is hoping that he will get more first team opportunities after he scored during the 4-1 win over MSK Zilina on Wednesday evening.

The 21-year-old sealed the win with Chelsea’s fourth of the night and he was pleased to get off the mark for the season, stressing that he wanted to feature more for the first-team.

"It was great to get off the mark this season. Hopefully I will be playing a lot more with these players. Hopefully I will show my abilities," Sturridge told Sky Sports.

The former Manchester City striker also praised the way the team set about what could have been a difficult away trip.

"We wanted to play the ball, work it, make sharp movements and defend well - it paid off for us in the end," he added.

As well as getting off the mark for the season, Sturridge’s goal was also his first in the Champions League, and he is keen for it to be the first of many.

"Scoring in the Champions League - I have been dreaming of this since I way a young boy, hopefully there is many more to come," he continued.

"I was delighted be a part of this and hopefully I’ll be playing with these world class players to make my grade."

The only minor blemish in Chelsea’s display was their failure to keep a clean sheet, but Sturridge still believed that the team defended well on the whole.

"I think the boys played some great football at the back today, Zilina had the fans behind them and the defence played pretty well today all in all - the defence played quality tonight," he added.

"We came out here to win and were delighted to do that. The Champions League is a knockout competition and it’s fantastic for the team."

Ancelotti Hails Nicolas Anelka's Performance In Champions League Win Over MSK Zilina

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has hailed the performance of Nicolas Anelka after the striker scored two goals and provided another as his side ran out 4-1 victors over Slovak side MSK Zilina on Wednesday.

Anelka first cut the ball back for an on-rushing Michael Essien to slot home after 13 minutes, before adding two goals of his own in the space of four minutes to put Chelsea 3-0 ahead inside the opening half an hour, with Daniel Sturridge adding a fourth just after the break to complete the rout.

"[Nicolas] Anelka was fantastic. A fantastic performance," Ancelotti told Sky Sports.

"We are very happy. When you are 3-0 up, it is important to maintain control of the game, [and] we did. We knew our positions. We used the counter-attack because we knew they liked to bring players forward.

"I was very happy with the way we started the game, we knew the opposition would attack so we used the speed of our strikers on the counter-attack. It was a very important win for us. We are doing very well at the moment - we have started well in the Premier League and the Champions League."

After years of disappointment in the Champions League, Ancelotti was coy over his side’s chances in this year’s competition but recognized the fantastic start to domestic and European competition that his side has made this season.

The Italian continued: "[Chelsea] are definitely moving forward. There was a good atmosphere. We [have] started the Premier League well and, now, the Champions League well."

Frank Lampard missed Wednesday's game due to a hernia operation, but his manager confirmed his "hope" that the England international would feature against Blackpool on Sunday.

Chelsea Tracking Spanish Teen Strike Sensation

Chelsea are scouting Malaga starlet Juanmi after the teenager's emergence as one of Spain's hottest properties.

Real Madrid and Barcelona are also keeping tabs on the 17-year-old forward, who scored twice against Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Juanmi became the youngest ever player to score a brace in the Primera Liga and that has attracted the interest of Spain's super-clubs, but Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti also been alerted.

The player has only just signed a new five-year contract at Malaga, but the deal includes an £8m buy-out clause.

Malaga boss Jesualdo Ferreira said: "He could go very far."

Junami's agent Javier Dieguez added: "This is not a surprise for us but for now he is focused on doing well for Malaga."

Chelsea Player Focus - Branislav Ivanovic

The emergence of Branislav Ivanovic as a major influence in the Chelsea defence may have caught many by surprise. After Carlo Ancelotti was forced to rotate personnel in the hope of filling the void left courtesy of a knee injury to Jose Bosingwa, the Serbian - who joined Chelsea initially as a centre-half - was next in line.

Having joined the club in January 2008, he had to wait until October of that year for his first Premier League appearance. Featuring only 16 times in the 2008/09 Premier League season ensured Ivanovic was determined to grab hold of the opportunity of minutes on the pitch afforded to him by Bosingwa’s absence. The start of the Serbian’s tenure at right-back mirrored what was to be expected when shifting an uncompromising central defender into an area where they would receive more of the ball, and often expected to generate attacking moves. Cumbersome and rigid, the 26-year-old’s limitations stood out but were masked as the Blues’ superiority swept teams aside.

However the unforgiving nature of Chelsea’s play encouraged Ivanovic to be more active. Wave after wave of attack on the opposition’s penalty area incited the man put at right-back to merely ‘do a job’ into surpassing any expectations put on him, excelling as a foil to Ashley Cole, who was rampant on the left flank. The turning point in Ivanovic’s approach came within a week in December. Having created two goals against Everton, he was brought down following a foray into the area, enabling Frank Lampard to convert the penalty and record a priceless win. From there on he has evolved into a competent attacking right-back highlighted by his surging run and assist for Solomon Kalou in the Champions League tie away to Inter.

Ivanovic has proven to be aerially adept in both boxes - just ask Liverpool fans. A brace of headers at Anfield in the Champions League continue to build his rapport with the Stamford Bridge faithful whilst Liverpool’s European dreams crumbled. The Serbian’s dominance at right-back last season earned him a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season, a clear indication of his progress.

For all his sturdy defensive work last season, Ivanovic’s fling with the Chelsea right-back slot could be on the rocks. He has played there just twice so far in the league this campaign - with one of those outings as a 60th minute substitute as his side held a 3-0 lead over West Bromwich Albion - preference going to natural right-back Paulo Ferreira. He featured in the position in Chelsea’s opening Champions League group victory MSK Zilina on Wednesday but in the wake of Ricardo Carvalho’s re-acquaintance with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, Ivanovic’s presence is required in the middle of defence, allowing him to establish himself alongside captain John Terry. Whilst Ivanovic is still an infant in terms of central defenders, another year learning under Ancelotti is likely to reap a second season decorated with success.

Reserves Head North For Second Test

The reserves recommence their league season away at Newcastle United this evening after a three-week break.

The new format of second string football has freshened up the fixture list, making trips like this to the north east an attractive part of the calendar, and coach Steve Holland is looking forward to the challenge.

'The season got off to a great start in terms of playing at Stamford Bridge against Everton, another side not usually in our region and this follows it up nicely, at St. James' Park, which makes it two great venues to have played in,' he reported.

'It's been a frustrating two weeks with the international break, it would have been nice to have had another couple of games in the bag by now, but the break impacts on the reserves group as much as the first team, so I am sure the lads will be looking forward to playing again.

'Newcastle has a very good academy with good players, they are back in the Premier League now, and you are always guessing with regards to the make-up of a reserve team squad and whether they will have senior players in it or not.

'They played Sunderland recently and played very strongly, so either way we expect them to have very good players. Their youth team got to the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup last year, losing narrowly to Aston Villa, so we could quite easily have played them in the Final last year. I am sure it will be two well-balanced teams and a good game.'

Wednesday night's Champions League game against MSK Zilina means Holland will be without a number of promising talents, but he still expects a number of exciting youngsters to be involved.

'The Champions League squad travelled to Slovakia, so Patrick van Aanholt, Fabio Borini, Josh McEachran and Sam Walker, who all played in that first game of the season will not be involved on Thursday, so that's terrific in a way but it does mean they are unavailable, and now Michael Mancienne is out on loan at Wolves, so it will be a younger team than that one against Everton.'

One man expected to be involved is the scorer of last season's FA Youth Cup winning goal, Conor Clifford, who this week signed a new contract that lasts until 2012. It has been confirmed he will come up against former Arsenal, Spurs and England defender Sol Campbell, who is still working towards full fitness and will start for the Magpies.

Champions League Preview: MSK Zilina vs Chelsea

Freedom from expectations can be a dangerous thing, and while Slovakian champions MSK Zilina won't be anyone's tips to progress from what is otherwise a relatively strong group, that doesn't mean they don't have the ability to derail one or more of their rivals' campaigns over the course of their six-game lap of honour.

Yes, expectations will be low, but that doesn't mean former Czech international Pavel Hapal won't be telling his side they are good enough to get results. After all, they have some form in Europe — beating Aston Villa in the Europa League just under two years ago — and eight top-two finishes (five titles) in the last nine years ably demonstrates they are no strangers to success. They also beat the more vaunted Sparta Prague to get to the group stages, so cannot be underestimated.

The team itself is led by Robert Jez, an all-action midfielder who leads by example. The rest of the team is a mix of Slovak and Czech players, with Gambia forward Ceesay leading the line. While unlikely to start, Slovakian international Tomas Oravec is a frequent scorer of goals off the substitutes' bench.

Manager Hapal has said it will take a combination of "bravery and cheekiness" to come away with anything from their first game against Chelsea, an acknowledgment that his side face an uphill challenge. But with the game taking place at the Stadium Pod Dubnom — capacity just over 11,000 — the atmosphere will be somewhat unique and the world-renowned stars that visit will all have to be on the guard if they don't want to be caught out.

From one extreme to the other on Matchday 1 — while Zilina may have minimal expectations of even dropping down into the Europa League come December, Chelsea will be fervently hoping they are hoisting the trophy at Wembley come May.

Indeed, among the big boys perhaps only Real Madrid share the Blues' urgency and determination to win Europe's top club prize. It has been owner Roman Abramovich's target ever since his arrival in 2003, but has so far remained frustratingly elusive. And with many of the club's stars at the peak or even beyond it, a certain 'now or never' feel is beginning to surface around the current squad.

John Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba et al were but a penalty kick away from winning the trophy in 2008, but with all three of them 30 or over their chances at redemption are growing ever slimmer. But with their apparent dominance over the rest of the Premier League already on display so far this season, it seems everything is clicking into place for a concerted title run.

Last season Carlo Ancelotti fell foul of Jose Mourinho's Inter in the last 16, an earlier than expected exit that the Italian still harbours certain regrets over. But he has an immediate shot at redemption this season and, with no Africa Cup of Nations and (hopefully) fewer injuries to contend with, will be confident of progressing further in the competition even if they are once again drawn with one of Europe's elite sooner than preferable.

With Spartak Moscow and Olympique Marseille the other two teams in the group, Chelsea face three unenviable away trips but should still be confident of topping the group. An opening win in Slovakia would be a welcome first step on that path.

TEAM NEWS

MSK Zilina

Hapal has few injury concerns, but will likely make some changes after landing a 2-1 win against Tatran Presov at the weekend. On that occasion he played a 4-4-2, but Oravec is likely to make way for another midfielder — possibly Saturday substitute Vittor — as Zilina put on understandable emphasis on defence.

The two sides actually met in the competition in 2002, where Chelsea progressed 5-0 on aggregate in the third qualifying round. An improvement on that eight years on would be welcomed by the home support, but even they might be harder to please than usual — having seen tickets for this home game marked up by over 1000 per cent in a somewhat cynical move as one of Europe's A-listers comes into town.

Possible starting XI: Krnac; Angelovic, Placek, Pecalka, Mraz; Poliacek, Jez, Vittor, Vladavic, Bello; Ceesay.

Chelsea

The Blues have certain issues across the pitch, with Frank Lampard still injured for the game, Didier Drogba suspended and Ashley Cole set to be rested. But John Terry is available after coming through the game against West Ham at the weekend.

Elsewhere, Ancelotti's squad has more than enough depth to cover the absentees, and even allow him to indulge in a little light rotation. Yury Zhirkov will replace Ashley Cole at left-back, while Ramires won't be given his European bow with the Blues as he continues to adjust to the team. Fellow summer signing Yossi Benayoun starts in his place.

Further forward, Drogba's absence simply paves the way for Florent Malouda to return to the first XI after the weekend rest, with Anelka playing up front and Daniel Sturridge supporting on the right.

Confirmed starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Zhirkov, Essien, Benayoun, Mikel, Sturridge, Malouda, Anelka.

PREDICTION

So many unknown variables will define this game's eventual scoreline, but one thing that should be almost taken as a certainty is that Chelsea will win. If the Stadium Pod Dubnom is packed, despite the inflated ticket prices, then the atmosphere could cause some difficulties to the visitors, but Zilina lack the requisite skill and experience at this level to keep Chelsea at bay for 90 minutes.

For there part, the Blues have developed a recent habit of building up near-rugby scores against opposing teams, and could be in line to give the Slovakians a similar pasting. But with changes to the personnel and a certain sense of the unknown to contend with, a comfortable but not excessive win will still please Ancelotti more than enough.

SCORE: MSK Zilina 0 - 3 Chelsea

Martin Samuel: Abramovich's Real Goal At Chelsea Is To Make The Club Masters Of Europe

Carlo Ancelotti was not happy. He signalled for Didier Drogba to come to the touchline and much arm waving ensued. Ancelotti's complaint appeared to centre on the lack of urgency Drogba was displaying as Chelsea coasted to victory. Ancelotti's comments after the game confirmed his displeasure.

Having seen Manchester United surrender a two-goal lead at Everton in injury-time, he made it plain he had not instructed his players to take it easy at Upton Park, despite leading 2-0 after 18 minutes. That had been their decision.

While the inferior nature of the opposition was obvious - Chelsea won comfortably 3-1, even at training-ground pace - perhaps the performance was simply a confirmation of priorities at Stamford Bridge this season.

Most of Chelsea's players have been around the club long enough to know what the owner wants; and with the first Champions League fixture against MSK Zilina taking place in Slovakia on Wednesday night, they thought it wise to leave plenty in the tank.

Despite his love of European competition, Sir Alex Ferguson has always insisted that winning the league is the priority for Manchester United. An old-fashioned football man, he understands the rest stems from that.

Liverpool were the exception in 2005, contriving to be hopelessly inconsistent domestically yet relentless in Europe. In the last four seasons, however, the winners of the Champions League have combined their triumph with a domestic title.

Ancelotti no doubt shares Ferguson's opinion that one feeds the other, but he is not the loudest voice at his club. Roman Abramovich may be as chatty as Harpo Marx in public, but privately nobody at Chelsea is under any illusions about what he wants from this season.

It is no coincidence that his current choice of manager is a man who has won the European Cup four times, including twice as a player, nor that last season's failure to overcome Inter Milan was followed by a summer clear-out of players perceived to have under-achieved, including Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Deco and Ricardo Carvalho.

Winning the league was not enough to save them, in Abramovich's view.

For a team that has never lifted the Champions League trophy, Chelsea have become the team to beat for aspiring conquerors of Europe. In five of the last six seasons, the club that has knocked them out has gone on to win the competition.

Inter Milan in 2010, Barcelona in 2009, Manchester United in 2008, Barcelona in 2006 and Liverpool in 2005. Only in 2007, when Chelsea succumbed to Liverpool again at the semi-final stage but AC Milan won the final, did they lose to less than the eventual champions of Europe.

It is a remarkable record, but one they would give anything to avoid maintaining this season.

Chelsea's group this time is no breeze. It includes the champions of France, Marseille, the little known Zilina and an arduous trip to play Spartak Moscow, but for a team of such calibre anything less than top spot would be disappointing.

Winning the group would at least guarantee the advantage of playing at home in the second leg of the last 16, although that proved no insurance against the resilience of Inter Mi lan in the last campaign.

That loss over two legs should worry Chelsea most of all, as it represents one of the few times the club has been eliminated from Europe without cause for complaint.

Against Barcelona in 2009 they were the victims of a terrifyingly abysmal refereeing performance by Tom Henning Ovrebo (one of UEFA's many Over-Promoted Useless Scandinavian Officials), and in Moscow in 2008 they were the better team against Manchester United before John Terry's fateful penalty miss.

Preceding this is a litany of ghost goals, bitterly disputed red cards, enemies of football and even the bizarre tactical choices of Claudio Ranieri against Monaco, which date back to another semi-final debacle in 2004.

Some believe these were the years in which Chelsea should have been champions of Europe, and the ship has now sailed. It is said Ancelotti's squad is advanced in age and will no longer be a match for Barcelona or a Real Madrid team galvanised by the arrival of Jose Mourinho. AC Milan are tipped to be useful again, too.

Yet the claims of Chelsea's rivals sound overplayed. For all the oceans of ink sucked dry to eulogise Barcelona, they were beaten fair and square by Inter Milan last season and it took a travesty of sporting justice to put them in the final the year before.

Real Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan are works in progress under new managers, while Manchester United were undoubtedly stronger before the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich were incredibly lucky to overcome them last season.

As for dark horses, it is 13 years since the Champions League was won by a club that had not previously lifted the European Cup (Borussia Dortmund in 1997, Chelsea would be the first club to do it this century), so this is not a competition for outsiders.
The conclusion, then, is that there is no single outstanding team in Europe and Chelsea have as much to recommend them, if not more.

So can they win it? Most certainly, yes. Will they win it? A cautious yes to that, too.

The pillars of the team, Drogba, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard, remain undiminished, while Ancelotti has quietly transformed Florent Malouda into one of the most potent midfield players in the country. He talks of Michael Essien, returned from injury, as if he is a new player, while the acquisition of Ramires is a shrewd one. The Brazilian gives Chelsea increasing midfield options, able to go box to box yet with the capability to be a wiry ball-winner in the Claude Makelele mode.

It also helps that Chelsea have enjoyed a fortuitous start with their opening four Premier League games, West Bromwich Albion, Wigan Athletic, Stoke City and West Ham United, a relative cakewalk.

Having looked unconvincing in the summer friendly tournaments, they have been allowed to play themselves into form, and are now brushing opponents aside without reaching top gear, as happened at Upton Park.

Even their first Champions League game, MSK Zilina away, is hardly the test it could have been, while Sunday brings the visit of Blackpool.

Liverpool was made to hit the ground running against Arsenal, before travelling to Manchester City and visiting a Turkish outpost to face Trabzonspor. By comparison, Chelsea have been stress-free for a month, as they mount the latest attempt to deliver the prize Abramovich values above all.

This single-mindedness may cause Ancelotti more frustration on the touchline, but he will come to realize it is for a good cause; not least in maintaining his continued employment, which another boring old league title win may no longer guarantee.

Petr Cech Convinced Chelsea Can Win The Champions League This Season

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is relishing the beginning of the Blues' Champions League campaign and is sure that this could be the season the side finally brings the trophy to Stamford Bridge.

The domestic Double winners face MSK Zilina this evening in the first game in their group and Cech is clearly confident ahead of the clash.

"We are coming here in a very good mood. We have been playing very well recently and we are ready to go in the Champions League," Cech told reporters.

"Last year we won the Double which is a great achievement but we couldn't progress in the Champions League, that's the way it is.

"The previous seasons we have always been in the semi-final and once in the final, but we all believe that this time is going to be the breakthrough. We all believe before every season that we can go all the way and win it."

Cech believes that Carlo Ancelotti's side has all the ingredients in place to win the competition, with quality and experience combining with a fierce work ethic.

"I believe that because of the work I can see every day at the training ground, starting with the manager and finishing with all the people working for the club," he added.

"We always have the quality in the team and we have a great team spirit. That is the start and now we need to have the good performances on the pitch. We always have a good start.

"We know we have what it takes."

Ancelotti Says Yuri Zhirkov Won't Be Leaving Stamford Bridge

Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Russian international Yuri Zhirkov will not be leaving Chelsea, despite rumours linking him with a move back to Russia.

The left-sided player was signed from CSKA Moscow a year ago for a fee just short of £20million. Zhirkov made seventeen appearances for Chelsea last season, but only due to the absence of an injured Ashley Cole.

Given his limited first-team opportunities, it had been suggested that Zhirkov would leave Stamford Bridge. However, Blues boss Ancelotti is hearing none of it.

"I don't need to speak with him about the future," said Ancelotti, who will start with Zhirkov against MSK Zilina in the Champions League this evening.

"That is because his future is here with Chelsea. He is a good player.

"He knows in this club, in the top teams, there is a lot of competition to play and for this reason, he has to improve.

"But I think that he will have the possibility to play a lot of games this year, because we are involved in a lot of competitions. We need to have all the players fit and ready to play."

Chelsea Open Contract Talks With Gael Kakuta

Chelsea has begun talks with France Under-19 star Gael Kakuta over a new contract to secure his long-term future at the club.

Kakuta's current deal runs out at the end of the season, but coach Carlo Ancelotti wants to keep him at Stamford Bridge and a five-year extension is close to being agreed.

The 19-year-old made the headlines for the wrong reasons last season after Fifa accused Chelsea of inducing him to break his contract with Lens when they signed him in 2007.

Chelsea was banned from making any signings for two transfer windows only for Fifa's decision to be overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in February.

Ancelotti sees Kakuta, who was named player of the tournament after helping France win the European Under-19 Championships this summer, as key to his plans for the squad.

He said: "Now he is first team, he will have the same opportunity as the other players and he deserves to play because he trained well, he is focused and concentrated. He will play and we now have to consider him not a young player but a player in the first team."

Kakuta came on as a substitute against West Ham on Saturday and is expected to be named on the bench again for their opening Champions League game at MSK Zilina tonight.

It is the first time the Slovakian champions have qualified for the group phase of the competition, but coach Pavel Hapal has warned Chelsea not to expect an easy match.

He said: "It's a great challenge for me and I'm really looking forward to it. On the other hand, we won't sell ourselves short. We want to show our supporters quality football and we'd like to get some points from our meeting with Chelsea.

"We obviously respect our opponents; they're a really big club. Chelsea is obviously superior to us, but football is about 11 players playing against 11 players and we want to walk off with our heads high after the match."

John Terry: I'll Die Unhappy If Chelsea Don't End European Pain

John Terry today admitted he will die an unhappy man if he ends his career without winning the Champions League with Chelsea.

Carlo Ancelotti's side begins this season's campaign at MSK Zilina, which was the first side Chelsea faced after Roman Abramovich bought the club seven years ago.

Terry is the only member of the team that beat the Slovakian champions in a two-legged qualifier in 2003 who will start for the Blues tonight.

Since making his debut in the competition back then, the 29-year-old has suffered heartache having played in four semi-final defeats, as well as missing the penalty which would have won the club the trophy against Manchester United in 2008.

Terry suffered more frustration last season after the club were beaten by eventual winners Inter Milan to crash out at the last-16 stage for only the second time in their history.

They went onto win their third Premier League title in six years but the Chelsea captain is still frustrated at having failed to claim European football's biggest prize yet.

He hopes for better fortune this season and told Chelsea TV: "Until we win that trophy I'm not going to die a happy man, that's a fact. I realize now that going out of the competition last season made us stronger in the League.

"But I will never give up hope of winning that trophy. I owe it to every Chelsea fan because of what happened in the final in Moscow two years ago. I still hold that as a big responsibility, I let the fans, players and the club down by missing the penalty.

"It would be nice if we did get a penalty or something like that when we should. Last season against Inter, Salomon Kalou should have had one home and away.

"We were almost perfect in the group stages but then in the knockout phase you only need to have two bad days and you're out. We didn't play as well as we should have done out there or at home. We should always fancy ourselves to score at home but we didn't. We just weren't good enough.

"But one year on, with the squad of players that we have, we are good enough to go all the way. You just need that bit of luck."

Chelsea allowed experienced quintet Michael Ballack, Joe Cole, Juliano Belletti, Deco and Ricardo Carvalho to leave this summer and only replaced them with Yossi Benayoun, who will start his first game for the Blues tonight, and Brazil midfielder Ramires.
But goalkeeper Petr Cech is adamant Chelsea are not a weaker side from the one that reached the Champions League semi-final in 2009.

"We will see if we are better but we hope this time will be the breakthrough," said Cech.

"What gives me the belief this season will be different is the work I can see every day on the training ground, starting with the manager and finishing with everyone who works for the club.

"We are coming into the game with Zilina in a very good mood because we have been playing very well recently. We are raring to go in the Champions League campaign. We are ready and want to start with a win."

But Carlo Ancelotti has told his players they must learn from their exit to Inter Milan and toughen up if they want to taste success at Wembley in May.

The Chelsea boss said: "We have to stay focused and play well against Zilina. Our aim is to start well and win this group but it will not be easy. Every team has quality and it is an important game for Zilina."

Malouda: The Beautiful Competition

We step into the unknown in Slovakia this evening, but Florent Malouda believes it is such trips that make the Champions League so exciting.

It is our eighth successive season in Europe's premier club competition but tonight is a debut for MSK Zilina, the Slovakian champions who progressed past Sparta Prague to reach the groups for the first time.

It is unusual these days to play completely new opposition, but Malouda pointed out it has also happened in the last two campaigns.

'In the past when you think about Cluj, when we first played them they were new, and last year we played APOEL Nicosia, so it can happen,' the Frenchman said. 'That's the Champions League, now there are so many countries involved that it is exciting. It is original, that's the beauty of this competition.

'It is always a danger for a big team like us to go there, if you're not completely focused you can have big disappointments, so we shouldn't go there thinking it is going to be easy. We have to be really concentrated throughout the game.'

Of course the scouts will have been busying their reports for Carlo Ancelotti since the group stage draw was made in late August, and Malouda believes the tempo of the game will be an important factor in deciding its outcome.

'Now with the videos and all the games on TV you can find out almost everything about the opposition, all the teams know the way we play,' he suggested.

'I think the difference will be the pace of the game. If we can control the pace then it will be good for us but if we go there and start slow and sloppy it will turn to their advantage, that's the first thing we have to do.'

The other teams in Group F are French champions Marseille and Russian runners-up Spartak Moscow, both of whom are expected to provide stiff competition. Malouda is already looking forward to facing the side from his homeland at Stamford Bridge in a fortnight's time.

'Marseille will be a difficult one because if you look at the recent years the French teams have done well in the Champions League,' he said. 'Last year they had two teams in the last eight. It is big for them, they were champions last year and were waiting a long time, so they will want a good start.

'They won't want to come to Stamford Bridge and lose 4-0 like Bordeaux did two years ago. I can tell you it will be difficult in both games. Over there it is a big atmosphere but we are used to that.

'For all the teams in the group we are at the beginning and we all want to finish first, so we have to get the points.'

Giles Smith Midweek View

Imagine if Chelsea suddenly announced, out of nowhere, that the club's next manager was definitely going to be English. No exact date on the appointment, and no names specifically, but this much already decided: that whoever it was, and whenever it was, the next person through the door of the gaffer's office at Cobham would be an Englishman, with a valid UK passport and a native grasp of English swear words.

You'd be pretty confused, wouldn't you? You'd certainly struggle to see the logic. Why make this peculiarly narrow decision, you'd want to ask yourself? Why, against the backdrop of an unignorable history of success in English football for foreign coaches, impose this entirely arbitrary restriction on the running of the club when no rule or law (either in football or in the European regulations on employment) insists that you do so? Why go out of your way to shackle yourself, completely voluntarily?

And then you would mournfully shuffle through the likely candidates, and the decision would get no easier to understand. In fact, it would start to look devastating - possibly even suicidal.

Roy Hodgson? Well, maybe that would be OK, in fact. A good manager and an intelligent and likeable man - almost everybody says as much. But, even so, based on his record, and even allowing for the unlikely possibility of a highly fruitful forthcoming period at Liverpool, would he really represent a step on from the present incumbent, when the time comes? Probably not.

Harry Redknapp, then? Hmm.

'Big' Sam Allardyce? I don't think so, really, do you?

Stuart Pearce? No.

Steve McClaren? Well, he's clearly a lot better than a lot of people once gave him credit for, and all power to him for achieving a major turn-around in his fortunes after that nasty business with the umbrella. But would anyone round here genuinely be breaking out in spots and a fever of anticipation at the thought of him being next up after Mr. Ancelotti?

Neil Warnock? Now you're just being satirical.

But, of course, a situation in which the club comes right out and declares that it will choose its next manager off the English-only menu isn't going to happen. And it isn't going to happen primarily because Chelsea aren't stupid. And this has got nothing to do - let's be clear - with any entrenched bias against the idea of an English manager, or with any strong feelings for or against the current catalogue.

It has solely to do, rather, with the club's sensible desire to pursue the best available person at the time, based on his record and aptitude, rather than on his passport. And the best candidate may, indeed, turn out to be English, come the moment when Mr Ancelotti decides that he has had enough (assuming and hoping that's a good few years off). But why tie yourself to the notion when you don't need to?

Yet this is precisely what the FA have decided to do with England. The next England manager, after Fabio Capello, will be English, they have already said - and this despite the fact that it may be two years at least before Capello leaves, so who knows what may happen between now and then? And the idea seems to have gone down rather well, not least among those managers who (wouldn't you know it?) happen to be English. (Redknapp and Allardyce, in particular, sound hugely enthusiastic about the prospect.)

Madness. It's like removing yourself from the driving seat and lashing yourself to the bumper instead. What a good thing it is that clubs aren't run like this.

Some people have noted the flying start that our team has made to the defence of its title this year and somewhat grudgingly pointed out that, impressive though these first four performances have been, the club has had a relatively soft opening to the season, fixture-wise, so nothing too much ought to be inferred.

Rubbish. What these people need to remember is the basic truth behind the old cliché: there are no easy games at this level. Apart from West Ham, obviously.

Same goes for our Champions League group: slightly soft, people are saying, in advance. But is there anything soft about away games in Slovakia and Russia? We're about to find out, I guess, starting tonight. For what it's worth, though, my feeling about the Champions League is the same as my feeling about the Premier League: no easy games. Apart from West Ham.

Incidentally, one final thing: did you notice the eerie parallel between our game on Saturday and Manchester United's at Everton? In both cases the score line was 1-3 when the fourth official held up the board for time added on.

Spooky coincidence, no? The difference, of course, was that, in our match, it was still 1-3 when the final whistle went, whereas in United's, strangely enough, it wasn't. But just for a moment there, we and United were matching each other in the title race, blow for blow. And people say the Premier League isn't as tightly competitive this season.

Ancelotti To Prioritize Champions League

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has explained how important it would be for the Londoners to win the Champions League this season.

The Blues get their European adventure up and running at Slovakian side MSK Zilina on Wednesday evening and, following their league and cup double last term, the Italian coach would love to see the coveted prize arrive at Stamford Bridge at the end of this term.

"It's the competition which has given me the most satisfaction in my career, both as a player and as a coach, so it has a very special importance for me to take part in and to win it," he said.

"In Europe, everyone knows the importance of this trophy.

Essien: Blues Ready For Long Euro Road

Michael Essien accepts Chelsea still have plenty of hard work ahead of them as the Barclays Premier League leaders set their sights on conquering Europe.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men have started the new campaign in the way they finished the last, with a 100% record from their opening four games, and have conceded just one goal.

Chelsea embark on the quest to lift the European Cup at Wembley in May with a trip to Slovakian minnows MSK Zilina on Wednesday evening, where the Blues could be without both captain John Terry, because of a rib injury, and midfielder Frank Lampard, just back from a hernia operation, as well as the suspended Didier Drogba.

While the desire for Champions League success burns as fierce as ever, both within the squad and the boardroom, plenty of challenges lie ahead, with Marseille and Spartak Moscow still to come in Group F.

"We still have a lot to do," said Essien, who netted a brace in Saturday’s 3-1 win at West Ham.

"The season is very long, but we have played some good football and are scoring a lot of goals – we have to keep going like that."

Ancelotti has won the European Cup four times, twice as player and again as coach when he guided AC Milan to Champions League glory in 2003 and 2007.

The 51-year-old Italian would like nothing better than to emulate that feat with Chelsea.

"It’s the competition which has given me the most satisfaction in my career, both as a player and as a coach, so it has a very special importance for me to take part in and to win it," said Ancelotti, whose side went out in the last 16 to eventual winners Inter Milan, and a certain Jose Mourinho last season.

"Everyone knows the importance of this trophy. A London team hasn’t won the Champions League, but this season there is a better chance with three teams in the competition and the final at Wembley so for London it is a special year. Given that we won the Championship last year, it would be great to win something in Europe as well as at home."

Chelsea have met Zilina once before, in the 2002/03 Champions League qualifier, which the English side won 5-0 on aggregate.

The Slovakians had to come through three preliminary rounds to make the group stages, knocking out Sparta Prague.

Ashley Cole Rested As Frank Lampard Is Forced To Wait For Return

Chelsea will rest Ashley Cole for Wednesday’s Champions League tie away to MSK Zilina and have resisted the temptation to recall Frank Lampard.

John Terry, however, has recovered from bruising to his ribs which forced him to be substituted during Saturday’s Premier League victory at West Ham and will play.

After the hamstring and gluteus problems which ruled him out of England’s last two internationals, Terry had been thought a doubt.

Chelsea have deemed that Lampard — who underwent groin surgery and missed the England games against Bulgaria and Switzerland — is not fit enough to play so he will stay behind to train while the squad travel to Slovakia. He is expected to return for Sunday’s league match at home to Blackpool.

The absence of Cole was less expected. It is understood the left-back has had an ankle niggle although Chelsea maintain he is being left out simply because of the number of games he has played.

This means a rare opportunity for Yuri Zhirkov, who has grown frustrated at the lack of opportunities since he moved to Chelsea in the summer last year.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “Ashley Cole stays out because I want to give him a rest. He played two games with the national team, played Saturday, and I will give him a rest.”

With Didier Drogba suspended, Nicolas Anelka is expected to play as a central striker, rather than on the flanks as he has done in Ancelotti’s formation. Florent Malouda will return to the starting XI.

Varney Aims To Bridge The Gap

Luke Varney has warned Chelsea that Blackpool is capable of pulling off a shock victory at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

The Tangerines, installed as favourites for relegation before the season began, have defied their critics so far this campaign by picking up seven points from their four Premier League fixtures to climb to fourth in the table.

Perhaps the most impressive of their performances was Saturday's surprise 2-0 victory at Newcastle, which came courtesy of goals from DJ Campbell and Charlie Adam.

Now Varney, who won the penalty which enabled Adam to open the scoring on Saturday, has warned the champions, who have a 100 per cent record so far this year, that he and his team-mates are brimming with confidence ahead of Sunday's game.

Varney said: "We spoke before about what we wanted from these two games and to be honest I would have taken a point from Newcastle but we can go to Chelsea now and enjoy ourselves.

"We are going to go there with the same attitude, the same group, the same togetherness. We're achieving a lot more than everyone was expecting so we'll be full of confidence and who knows what will happen?

He added: "It will be a daunting proposition too but we know we can go into the match on the back of Saturday's game with a lot of confidence."

Yuri Zhirkov's Failure To Impress At Stamford Bridge Blamed On Former Chelsea Boss Guus Hiddink

Guus Hiddink has been blamed for ruining Yuri Zhirkov’s talents by a Russian football legend.

Zhirkov has been an £18million disappointment at Chelsea after being plagued by injury last season and he is threatening to ask for a move in January if there is no way into Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

The 27-year-old is commonly seen as being behind left back Ashley Cole in the Stamford Bridge pecking order, despite making his name as an attacking winger before leaving CSKA Moscow for England before last season.

The world saw Zhirkov excel as a makeshift raiding full back for Russia at Euro 2008, but 1960 European champion Viktor Ponedelnik believes the role did more harm than good.

‘As a player, Zhirkov was broken by Hiddink,’ said Ponedelnik, 73. ‘And it’s important to say this loudly.

‘Yuri played tremendously as a left attacking midfielder. He has a left leg as if he were holding a spoon in his hand to eat borsch (vegetable soup) from a cup.

‘But Hiddink decided to invent some revolutionary system so that one player was the left back and the attacking winger. But for that it was necessary to insert four hearts in Zhirkov.’

Zenit St Petersburg and Spartak Moscow are monitoring Zhirkov’s availability.

Pat Nevin: Deadly Weapon

Pat Nevin witnessed the latest Chelsea win in the flesh and as he watched the ball and game squirm from West Ham's grasp, he spotted a set-piece trend, as he explains in this week's column.

As I was broadcasting (in a totally unbiased manner) on Saturday for BBC Radio 5 at Upton Park, I was struggling to find just the right words to describe Chelsea's performance. Perfunctory sounded OK but not quite right. Functional or efficient didn't sum it up either but I was getting closer. Eventually it came to me, sufficient.

How depressing it must have been for the Hammers to know in their heart of hearts that most of the Blues players had at least another couple of gears in reserve if and when needed. The reason for the less than full throttle approach for 90 minutes was of course the barrage of games on the horizon, so Avram Grant may have been able to suggest West Ham controlled large parts of the game, but surely he knew what was likely to happen if his team had the audacity to get within a goal of Chelsea.

There were a number of particular highlights, the short cameo by Gael Kakuta near the end lifted the spirits, he will certainly be needed between now and the end of the season. Michael Essien in particular looked unstoppable, the two goals being merely the icing on the cake of a sensational performance. There was a gap where Frank Lampard usually arrives in the box to get his habitual goals and the Ghanaian decided to fill it with devastating consequences for West Ham.

One of the other heartening sights was the Chelsea bench and the quality sitting there. Zhirkov, Malouda, Sturridge, Benayoun and Alex were alongside the aforementioned Kakuta, each capable of having a huge effect if needed. Add on top of that the final minutes of the Everton v Manchester United game and it made for a particularly pleasant Saturday afternoon. In fact I would go so far as to say it was bordering on relaxing for the players, which is just what the doctor ordered before setting off on the European travels.

One player who to be honest wasn't at his very best at the weekend was Didier Drogba, it was just one of those days for him. We all know that he can have those afternoons and even the boss was seen to remonstrate with him vehemently after one incident of less than adequate holding up play. His head just didn't seem to be in the right place, but incredibly he claimed two assists and the two most important ones at that. If you are going to have an off day, you might as well make it a productive one.

One moment in particular struck me, or more pertinently struck West Ham keeper Robert Green, that long-range free kick which the Englishman fumbled horribly. Now here's a thought, I do not think Didier was necessarily trying to score with that strike. He was simply trying to get it on target with pace, dip and some movement hoping the keeper would parry or punch instead of catching it, then the other strikers could follow in to mop up the pieces.

It is not the first time this season that this has been the specific aim of a Chelsea free kick. Witness the first goal v West Brom or a save Thomas Sorensen had to make for Stoke City, do you notice the similarity?

Because of the unusual way Didier strikes the modern 'lighter feeling' ball, much as Cristiano Ronaldo does, it is a ploy that is horribly difficult to cater for. Of course Green was at fault to a large degree but forget the slow motion replays. When you see that ball coming at the keeper at match speed, moving three different directions at once, it is not at all easy to deal with. It is yet another deadly weapon to use this season, the answer is of course to have a six-man wall to cover the entire goal, but this leaves gaps elsewhere for Chelsea players to utilize. Catch 22 again for the opposition.

So next stop Zilina and hopefully a winning start to the Champions League campaign. This game will be important mostly for the effect it will have a few months down the line. Three points out there and the Holy Grail of early qualification is a possibility that of course leads to the chance of resting those who need it most, allowing kids to be blooded in Europe and giving fringe players an opportunity to shine.

United Keeping Plenty In Reserve Chelsea Clash

Ryan Donaldson says Newcastle United's young guns will not shirk the chance to take on the mighty Chelsea in the Carling Cup next week.

United take part in something of a dress rehearsal for the third-round tie on Thursday night at St James’ Park, and it’s likely that several members of the cast of characters for the cup clash will be involved in the FA Premier Reserve League encounter.

Donaldson put in a solid performance at Accrington Stanley in the second round last month and, while he has dropped back into the reserves since then, he has been checked out by several Football League sides – including Carlisle United – for a possible loan move.

Donaldson told the Chronicle: “As long as we’re in the cup the younger lads have a chance of playing. We’ll just have to wait and see and keep our fingers crossed.

“Chris Hughton has got a lot of trust in us and it’s good to see him saying that when you pick up the paper. The manager put in a lot more experienced players in as well in the last round like Shola Ameobi, Peter Lovenkrands and Ryan Taylor.

“It was easy for us because we want to play, but they showed that they are good professionals as well by putting in the performance too.”

Donaldson has bittersweet memories of the Carling Cup after enduring a shock defeat at the hands of Peterborough last season.

He said: “We all know what happened last year against Peterborough so it was good to exorcise the ghost a bit at Accrington. It wasn’t a pretty game but in the cup it is about getting through and we go the right result in the end.

“It wasn’t the best experience a year ago at Peterborough, but if anything that has made us stronger.

“The gaffer and Colin Calderwood reminded us of what happened last year and I think it showed.

“We’re all a year older as well now.

“That was a big game for us, so we were all delighted.”

United’s second-string game with Chelsea on Thursday kicks off at 7.05pm.

Carlo Ancelotti: We Have Not Won The Premier League Yet

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti refuses claims that his side has taken the initiative to retain their Premier League crown after the champions beat West Ham United 3-1 to maintain their perfect start to the season.

The Blues are on top of the Premier League after winning their opening four matches and they are already two points clear of second-placed Arsenal and four ahead of main rivals Manchester United.

Chelsea have been in excellent form to date, and have netted 17 goals and only conceded one, but Ancelotti maintains that the race to win the title will be a long one.

"It means nothing," he said. "We've started better than Manchester United, but it will be a long race.

"I said last year that the race is only decided at the end of the season. I will say the same this year.

"There are moments during the season where you are not lucky. United conceded in the last seconds against Fulham, and two goals in the last few minutes against Everton.

"Little details have cost them four points, or they would be in our position. It can happen to us the same."

Carlo Hails Essien Factor

Carlo Ancelotti says Michael Essien is 'better than a new signing' after the Chelsea midfielder notched a brace against West Ham.

The Ghanaian's goals were his first for the club since he tore the medial ligament in his left knee while training with his national side in January.

Blues manager Ancelotti has heaped praise on his performance at Upton Park, and is hoping he retains his fitness this season.

"I think he's better than a new signing," said Ancelotti.

"We missed him last season because he's one of the top midfielders in the world. He came back and we're happy he can maintain this level of play.

"He's fit now. We have to pay attention because he's playing well, all the games at the start of the season. He scored today, and that's fantastic. He's a fantastic jumper and I hope he maintains this position for as long as possible."

Ancelotti Plans To Emulate Ferguson At Chelsea

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed he is planning a lengthy stay at Stamford Bridge.

The 51-year-old, who won the domestic double in his first season in charge, is currently guiding Chelsea through a magnificent start to the campaign, chalking up four wins from as many games.

Formerly of Juventus and AC Milan, Ancelotti is yet to coach the national side, but he admits he wants to develop a similar legendary reputation to his Premier League rival at Old Trafford.

"I don't know when I will finish my career,'' he told the News of the World.”When I started my career in 1995 I said five years is enough so my idea was to close my career in 2000.

"Now it is 2010 and I have to say I love this job, I'd love to stay here at Chelsea and I would like to stay here. I would be happy to stay as long as [Sir Alex] Ferguson at Manchester United.''

Ancelotti also played down suggestions that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is desperate to win the Champions League. When Ancelotti was drafted in as Chelsea manager 12 months ago, Champions League success was marked down as his number one target, but he insists Abramovich is not obsessed with European success.

"I speak with Roman a lot, but he is not obsessed with the Champions League," said Ancelotti. "He wants to win everything, but he's not desperate. I don't have pressure from outside. I want to put myself under pressure because I want to win.

"He wants a team with a clear identity and we have created that. The normal step for players in this situation is to think about winning the Champions League. The players have reached the semi-final five times and one final. They deserve it, but only if you do it better than others.

"I don't want to think that the Champions League is more important than the Premier League. Both are very important. Last season we won the Premier League. We don't want to say the Premier League is not very important - we would like to win it again. But the normal step is to do things better than we did last season in the Champions League. We went out too early.

"Our aim is to improve our type of play, to have more continuity to do better and to stay involved."

Ancelotti: England Could Go Foreign Again

Carlo Ancelotti believes the Football Association should not rule out going foreign again when they choose a successor for Fabio Capello.

The FA has indicated that they would prefer an Englishman in charge when Capello steps down after the European Championships in 2012.

But Chelsea’s Italian boss Ancelotti said: “It could be English, it could be a foreign manager, it is the decision of FA. I don’t think it has to be necessarily English. There are a lot of coaches with good qualities, not just English.

“For a long time the England team has had a foreign manager, they were unlucky also. (Sven-Goran) Eriksson was not lucky.”

In the wake of the headlines surrounding Wayne Rooney, Ancelotti also insisted that the private lives of footballers should be respected.

Chelsea has had their fair share of negative publicity surrounding players such as John Terry and Ashley Cole.

Ancelotti, speaking on BBC 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme, said: “My philosophy is that I don’t want to control the private lives of my players.

“My players have to know that they have to respect the shirt also when they are outside of the training ground, outside of the pitch, but I am not able to control the private lives of my players and I don’t want to judge anybody because everyone can do everything.

“A lot of kids are looking at the behaviour of the players so they have more responsibility and they have to know this, but as a manager I don’t want to control.

“If my player wants to stay outside, go to bed at 12 o’clock or eight o’clock - I’m not interested.”

Ancelotti added: “The private life has to stay the private life – I wouldn’t like it if people judged my private life – only one person can judge your private life and I think that is God.”

Michael Mancienne Ready To Quit Chelsea In An Attempt To Further His Career

Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne has said he will probably have to leave the club in search of further development.

Mancienne is currently on a season-long loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, his third spell at the club following limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

And despite the new Premier League ruling requiring clubs to include eight 'home-grown' players in a 25-man squad, the England under-21 captain has not found his prospects at Chelsea enhanced.

And Mancienne believes there is plenty of young English talent that is good enough to play at the top level:

"Everyone in the Under-21 side is capable of playing in the Premier League – it’s just getting the chance." He told The People.
"Most of the time loan moves are the best thing we can do ­because you don’t want to be sat around. Everyone just wants games.

"I don’t know why young ­players don’t get a chance. Teams go out and buy a player for a lot of money and then have to play him to justify that. Otherwise, it’s money down the drain."

Mancienne also feels that reputations come ahead of form and potential, limiting the opportunities for emerging youth teamers.

"It is difficult to break in at Chelsea. They’ve got players who are representing and captaining their countries.

"They’re in so many cup competitions as well and they need to win all the games.

"It’s a good place to get your football education but it is hard for youngsters to get an ­opportunity to play."

And despite gaining plenty of experience through temporary deals, the 22-year-old doesn't see the loan system as a way of earning a place at your parent club:

"I’ve played a few games but I’ve been out on loan the majority of the time.

"The manager doesn’t speak to me, not when I’m out on loan. Instead, I just have scouts that come to watch games and I report to them and they then go to the club.

"As a player you just want the chance to make a name for ­yourself, to show what you can do.

"So will I have to get away from Chelsea? Yes, I probably will."

Ancelotti To Assess Terry Rib Injury Before Champions League Tie Against MSK Zilina

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti revealed after his side's 3-1 win over West Ham United that captain John Terry is a doubt for the club’s opening Champions League game against MSK Zilina on Wednesday.

“[John] Terry took a knock on his rib, we'll look on Monday, hopefully he’s fit for Wednesday. He had pain at the end of the game so I took him out.

“Frank Lampard is the same as Terry, we'll take a decision on Monday.

“We want to start the Champions League well, I will change the lineup because I want to rest some players.”

Ancelotti did, however, express his delight at the returning Michael Essien describing him as being "like a new signing".

The Ghanaian international scored two headers to help his side to the win and to extend their 100% record.

Essien suffered an injury while on 2010 African Cup of Nations duty with Ghana in January, and missed the rest of the season, managing only 14 Premier League appearances for the entire campaign.

However, he has begun the season in fine style and the Italian admits he is delighted to have him back in the team.

“[Michael] Essien is like a new signing, he's come back and we are happy that he can play,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“Essien is fit now, we have to pay attention, he's playing all of our games and I hope he maintains this condition for as long as possible.”

Ancelotti: No Pressure In Europe

With four wins from four in the bread and butter of Premier League football, the spotlight now turns to the Champions League as we begin another European campaign.

For Carlo Ancelotti, the hunt for a third European Cup triumph starts while success in this competition would be a first for Chelsea, something the manager is only too aware of, though he insists any pressure to win club football's greatest prize comes only from him.

'I don't want to think the Champions League is more important than the Premier League,' said the Italian. 'Both were very important last season, this season the normal thing is to think more about the Champions League, but we don't want to say the Premier League is not important.

'We would like to win again, and the normal step is to want to do better in the Champions League. We went out too early and want to do better this season.

'Our aim is to improve if it is possible our kind of play to have more continuity, to do better and stay involved in all the competitions until the end of the season, to give continuity to the victory of last season.

'I'm not under pressure, I will put myself under pressure, I don't have pressure from outside. I want to put myself under pressure because I want to win. Roman [Abramovich] was very happy about the victory of the Double.'

Such success in his first season at Stamford Bridge went a long way to matching some of Ancelotti's achievements during his eight years with AC Milan, and he hopes he can keep this squad together for many years to come, dismissing suggestions that he heads an ageing squad.

'I don't want to consider players that are 30 old, they are in the middle of their career, they have experience,' he stressed. 'Now the physical training has improved a lot compared to 20 years ago, now there is more control, you can control the physical training and recovery.

'Thirty years old is the right moment. When I was a player my best moment was when I was 30, so I cannot say a player of this age is old.

'I want to stay here as long as possible,' the former midfielder continued. 'I feel good; I love this atmosphere around football, so I would like to stay here.

'I am not interested to go to another side. When I finished my work in Milan I chose the right place to work.'

Match Report: West Ham United 1 - 3 Chelsea

Chelsea's 100% start to the new season continued against rock-bottom West Ham at Upton Park as a brace from Michael Essien and another from Salomon Kalou kept them top of the Barclays Premier League.

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker became the first player to score against the Blues this season but his late effort was scant consolation for the home side.

Chelsea's victory over their London rivals piled more pressure on under-fire manager Avram Grant, whose side remained rooted to the foot of the table without a single point from their opening four games and having conceded 12 goals.

In contrast, Carlo Ancelotti's team have now scored 17 and conceded just once, and their domination of this game began as early as the second minute when debutant Ramires won a corner on the left flank.

Essien rose above two defenders to head home Didier Drogba's cross to silence the home fans.

West Ham almost equalized moments later when new signing Victor Obinna sent a close-range effort straight at Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.

The visitors went 2-0 up in the 17th minute, though, when West Ham's England goalkeeper Robert Green spilled a 30-yard Drogba free-kick.

Defender Matthew Upson tried to clear the loose ball but it cannoned back off Chelsea's Ivory Coast striker Kalou and over the head of the stricken Green.

Kalou went close to grabbing his second in the 21st minute but his shot was deflected around the post, much to the relief of the grounded Green.

Another corner from Drogba caused panic in the home defence but this time John Terry's effort was collected easily by Green.

West Ham should have pulled one back in the 27th minute but the unmarked Obinna put his volley wide from eight yards.

The Hammers striker then sent a curling shot just wide of the target after cutting in from the left wing.

Chelsea almost extended their lead when another Drogba corner fell to Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel.

His rising drive from 20-yards slammed against the angle of Green's left upright and the crossbar.

Chelsea received a scare in the 35th minute when Terry went down under a challenge from Carlton Cole, but the England defender continued after lengthy treatment - much to the disappointment of the home fans.

Ashley Cole became the first name in Chris Foy's notebook in the 40th minute when he was shown the yellow card for a foul on Herita Ilunga.

In the 43rd minute, Cech had to punch away a cross-shot from Ilunga as West Ham looked in vain for a way back into the game.

They almost succeeded in stoppage time but Carlton Cole's effort was ruled offside.

Ramires should have troubled Green in the 50th minute but fired over from the edge of the penalty area as Chelsea continued to dominate proceedings.

West Ham tried hard to lift the tempo of the game and substitute Kieron Dyer, on at half-time for Luis Boa Morte, almost broke through with a clever run into the six-yard box.

Chelsea almost made it three on the hour when Kalou collected a fine pass from Drogba only to send his curling shot inches wide of Green's right-hand post.

The visitors had clearly settled for the three points as their was little urgency in their play.

When they did show some ambition, Drogba forced Green into a fine save with a 20-yard shot.

Branislav Ivanovic was booked in the 64th minute for bringing down Carlton Cole.

A cross from Obinna three minutes later then found only the hands of Cech, much to the growing frustration of the home fans.

Mark Noble then sent a long-range effort just wide of Cech's right-hand post but the home side still lacked the killer touch.

Chelsea made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute when Essien headed home Paulo Ferreira's cross but moments later they conceded their first goal of the season when Parker calmly lobbed Cech from 20 yards.

West Ham substitute Frederic Piquionne wasted a great chance to reduce the arrears still further when he headed against the bar from just two yards.

Cech Wary Of Slovaks

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech will not be underestimating MSK Zilina in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The Slovakian minnows travel to Stamford Bridge to take on the Premier League champions in the opening game of Group F.

The Blues have also been paired with Marseille and Spartak Moscow in a group which Carlo Ancelotti's side is odds-on favourites to top.

Czech Republic international Cech is well aware of the threat the Slovak champions will bring after eliminating Sparta Prague in the play-off round.

"Zilina had to go through qualification and the fact they have made it into the group stages shows their quality," said Cech.

"Underestimating any team in the Champions League can only damage you.

"Matches against Zilina will certainly have a special atmosphere.

"Then we have Marseille, who are a traditional participant in the European cups, with a number of achievements too. And then there is Spartak Moscow.

"I think all the teams are playable. We don't have to do any crazy travels so we may be satisfied."

Ancelotti: We're The Sexy Chelsea Abramovich Wanted

Carlo Ancelotti suggested his Chelsea side have finally given Roman Abramovich the football he has always craved.

Ancelotti’s Blues travel across London to Upton Park on Saturday looking to extend their goal glut at the expense of former boss Avram Grant’s basement dwellers.

Since Chelsea went on their seven-goal rampage against Stoke in April, they have scored 31 times without reply in six full games, with 14 in their opening three matches of the new campaign.

The attacking philosophy Ancelotti always claimed he wanted to introduce is in stark contrast with the win-at-all-costs mantra under Jose Mourinho that eventually did not prove enough to satisfy the Stamford Bridge owner.

While Ancelotti admitted he has been able to build on the foundations of the winning machine bequeathed by Mourinho and also immediate predecessor Guus Hiddink, the Italian believes his side is exactly what the Russian billionaire was always looking for.

Ancelotti said: “Chelsea showed their personality before I arrived here.

“They reached the semi-finals of the Champions League five times and that doesn’t happen unless a club has character.

“We have a clear identity to play with now. The identity to play in the way we want to do. We’ve shown that with possession, attacking football, maintaining balance during the game.

“This was our aim before the start of the season.

“Roman is not here a lot, although he came to Cobham to see us two weeks ago. I think he’s happy. He’s happy to see his team play good football.” Ancelotti’s style and personality is utterly different to that of Mourinho, even if the pair has not called a truce to their long-standing war of words.

Chelsea Eyeing Up The 'New Ronaldo'

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is keeping tabs on French forward Yohan Mollo.

Ancelotti has been tipped off about the Monaco starlet who has excelled on loan at Caen this season.

Winger Mollo, 21, has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo because of his pace and dribbling and Chelsea believe they may be able to take a gamble on him at around £5m.

Alves Rubbishes Blues Link

Dani Alves has squashed rumours of a January move to Chelsea or Manchester City and he instead insisted that he has a long term future at Barcelona.

According to the Daily Mail, the world’s most expensive right-back initially believed he would be heading for the exit at the Nou Camp after he failed to earn a new contract at the end of last season.

The change of President at the club, however, has made Alves confident that he can have a long career with the Catalans.

The £28m signing from Sevilla revealed: “The offer for renewal was not very serious.”

New president Sandro Rosell, however, has sanctioned fresh talks and Alves stated: “I've had the chance to talk to [new directors] Josep Maria Bartomeu and Andoni Zubizarreta, and found a great willingness to reach an agreement.”

John Terry Is Told He Must Play It Cool

He has played for club and country with broken noses, fractured cheekbones, concussion, dislocated elbows and busted feet.

He has swallowed his tongue, blacked out, gritted his teeth though a long-standing back problem and been punctured by more painkilling jabs than a pin cushion. But John Terry has been told that his gladiator days are over.

The player of whom it has been casually – and truthfully – said for so long that he would take the field even if there were bits hanging off him, has finally been ordered to slow down for the sake of his career.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti wants his skipper around for a long time, so there will be no more heroics. Terry, 29, returns for Premier League leaders Chelsea at West Ham today after taking a fortnight off to nurse a sore hamstring and missing two England games.

Ancelotti last night brushed aside any suggestions that Terry is cooling on his England career in the wake of a dismal World Cup and revealed he has ordered him to slow down.

Chelsea go into the game against struggling West Ham having scored a frightening 32 goals without reply in their last seven games stretching back to last April.

Cech: What A Difference A Day

For those who play football for their country this season, Wednesday is the new Thursday, Thursday is the new Friday, and Petr Cech is already a big fan of the change.

The days in question are the ones immediately following a typical double-header of international fixtures and with the scheduling of those matches now altered, the upshot is an extra day of recovery and preparation in the build up to today's game at West Ham.

Whereas for many years an international break meant a big program of games around the globe on the Saturday a week after the last league match, and then a second set of internationals on the following Wednesday, on the recommendation of top club managers the pattern is now Friday evening and Tuesday evening games.

'It is a really big improvement in terms of timing,' reckons Cech who returned from facing Lithuania for the Czech Republic this week.

'Before with the national team, the week was long when you had preparation from the Monday to the game on Saturday.

'To play the first game on Friday is better because you can then play on Tuesday. Before this change, some of the guys were flying for five hours back from somewhere, and you don't sleep after the game, you go straight to the airport, and then on Thursday you are completely dead.

'On Friday you could have a little training session and if you were playing an away game on Saturday it was not the best scenario because you kept travelling. It was tiring.

'So I think going to international matches on Friday and Tuesday is the best idea for a long time.'

It had long been a concern for top clubs with many star players that two-week international breaks had a detrimental effect on results. Last season, a last-minute goal prevented a Chelsea slip-up at Stoke after such an interval but when it came to playing away at Aston Villa with a Saturday lunchtime kick-off, Cech and his colleagues did suffer defeat.

Only time will tell if the new calendar shows any trends in results but our keeper does confirm this week felt more like a standard domestic one with a midweek game.

'You have your recovery day on Wednesday, the following day you feel the worst and then you have Friday to feel fresh and get ready for the game.

'Let's wait and see but it should improve everybody's state. Teams like us with many internationals, when everybody comes back from all over the world then you obviously have a disadvantage compared with other sides. One extra day can make a big difference.'

Ancelotti: Extending Eras

Old age catches up with all of us eventually, but Carlo Ancelotti believes that with the right management, its effects can be minimized on his squad.

Using captain John Terry as an example of a player approaching his 30th birthday, Ancelotti explained how players can prolong their careers in the way his legendary captain at Milan, Paolo Maldini did.

'I don't like players that want to play with injuries, when they are not 100 percent,' he said, discussing Terry's withdrawal from England duty last week. 'I don't like this. A player has to say to me I am not 100 percent and you have to decide.

'I think Terry with the national team took the right decision because he was not 100 percent and it could be a problem. He is a player with strong character, he loves to play for the shirt, but also you have to be realistic. When the player has a problem he has to say.

'When he said to me that he wanted to use this time to recover and resolve his problem, I agreed with him. I said to him to speak with the national team, he spoke with the national team and everything was okay.'

Ancelotti is hopeful that by sharing his advice with Terry, who has previously played with back, ankle, cheekbone and elbow injuries, the defender's career will be prolonged.

'I think so, he has not until now had big injuries,' the manager said. 'He is working very well in training and this is the key to play for a lot of time. It was the same, Maldini was able to work hard every day. It is the key to have a long career.

'Last season he didn't have a lot of problems and I think we can manage it, not just John Terry but all the players. But now in this moment when we have seven games in 20 days it is very important to control these things, we can lose players for a long time if we don't pay attention.'

Premier League Preview: West Ham United vs. Chelsea

If the formbook is anything to go by, West Ham United will be quaking in their boots at the prospect of entertaining Chelsea.

The defending champions are flying with 14 league goals without reply this season, while the Hammers on the other hand have scored two and conceded nine in their three league games.

While Chelsea are flying at the top of the league, West Ham are floundering at the bottom. The two teams are exact opposites. The first three games of the season have been agony for West Ham, and they will not be feeling too confident that their season can get underway against the Double winners.

Chelsea has been scoring goals for fun this season, but Julien Faubert is confident he can smother the Blues' joint top scorer, Florent Malouda.

"I know Malouda is on fire," Faubert told WHUTV. "He was a big player before and is a big player now, but I think we have to play as a team.

"If we play as a team and we are really compact, we won't let him play and will restrict his chances I think. I am not scared of anybody so I don't care who I am up against."

For Chelsea fans they will be hoping for more of the same. 19 places above West Ham going into this match and they will be looking to make it four wins out of four this term. Despite this, Carlo Ancelotti thinks his team can improve.

He said to reporters after the Stoke game: “We didn't play our best football but we were focused and concentrated - it's important to win.

"It's impossible to win 6-0 every week, today we played very well defensively."

The Blues were expected to be a weakened team this season following the summer departures of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Deco and Juliano Belletti. However, that has been the case so far and Ancelotti's men are vying to continue their best start ever to a Premier League campaign.

TEAM NEWS

West Ham United

West Ham will have been boosted by the fact that midfield general Scott Parker signed a new four-year contract this week, after speculation Tottenham wanted to sign him during the transfer window. Thomas Hitzlsperger is out and Jack Collison and Zavon Hines have long term injuries.

New Hammers signing Lars Jacobsen may well start at right-back in a defensive set-up, with normal right full-back Julien Faubert moving to right wing. Young Mexican winger Pablo Barrera could play on the left wing with Kieron Dyer, Mark Noble and Parker in central midfield with Carlton Cole up front as a lone striker.

Possible starting XI: Green; Jacobsen, Gabbidon, Upson, Ilunga; Faubert, Parker, Noble, Barrera; Dyer, Cole.

Chelsea

For Chelsea it will be more of the same, although there are concerns over the fitness of England duo Frank Lampard and John Terry. Both missed the matches against Bulgaria Switzerland, although Carlo Ancelotti is confident Terry will start. Lampard faces a late fitness test, but Ancelotti is hopeful he will be able to play.

Brazilian Ramires gives the defending champions more options in midfield, while Branislav Ivanovic is still sidelined with a back injury.

Possible starting XI: Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Alex, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Anelka, Drogba, Malouda.

Florent Malouda Is Keeping His Feet On The Ground Despite Perfect Start

Florent Malouda has warned his Chelsea team-mates not to get too carried away by their good start to the season or they could pay a price at West Ham tomorrow.

Chelsea are top of the League after winning their first three games, which has included two impressive 6-0 wins against West Brom and Wigan.

The defending champions have not been beaten by West Ham since 2003 but Malouda is worried that could change if they take victory for granted.

He said: “There's something to improve even when you're winning 6-0. It's all about the details. It's important to be calm and patient when we win but also to be calm and patient when we have bad results. That's the way the manager sees it.

“When you're angry and you don't have good feelings, it's not the right way to have a good vision. When you stay calm, you're able to analyze and you keep improving, whether you're winning or having bad results.

“That's why I was saying we have to be calm and patient even when we win because in these games people are watching our games and seeing what we do.”

Malouda, who has scored four goals already this season, added: “It was only a few months ago that we were celebrating winning the Premier League and the fans arrived at the start of the season with so much joy and happiness. We want to keep that feeling.”