Carlo Ancelotti Urges Chelsea Not To Panic After Spurs Defeat

Chelsea's manager Carlo Ancelotti has urged his players to hold their nerve in the Premier League title race following their defeat at Tottenham.

Manchester United could be back at the top of the league by the time Ancelotti's men kick-off against Stoke next Sunday after Sir Alex Ferguson's men defeated Manchester City before Spurs' 2-1 win against the Blues.

The results also mean Spurs are back in the Champions League places, with their victory over Arsenal in midweek backed up with goals from Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale, while Chelsea had John Terry dismissed before pulling one back through Frank Lampard.

"We had a problem with soft defence," said Ancelotti. "We didn't put pressure on the ball. Lampard scored at the end but when we lost Terry it was impossible to recover the game with 10 against 11."

Chelsea will win their first title since 2006 if they defeat Stoke, Liverpool and Wigan. "We know what we have to do in the next three games," Ancelotti said. "We must not have a panic now. We are top of the league with only three games left so every team wants to be in our place. We have two at home and one difficult game away. We can be the best again. A one-point lead is not bad at this stage of the season. I am always confident. I am less confident than yesterday but we are still in the best position."
Ancelotti made his final two substitutions at half-time before Didier Drogba pulled up with an apparent groin problem just before the restart.

"Didier never said anything at the end of the first half," the Italian added. "He had a problem but after five minutes he was good to play to the end of the match without a problem. Now he doesn't have a problem."

Ancelotti also refused to comment on whether he thought Terry's dismissal, for fouls on Roman Pavlyuchenko and Bale, was harsh. "We are disappointed because we have lost John Terry for the next game but I don't have to say anything about the decision," he said. "Everyone is under pressure at this moment. He is the captain and involved in this exciting race."

Carlo Ancelotti Grateful That Premier League Title Is Still In Chelsea's Hands

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti remained defiant about his side's Premier League title chances despite a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham.

The league leaders went into the tie at White Hart Lane having seen Manchester United narrow the gap to just a solitary point after victory over Manchester City earlier on Saturday afternoon.

But Ancelotti told ESPN that the stress at the top does not concern him: "I think at this moment all the teams have pressure, all the teams have their own aims - it's normal.

"There are only three games left; the title is still in our hands. We have to look to the next game against Stoke."

The Italian conceded that Chelsea deserved to lose following first-half goals from Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale, but disagreed with John Terry who had earlier in the week said that the players are beginning to feel the nerves at the top.

"No, I don't think that," said Ancelotti. "We knew we had to do our best, but we didn't today.

"Tottenham played very well, as they did against Arsenal - this is football, sometimes this happens."

Ancelotti saw his captain sent off for two bookable offences in quick succession in the second half, but he offered no criticism of referee Phil Dowd.

He added: "I have no complaints about the sending off - I don't want to talk about the decision of the referee.

"I am disappointed only that he [Terry] is not able to play the next game, but Ivanovic is fit so we have a good substitution for him."

The former AC Milan boss did, however, state that his players need to regroup with the season drawing to a close.

"I think that this team played very well until this game," he continued. "This game was not good. We have to refocus and play better in our next game."

Chelsea To Decide On Mancienne Future This Week

A report in the News of the World today claims Chelsea will decide on Michael Mancienne ’s future this week.

The 22-year-old has spent the whole season on loan at Wolves and has impressed in a holding midfield role despite naturally being a central defender.

Neil Ashton claims that "Chelsea director of football Frank Arnesen is under pressure to make a Blues academy player a first-team regular - and Mancienne is earmarked to be the one."

Wolves, following a successful season, would be happy to sign Mancienne and are willing to spend five million pounds on the England Under-21 striker.

Mancienne has played 28 games for Wolves this season and has been booked six times. Last season he made five appearances for Chelsea.

Chelsea Chase £17m Rated Palermo Striker Edinson Cavani

Chelsea have targeted Palermo striker Edinson Cavani , according to a report in The People today.

The 23-year-old striker has been a major factor behind Palermo’s chase for a Champions League place and has impressed Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti and his scouts in Italy.

Cavani has claimed 10 goals in 29 appearances for Palermo in 2009/2010 and at 6.0ft should be able to deal with the physical nature of the Premier League.

A number of clubs have been tracking Cavani and Chelsea face competition from Juventus, Roma, AC Milan, Manchester City and Manchester United to bring the Uruguay international (13 caps/2 goals) to Stamford Bridge.

Palermo will also be eager to hold on to Cavani who has been at the club since 2006/2007 and is contracted to the Serie A side until 2014/2015.

Sturridge Helping Kids Achieve Thier Goals

Daniel Sturridge joined guests of honour and young people at Cobham to launch a unique programme to help tackle youth crime in Surrey.

The guests and youngsters were from the borough of Elmbridge within which our training HQ is located.

Chelsea's Goalz project is funded by the Premier League's Creating Chances initiative and operates within Elmbridge working with young people aged 12-16yrs.Police and the council's Youth Justice and Youth Service Departments identify youngsters at risk of offending and refer them onto the programme which operates three nights a week, 48 weeks of the year, ensuring long term contact and positive engagement with the young people.

Participants are offered the opportunity to take part in football and a variety other sports all of which are linked to a series of workshops incorporating education, advice on drugs and alcohol abuse, health and a variety of social issues relevant to the young people.

After joining in with a kickaround and a session of head tennis, Sturridge spent time chatting to participants, answering a wide range of questions.

'I enjoy doing things in the community, especially with disadvantaged kids that have obviously had a hard upbringing,' said the England Under 21 international.

'Everyone in life deserves the chance to get what they want and sometimes it is a bit difficult for them to just live a normal life. It is always good to talk to them and give them a bit of hope that they can achieve what they want in life.

'Football can make a difference. It is a worldwide sport and Chelsea is a worldwide club and football is one of those games that brings joy and happiness to people's lives. I am happy to be part of a football family.'

The Surrey police have proved vital to the success of the programme. Sergeant Jerry Milford was on hand throughout the day joining in with the activities.

'We have referred some people we think are on the verge of getting into real difficult times and some of them are absolutely blooming now after four or five months,' he said. 'You saw some of the people ask questions to Daniel Sturridge with confidence but they didn't have that confidence five months ago.'

Chelsea and the partners involved in the project are confident that by the end of their time on the course the young people will have gained qualifications, improved their self esteem and that anti-social behaviour, and youth offending levels in the borough will have been lowered.

The Mayor of Elmbridge, Cllr. James Vickers, was impressed with what he saw.

'Elmbridge are involved with Chelsea a lot and we are very much involved with youth and sport. With Chelsea on our doorstep here, they are great colleagues and friends to have around and I am delighted to support projects like these. Seeing the enthusiasm involved, I think it has a great future and will really take off.'

Youth development officer Howard Jones added: 'It is great for the Youth Service to have a prestige partner like Chelsea. I believe that the engagement and divergent schemes work. Any activity with young people has an element of crime diversion, but the specific engagement schemes when the young people are referred have a very good track record.'

Chelsea Pensioners Get Carlo Ancelotti's Vote Of Confidence

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has given the clearest indication yet that he will retain faith with his ageing core of players next season.

With the club on the brink of the first league and FA Cup Double in their history, Ancelotti believes that this current group has answered questions about their collective age and does not foresee any need for a significant summer spending spree.

"I don't think it's necessary for us to spend a lot of money," he said. "I said that at the start of the season, that I was happy to have these players. I really do have a very good squad."

Ancelotti has already recommended that Joe Cole's contract is extended, while Michael Ballack, Nicolas Anelka, Juliano Belletti and Deco will also hold negotiations this summer.

Chelsea have had a long-time interest in both Franck Ribery and Sergio Aguero, yet there is a feeling that neither is worth the sort of fee being demanded in a market that has been inflated by Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to win a third title in six years, although captain John Terry did admit that nerves were evident in the edgy midweek win over Bolton. Ancelotti, however, clearly regards complacency as the biggest danger.

Youth Report: Leiceister City 3 - 2 Chelsea

Youth team defeat away at Leicester on Saturday compounded a disappointing weekend, but coach Dermot Drummy was impressed with his young side's display.

With only goalkeeper Sam Walker of the regular FA Youth Cup side involved, it was a mixture of first year scholars and schoolboys that fell 2-0 behind early on against a side now unbeaten in 25 league games.

Our hosts took the lead on 10 minutes when a slip in the Chelsea defence allowed Welsh Under 21 international Elliott Chamberlain to slot home from the edge of the area, and within two minutes the same player had doubled the lead from inside the six-yard box.

With Leicester firmly on top in the first half, it was Chelsea who dominated the second. Half-time substitute Nathaniel Chalobah pulled us back into the game with a far-post volley from Johnny Cane's cross, before Nikki Ahamed rifled home a 30-yard equaliser after a move involving Ben Sampayo and Danny Philliskirk.

Six minutes from time though Leicester scored the winner in slightly controversial circumstances, it being uncertain whether the ball had crossed the line when sub Ollie Norburn turned it goalwards following a City corner.

Despite defeat, Drummy was proud of the lads, and has an FA Youth Cup Final first leg to prepare for, the first leg against Aston Villa being on Thursday 29 April at Villa Park.

'Leicester were really direct and physical and we had three under-19s playing, but the rest of the boys were youngsters. We were very pleased although we lost and we were able to give a couple of young players a chance.

'For the Youth Cup, Adie Viveash and I travelled to Newcastle on Friday to watch the semi-final with Aston Villa, and they will be tough opposition but we look forward to it.'

Chelsea's £150m Wage Bill Has Bought Them Success: Arsene Wenger

Just when Chelsea looked to be marching unhindered to their third title in six years, along come Tottenham to remind us, on a day of high drama at White Hart Lane and Old Trafford, of football’s capacity for the gloriously unpredictable.

And few will have enjoyed it more than Arsene Wenger as he prepares his Arsenal side for their match at Wigan Athletic, suddenly handed a championship lifeline by the north London rivals he was cursing, rather than thanking, just a few nights earlier following their own derby defeat.

His pleasure will be all the sweeter as he remains a firm opponent of the kind of spending that has taken Chelsea to the top of the table.

In fact, Wenger thinks Chelsea should be stopped from what he sees as buying titles.

The Stamford Bridge club’s newly released accounts reveal that they spent a staggering £142.6million on players’ salaries last year, the highest sum in English football history.

It is over £20m more than Manchester United’s playing budget and £40m more than Arsenal’s. ‘What is not normal is not our wages bill, but their wages bill,’ said Wenger, who resents Chelsea being able to continue to splash out more than his club — and United — despite not bringing in the same revenue.

‘That should not be allowed.’ Indeed, the Arsenal manager believes the game’s governing bodies should legislate to prevent Chelsea spending the record sums on wages that could carry them to the Premier League and FA Cup Double.

Chelsea and their fans will be shocked by Wenger’s comments. After all the big spending in the early years of Roman Abramovich’s ownership, the club has been positively frugal by comparison this season as the Russian seeks to rein in the spending.

Only Yuri Zhirkov and Daniel Sturridge arrived this season, at a cost of £23m — just £4m more than United paid for Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan and which does not begin to compare with the £80m Real Madrid forked out for Cristiano Ronaldo alone.

But the belief that English football at the top level is impoverished as a result of the recession is undermined, not just by Manchester City’s spending power but also by Chelsea’s wage bill.

Wenger’s attack on Chelsea and lament for the financial imbalance may have something to do with his frustration at his perception, before Saturday’s new (slim) hope, that his side had fallen short in a trophy campaign for a fifth season in a row. It also had much to do with his chagrin at the authorities failing to act quickly to prevent what he sees as unfair spending.

New UEFA rules have been drawn up aimed at preventing clubs accumulating debt while still spending heavily, which is why Abramovich converted many of his loans to Chelsea into equity and also one reason why Liverpool’s indebted co-owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, are seeking a new buyer.

Recently, however, the big clubs of Europe persuaded the governing body to delay implementing the rules from 2012 to 2015. Wenger turned 60 this season. Time is slipping away for him.

Dredging up defiance after recent setbacks, he insists, however, that his club can compete on the field with Chelsea and big-spenders United, despite having lost twice to both this season, and even surpass them next season.

‘We cannot compete for wages but I believe we can realistically compete on the pitch,’ he added. ‘I’m convinced of that. As well, we can overcome them. We were for a while not investing, maybe because we were building the stadium. But I think now our financial situation is much stronger and that we will be capable of buying the players we need to buy.

‘Not all the top players can go to Chelsea. There are top players Chelsea don’t want to buy who are still good enough for us.’

New Pitch For Wembley

A new pitch is to be laid at Wembley following criticism of the playing surface at English football's national stadium.

The pitch was heavily criticised by three of the four managers of the the FA Cup semi-finalists and PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor described it as an "embarrassment".

The FA Cup final between Chelsea and Portsmouth is the next match to be played at the stadium.

"Wembley Stadium can confirm that a new pitch will be installed, with work commencing today," a statement on Sunday said.

"We will continue working with The Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) to install and maintain the new turf.

"The pitch will be the same type as was used in the latter part of last year.

"We will continue to refine the installation and maintenance regime to build on the formula that was successful during that period.

"Wembley and STRI feel confident that we will be able to deliver and sustain a good pitch at Wembley for our busy football schedule in May."

Match Report: Tottenham 2 - 1 Chelsea

Before kick-off, it was easy to poke fun at the eternally optimistic Tottenham supporter who laid a heavy sum on his team to beat Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United at odds of 14-1. Well, well, well. One thing is sure, Carlo Ancelotti will be desperate for Spurs to put in such a sparkling performance next weekend at Old Trafford.

Harry Redknapp's team are suddenly surfing atop a wave of adrenaline, and two outstanding results have led them to bounce back into a Champions League position. Chelsea departed White Hart Lane with their momentum battered and their egos bruised. Their lead at the Premiership summit has been trimmed to a single point, and a goal difference only two better than the scrapping, lurking, defending champions.

It was a dreadful evening for Chelsea, who lost their captain to a red card, their tempers to a situation they couldn't handle, and their comfortable cushion in the title race.

But what an extraordinary week for Spurs. Floored by Portsmouth in the FA Cup over two hours on the Wembley quagmire, they responded to scalp two London rivals who like to consider themselves superior. Top marks for character as well as ability.

The lunchtime result at Manchester made an impression on both teams –Tottenham were encouraged by City's setback and Chelsea tensed by United's demonstration of championship mettle.

Harry Redknapp's team set about their task with relish, evidently bouyed by their long-awaited win over Arsenal in midweek. Luka Modric used the ball craftily, Gareth Bale galloped forward with his engine on overdrive. Roman Pavluchenko's drifting movement and willingness to shoot stretched the Chelsea defence.

Tottenham upped the pressure with a rush of big appeals just before the quarter-hour. All were debatable to those without a white shirt on their chests. First, John Terry tangled with Jermain Defoe on the edge of the box, next Bale tumbled fractionally ahead of Mikel John Obi's challenge, then Pavluychenko's acrobatic flick was brushed away by a vague combination of Terry's nodded head and upper arm.

It was third time lucky. To Terry's astonishment the referee, Phil Dowd, pointed to the spot. Defoe, who choked with a couple of penalties earlier in the season, was eager to take responsibilty and he nervelessly cracked his shot past Petr Cech.

Defoe cantered off to celebrate. Terry argued with Dowd. Mind you, perhaps there was some karmic force at work which evened out some of the fortune that smiled on Chelsea regarding penalty appeals for Bolton last week.

There were plenty of opportunities to double the home advantage before half time. Pavlyuckenko took aim with a dipping shot which Cech palmed away. David Bentley's close-range jab was deflected by Terry. Younes Kaboul came up for a corner and headed powerfully but straight at Cech.

But Bale delivered. Two minutes before the interval, he made mincemeat of Paulo Ferreira, jinked inside his man, and proved himself surprisingly deadly with his right foot. Cech was certainly stunned as the effervescent Welshman arrowed his shot in at the near post.

Chelsea to replicate their commanding performance at Old Trafford at the beginning of the month. Hmmm. For 45 minutes here his team were second best. Outmanouevred in midfield, outrun at the back, and snuffed out up front, they were startled.

They managed a couple of efforts from Malouda – one saved and another ruled out for offside – and Heurelho Gomes came to Tottenham's rescue once again as he repelled Frank Lampard's volley. But, uncharacteristically, they struggled to mount any sustained pressure. Ancelotti, who had already brought on Michael Ballack in the first half for Mikel, threw on Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka for the restart. Ridiculously, Didier Drogba pulled up jusr before the whistle, feeling his groin, and limped to the touchline. Ancelotti wasn't interested. Drogba had no choice but to play on.

Chelsea cracked again, as Defoe was released for a one-on-one. Cech clawed away. Frustration began to gnaw, and Lampard kicked out at Tom Huddlestone. Tempers frayed as both sets of players sprinted to the scene of a little dust-up.

Just what they needed at such a delicate moment was for Terry to start lunging into tackles with reckless imprecision. So soon after the dangerous pounce at James Milner's knee, Fabio Capello again watched as the deposed England captain overstepped the line of riskiness. Two late tackles within three minutes left Dowd with no option but to dismiss Terry for two bookable offences.

Cech kept the scoreline respectable when he backpedalled to tip over Bentley's lob. Then Michael Dawson dispossessed Drogba with a cool, clean tackle as the Ivorian shaped to strike with seven minutes remaining. Chelsea did cause some late nerves when Lampard poked in Ballack's cross in stoppage time, and Pavluchenko flunked the chance to wrap it up on the counter-attack. Tottenham deservedly hung on for another huge result.

Malouda Eyes History

Florent Malouda believes Chelsea can use the recent victory over Manchester United to inspire them on to a historic Double.

The Blues face Portsmouth in the FA Cup final next month and are also four points clear at the top on the Premier League with just four games to play.

While Chelsea have not won at Spurs for two seasons, Malouda believes they can grab a victory this time, inspired by their recent 2-1 win over champions Man United at Old Trafford.

The midfielder told SunSport: "Maybe this (winning at White Hart Lane) is a way for us to show that this is our year. We have a chance to change recent history by beating Spurs and to make history too by winning the Double.

"I lost there last season and we also lost in the Carling Cup final to them. The crowd and the atmosphere is very hostile towards us at White Hart Lane.

"But the inspiration for us has to be the game at Old Trafford three weeks ago. When we play like that against a team like Man Utd we know we can get results against anyone."

The Blues are currently hot favourites with Sky Bet to win the Premier League but Malouda is taking nothing for granted as the side aim to win the title in Carlo Ancelotti's first season as boss.

He added: "We know we cannot relax because there is still a lot to be done. Step by step, game by game is how we are approaching it but of course we wish that the manager can win in his first season."

Malouda believes Chelsea have been inspired towards the Double by their UEFA Champions League quarter-final exit to Inter Milan, going on to be unbeaten in their last six league and FA Cup games, including five successive wins.

He said: "We have had problems and bad moments - losing to Inter was one. But we had the tools to find an answer and we can now win two trophies."

He also believes they have learned from the experience of their last-gasp loss to Barcelona in the Champions League last term.

"Even last year after we lost to Barcelona in the semi we reacted well, won the FA Cup and that taught us a lesson. This season it's just as difficult to win the Premier League as it is the Champions League," he said.

"Look at the teams you have to beat to win the Premier League. Add Man City who have caused us big problems this year and you know this is a very tough competition."

Anelka: Destiny Is In Our Hands

As one of our more decorated players, Nicolas Anelka has already achieved one double in English football.

While at Arsenal, a young Frenchman was part of Arsene Wenger's 1998 side which dominated in both the League and Cup.

Now, as we near the end of the season, another brace of trophies for Anelka is a possibility and as we prepare to face Tottenham at White Hart Lane, the Official Club Website asked him about the feeling inside the Chelsea camp.

'There's a little bit of stress because we are not far but it is not done yet,' explains Anelka.

'We want to be quick in this game and finish with a win, then win the two next games and make sure we win the League because we have been working for this since the beginning of the season.

'We are near the end but we have to make sure we win so we can celebrate. It is a strange situation because it is almost done but we still have to stay focused and work hard until the very end.

'But it is good to be in this situation because our destiny is in our hands,' added our number 39.

Another three points will obviously get us closer to the title, but Anelka knows, having travelled to White Hart Lane as both an Arsenal and Chelsea player, the London derby is always a difficult fixture.

Last time there, Guus Hiddink suffered his first defeat in charge of the Blues. It turned out to be his only loss but it's an occurrence no one wants repeated.

'It is always a tough game to play,' says Anelka. 'It is a derby and it is always hard to win against them away from home.

'It's also going to be tough because they have just beaten Arsenal and they are in good shape, so they will make it difficult for us. They have a good pitch and a good stadium; it is very hard to play against Tottenham. Also with the fans it is quite hostile but we get used to this.

'Everywhere we play, because it is Chelsea, everyone wants to beat us, so we're ready for this game.

'You have to be ready to fight on the pitch because it is going to be a strong match, with plenty of tackles, an aggressive game. So we know it is going to be tough but we have the players who can handle that.'

The midweek win over Arsenal is likely to spur Tottenham, although it did need several saves from keeper Heurelo Gomes to preserve the narrow winning margin.

'He is a good goalkeeper, he had a fantastic game against Arsenal but we have a lot of players who can score goals,' points out Anelka, 'so we will try to do our best to come back with a win.'

Ancelotti Wants Repeat Of Manchester United Performance

Carlo Ancelotti has ordered his Chelsea troops to repeat their season-changing performance at Manchester United two weeks ago if they are to land the Premier League title.

Ancelotti refuses to believe the title is all but in the bag – but it is certainly within touching distance for a team four points clear at the top with four games remaining.

Although Chelsea have also booked their place in the FA Cup final on May 15 against Portsmouth, Ancelotti will not even mention the Double in the dressing room. Chelsea go to Tottenham and Ancelotti said: “We need the same mentality, the same philosophy as we showed against Manchester United.

“We want to put pressure on them immediately. I don’t know if that will be possible because Tottenham will want to do the same. But that is the right way to get a good result.”

“But it won’t be easy. I was surprised by Tottenham’s performance against Arsenal. They reacted well after losing in the FA Cup semi-final. Of course there is pressure – but that is normal. It’s actually very easy now for me. I don’t have to work on the players’ focus and motivation any more because they know what they need to do.

“But we never speak about the Double. That’s not the right way to prepare at all.

Ancelotti will recall Florent Malouda, Joe Cole and Deco after all three were rested for the nervy 1-0 win over Bolton on Tuesday night that kept the title hunt on track, but Didier Drogba is set to keep his place leading the attack.

Chelsea lost 1-0 at White Hart Lane last season – their only domestic defeat under Ancelotti’s predecessor Guus Hiddink – and they will be facing a Spurs side buoyed by their tumultuous 2-1 win over Arsenal.

A major bonus for Ancelotti is the recovery of England full-back Ashley Cole from his broken ankle. He is likely to be on the bench tonight – a week earlier than had been planned. Ancelotti said: “Ashley is ready, he’s fit. It’s good news for us and for England as well.”

Centre-back Alex, who has been a crucial figure in the turnaround in Chelsea’s season, believes that they are nearly there.

Brazilian Alex said: “It is our trophy to lose, so let’s make sure we beat Tottenham. Arsenal are now six points behind and Manchester United could easily lose to City.”

Chelsea have confirmed they are taking legal action against outgoing Barcelona president Joan Laporta over the allegation in his recent autobiography that they offered bribes when trying to prise Brazil superstar Ronaldinho away from the Nou Camp in 2004.
Chelsea, who have engaged Spanish lawyers to fight the case, maintain that they never even made a bid for Ronaldinho – now at Milan – at the time, let alone offered any financial incentives.

Milan Have Always Liked Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic - Agent

Milan like Chelsea's Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic, says his representative Vlado Borozan, but he is unaware of a rumoured deal that involves cash and his client in return for Alexandre Pato.

Reports around the peninsula on Friday morning claimed Chelsea are ready to offer Ivanovic, plus a major cash sum, for the Brazilian ace.

Borozan mocked the rumours mercilessly, but did confirm the Rossoneri are interested in the defender, who is currently injured with knee ligament damage following last month's 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers.

"I don't know how this news came about, I don't know anything," he told Tuttomercatoweb.com.

"No one has spoken to me about Milan and my associate has not heard anything either.

"I can say that Ivanovic has always been liked by Milan, since the days when [Carlo] Ancelotti was a coach there."

Manchester City Set To Swoop For Chelsea Midfielder Joe Cole With £40 Million Contract

Manchester City are prepared to make Joe Cole the Premier League’s best-paid player by offering the Chelsea midfielder a four-year deal worth almost £40 million.

According to the Daily Express, Cole will become a free agent this summer after failing to agree terms on a new contract at Stamford Bridge. And City are said to be waiting in the wings to offer the 28-year-old £180,000-a-week.

As Cole would move to Eastlands for nothing, City would build his transfer market value at an estimated £10 million into his wages, which would work out to around £9 million a year.

With Manchester City now favorites to secure a Champions League place by hanging on to fourth spot, they will be hoping the added incentive of European football will be enough to persuade Cole to move north.

City boss Roberto Mancini has claimed the Manchester club can become a household name in European competitions and that securing a Champions League spot will help lure big name players to Eastlands.

“A lot of players could come here next season if we play in the Champions League,” he told the Daily Express.

“I think Manchester City can be a very important team in the future.

“We could become a bigger threat than Chelsea. We work for this because we want to be like them or, if possible, even better.

"I would like to think we can become one of Europe’s top clubs next season.”

City host arch rivals and near neighbours Manchester United on Saturday, in what is being billed as one of the biggest Manchester derby’s in recent history.

United will be hoping to keep their title hopes intact, while City continue their push for fourth place.

Premier League May Demand More From New Owners

The Premier League would demand proof of funds from prospective club owners under a plan being considered to avoid the sort of crisis that has engulfed Portsmouth.

The 'means and abilities' test was discussed at Thursday's meeting of club chairmen and will be voted on at the summer AGM in June.

The test would try to ensure that owners have enough money to sustain a club in the top flight and avoid such situations as Portsmouth's where they have become the first Premier League club to go into administration.

Prospective owners would also be required to meet the Premier League in person before the takeover was ratified. Portsmouth previous owner Ali Al-Faraj ignored all invitations to meet the Premier League and never even visited Fratton Park.

The new rules would toughen up the existing 'fit and proper person' test for owners and directors.

Under new rules brought in this season clubs are already required to provide financial information for the year ahead and proof that they are not in debt to HM Revenue and Customs or to 'football creditors'.

Meanwhile, the Premier League insist changing the parachute payments for relegated clubs from two to four years would only be done with the agreement of the Football League.

The parachute payments would total £48million over four years if new Premier League proposals are agreed.

The new system would come into effect from the end of the next season but the Premier League have insisted no final decision was taken at the chairmen's meeting.

The League said in a statement: "This issue was not discussed in any detail or voted on.

"Any decision regarding the future structure of parachute payments cannot be taken by the Premier League alone and must be agreed with the Football League.

"The Premier League is currently in positive discussions with the Football League on a number of issues; however an announcement will only be made once these have reached a satisfactory conclusion."

Under the plan, those clubs relegated to the Championship this season will receive £16million a year for two years, while under the new proposals relegated clubs would get £16million for each of the first two years and then £8million for each of the next two years.

My Week At Work: Christophe Lollichon

Two more clean sheets this week has brought plaudits to the Chelsea backline and Petr Cech. The goalkeeping coach has his say on the last seven days, with news of a record broken and table tennis misery.

The best goal I have seen this week…
The best goal is the Tottenham goal with the young player, Rose, it was unbelievable. It was a fantastic moment for him, maybe Almunia was a little bit surprised by it.

The best save I have seen this week…
Again I think it is Gomes at Tottenham, I think he showed strong reflexes to save the header from Sol Campbell, it was a spectacular save.

The best training…
That was Thursday morning with the goalkeepers. We were doing crosses, two goalkeepers in goal, and two playing like players to receive the ball from a throw after they caught it. Each player had a different mission, it was a very good session, and important for me because it was necessary to think, not only for catching.

The worst training…
Table tennis with Petr Cech. After the Bolton match he had a slight injury, it was impossible to train, but he could play table tennis, and I lost three sets!

Funniest moment of the week…
I think that was just after the Bolton match when we won, we are so close to the end of the season and each game we win is a good moment, everybody is in a wonderful mood.

My favourite sound this week…
This week I listened to the Requiem by Mozart. I love this music, this week one evening I listened to the whole Requiem, fantastic music.

Best food this week…
I've had to cut down on the raw meat but I'm allowed one steak per week and the chefs rustled me up a bit of buffalo the other day - absolutely delicious and not easy to catch around SW6 I can tell you.

Best entertainment...
I played football with my children, my daughters, only for 25 or 30 minutes but it was very good fun.

The news story that stands out…
I think it is this volcano. Thursday in Paris was a disaster, I took the train back to London. A lot of people were very disappointed, scared. The Gare Du Nord was mad.

And a special mention goes to…
I think this has to be Petr Cech, he has a record of 100 Premier League clean sheets. He did it in 180 games I think, and it is the quickest, Peter Schmeichel did it in over 200 games, so congratulations to him.

Premier League Preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea

Expect the unexpected in football: just three days after crashing out of the FA Cup against relegated Portsmouth after extra time, Tottenham Hotspur were in action once again, entertaining their bitterest of rivals Arsenal at White Hart Lane and winning 2-1 thanks to a thunderous volley from 19-year-old Premier League debutant Danny Rose and a cool Gareth Bale finish.

From a promising season that looked to be in disarray after defeats to Sunderland and Portsmouth, Spurs are back on track in their charge at fourth place. The North Londoners are just a point behind frontrunners for the position Manchester City after effectively ending the Gunners' title hopes.

It gets no easier for Spurs, though, as they face league leaders Chelsea. The Blues have been playing like a team scorned and with a point to prove since their Champions League defeat to Jose Mourinho's Inter. A draw with Blackburn Rovers has been followed by five consecutive victories, the latest coming against Bolton Wanderers in midweek.

Chelsea are moving closer to winning their first league championship since Mourinho's departure, but know that, despite having a four-point lead over Manchester United, they must not slip up against Spurs, as their experienced title rivals will be ready to pounce.

The Blues were convincing 3-0 victors over Spurs at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, but Tottenham got the better of their fellow Londoners in N17 during the last campaign, thanks to a solitary Luka Modric goal.

FORM GUIDE

Tottenham

Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal (Premier League)
Tottenham 0-2 Portsmouth AET (FA Cup)
Sunderland 3-1 Tottenham (Premier League)
Tottenham 2-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
Tottenham 3-1 Fulham (FA Cup)

Chelsea

Chelsea 1-0 Bolton (Premier League)
Aston Villa 0-3 Chelsea (FA Cup)
Man Utd 1-2 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 7-1 Aston Villa (Premier League)
Portsmouth 0-5 Chelsea (Premier League)

TEAM NEWS

Tottenham

Niko Krancjar will play no further part in Tottenham's season after picking up an ankle injury against Portsmouth at Wembley.

Reports suggesting Aaron Lennon would be fit to face Chelsea could prove to be wide of the mark, while Jermaine Jenas and Jonathan Woodgate (both groin) are out.

Wednesday night's hero, Danny Rose is a doubt and Wilson Palacios serves the last of his two-match suspension.

Possible Starting XI: Gomes; Corluka, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; Bentley, Huddlestone, Modric, Bale; Defoe, Crouch.

Chelsea

Ashley Cole is fully fit and will be in the squad to face Spurs, but is set to start on the bench.

Deco, Joe Cole and Florent Malouda will all return to the starting XI for the Blues, possibly at the expense of Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Michael Ballack.

There are no new injury worries for Ancelotti, but Jose Bosingwa, Michael Essien (both knee) and Ricardo Carvalho are still unavailable. Branislav Ivanovic is a doubt.

Possible Starting XI: Cech; Ferreira, Alex, Terry, Zhirkov; Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Deco, Malouda; Drogba.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Tottenham

Several of Redknapp's charges dug deep to produce hallmark performances on Wednesday night, but the continued improvement of Gareth Bale is one of the stories of Spurs' season. Not an automatic choice before an injury to Benoit Assou-Ekotto offered him a chance, the Welshman has been rampant on the left wing, terrorising some of the league's finest defenders. Bale could get the better of an ageing Paulo Ferreira on Saturday.

Chelsea

Rested for the majority of Chelsea's victory over Bolton, Florent Malouda will be restored to the starting line-up on Saturday and ready to continue his hot streak. The French winger has made his greatest contribution to the club since he first arrived at Stamford Bridge, and his importance was underlined by Ancelotti's decision to bench him before the meeting with Spurs.

Ancelotti Not Interested In Double Talk

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has told his players to forget about double glory as they prepare for Saturday's crucial Barclays Premier League showdown with London rivals Tottenham.

Ancelotti is boosted by the return of England left-back Ashley Cole for the clash at White Hart Lane as Chelsea continue their quest for League and FA Cup triumphs.

Cole broke his ankle against Everton on February 10 but has recovered sufficiently to be included in the squad. However, Ancelotti confirmed the former Arsenal defender will start among the substitutes.

Chelsea are four points clear of Manchester United, who face rivals City at Eastlands, and the Blues have already sealed an FA Cup final against Portsmouth on May 15.

But even with the spotlight firmly on Chelsea's double dreams, Ancelotti does not want his players losing focus.

"It's very easy to keep the players focused," said Ancelotti. "I don't have to work on their focus and motivation any more.

"My work is very easy, because they know what they need to do. We never speak about the double. That's not the right way to prepare at all.

"It is not a formality we will win the title. We have to play very important and difficult games and we have to pay attention.

"We have to fight again, above all Saturday. I was very impressed with Tottenham's performance against Arsenal on Wednesday and we have to pay attention.

"They played very well. They will be the same tomorrow. It's a derby again and they are involved in the race for fourth place, so we have to pay attention.

"We have prepared very well for this game. We are focused and concentrated. We want to maintain the same gap from Manchester United. But we have to be ready. It will be a tough game on Saturday.

"Now, the title is not so sure for us. We have to fight again. We are working to win both the league and the FA Cup. We are involved in both and in a very good position, but nothing is decided.

"I've been working in football for 30 years and it's never sure until you have won. For now, we've not won."

Chelsea's hopes will be boosted by the return of Cole for the run-in.

The 29-year-old had been primed for a return against Stoke on April 25 but he has returned to full fitness even quicker than planned.

"Ashley Cole is in the squad on Saturday," said Ancelotti. "He's ready, he's fit. He'll start on the bench. I'm not surprised how quickly he's come back.

"The medical staff has worked very well on him, and he has worked hard. It's good for us to have him fit, and it's good for England as well."

German midfielder Michael Ballack believes Chelsea's fighting spirit helped them shake off the disappointment of going out of the Champions League to Inter Milan.

The Blues are now on the brink of becoming only the seventh club in history to do the double of league and FA Cup, and Ballack, 33, revealed how the players rallied after their exit to the Italians.

"We showed our spirit over the last season, otherwise we wouldn't be in this situation," said Ballack.

"To go out of the Champions League against a good opponent can always happen, and of course we have big expectations at this club, we showed in the last years we are a team that can reach the final.

"Going out early was a big disappointment and we sat together, spoke, rebuilt ourselves and bundled our strengths together again.

"It is important you don't drop your head and if you beat a team like Man United away it gives a lot of confidence - apart from Inter we have beaten all the big teams this year. We showed again we are still good enough and that's important for the mind.

"Of course it is a long season and it is important we have the mental strength, we are on top of the league and have a big target, a big chance to win two titles and that keeps us fresh in mind as well."

Joe Cole Warns Chelsea Team-Mates Against Complacency In Premier League Title Race

Joe Cole has insisted that the Premier League title race is not over, despite Chelsea being four points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table.

With just four games to go, the Blues are in a commanding position at the summit and after Arsenal's defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday, they remain overwhelming favourites to clinch a third title in six years.

Cole has, however, warned his team-mates that they cannot lose focus, starting with the clash against Spurs this weekend.

"The title race isn't over," Cole said, as quoted by the Press Association.

"The good thing is that we have our future in our own hands now and we have to keep winning and winning and that will only edge us closer and closer. We have had a cracking season and it would be great to finish with a couple of trophies.

"We went into four trophies at the start of the season. If we were to come out of it at the end with two then it would be an amazing achievement.

"There's a lot of hard work to be done but we must stay focused and be humble and stay together as a team and work hard for the title."

The England International also shrugged off speculation surrounding his own future after being linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.

"It's so exciting for a footballer to be blessed to be able to play in such a special team as Chelsea and to have the opportunity to do something so special," he added.

"I just want every game to be played tomorrow. I'm just trying to keep on playing as well as I can and help the team and play as many games as I can."