Carlo Ancelotti

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Ancelotti still has Chelsea backing

Carlo Ancelotti continues to enjoy the backing of the Chelsea hierarchy, despite the club hitting a new low.

Press Association Sport understands concern has increased over the Blues' worst run of Barclays Premier League results for 15 years, which culminated in last night's shock defeat at Wolves.

But billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is currently resisting any urge he might have to axe Ancelotti, with the club confident the former AC Milan boss is still the right man to turn things around.

The Italian's cause has been aided by the fact that despite the champions' dramatic slump from top spot to fifth place following one win in nine, most of their rivals have been unable to pull clear.

The feeling at Stamford Bridge is that a top-four finish is very much within reach, with Tottenham still just a point clear of Ancelotti's men.

The big test of Abramovich's confidence will therefore come should that gap to widen significantly, with the Russian having sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari two years ago when he began to fear Chelsea would not qualify for the Champions League.

Kicking off their defence of the FA Cup with a victory over Ipswich on Sunday would go some way towards easing the pressure, though a defeat would crank it up exponentially.

The Blues are refusing to completely concede their Premier League title, despite slipping nine points behind unbeaten leaders Manchester United having played a game more.

That echoes what Ancelotti said himself last night when he insisted "nothing is lost".

That differs wildly from his admission a week earlier that had Chelsea not beaten Bolton, they would have surrendered their crown.

Ancelotti admitted before the Wolves defeat that he was "lucky" to still be in his job and continued to insist afterwards he did not "fear" for his position.

He also had no intention of throwing in the towel himself, saying: "I would like to stay here and I have a good relationship with the players and with the club."

The strong bond Ancelotti enjoys with his squad is thought to be one reason why the Italian remains in charge.

He was mobbed by his players after John Terry scored what he thought was a winner in Sunday's 3-3 draw with Aston Villa.

However, there was a similar public display of affection towards Scolari before he was sacked - and it subsequently became apparent that he was not as popular as advertised.

Ancelotti has also built up plenty of goodwill, having led the club to their maiden double in his first season in charge and five points clear at the top of the league at the start of this term.

He will be given money to strengthen during the current transfer window - with the signing of a defender the priority - but the club have already demonstrated they will not be held to ransom.

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Ancelotti faces tough team decisions

Carlo Ancelotti must decide whether he can risk resting players when Chelsea begin their defence of the FA Cup.

Wednesday night's shock defeat at Wolves meant Ancelotti has now overseen the Blues' worst run of Barclays Premier League results for 15 years.

But billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is continuing to resist any urge he might have to axe Ancelotti, with the club still confident the Italian is the right man to turn things around.

That might change should they suffer an FA Cup giant-killing on Sunday when Ipswich arrive at Stamford Bridge in the third round.

Ancelotti may be tempted to give some of his big names a break this weekend but it would be a huge risk under the circumstances.

Goalkeeper Ross Turnbull will be hoping his manager does gamble and hand him a rare appearance.

Turnbull, who turned 26 on Tuesday, has had to bide his time this season, his only two appearances coming in the Carling Cup and Champions League.

There had been talk he might play at Marseille in the middle of the club's current slump last month but Ancelotti stuck with the experience of Petr Cech.

Turnbull fears it may be the same on Sunday, telling his club's official website, www.chelseafc.com: "Some of the lads who don't play as much thought they might play the away Marseille game but I remember saying at the time that I thought the manager would put an experienced team out to get some momentum going, so he might do it again for Ipswich.

"He has to pick what he thinks is best for the club and I respect his decisions."

Ancelotti's hopes of keeping his job have been boosted by the fact that despite Chelsea's dramatic slump from top spot to fifth place following one win in nine, most of their rivals have been unable to pull clear.

The feeling at Stamford Bridge is that a top-four finish is very much within reach, with Tottenham just a point clear of Ancelotti's men.

The big test of Abramovich's confidence will therefore come should that gap to widen significantly, with the Russian having sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari two years ago when he began to fear Chelsea would not qualify for the Champions League.

The Blues are refusing to completely concede their Premier League title, despite slipping nine points behind unbeaten leaders Manchester United having played a game more.

The strong bond Ancelotti enjoys with his squad is thought to be one reason why the Italian remains in charge.

He was mobbed by his players after John Terry scored what he thought was a winner in Sunday's 3-3 draw with Aston Villa.

However, there was a similar public display of affection towards Scolari before he was sacked - and it subsequently became apparent that he was not as popular as advertised.

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Ancelotti: Chelsea spirit not broken

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti insists the woeful recent form has not broken the spirit of the squad.

The Blues slumped to a 1-0 defeat to Wolves on Wednesday night to make it one win from their last nine Barclays Premier League games - their worst run since the 1995/96 season.

A miserable haul of 10 points from their last 11 outings has dropped Ancelotti's side nine points behind leaders Manchester United, having played a game more, and they face a fight to secure even a top-four place.

That run of results has called Ancelotti's position into question.

He insisted after the match he did not fear the sack from owner Roman Abramovich, but anything other than a win at home to Ipswich in the FA Cup third round on Sunday could make the pressure on him almost unbearable.

The former AC Milan boss, though, has urged his players not to lose confidence.

"The players are focused. They are working hard. They are staying together," he said.

"There are no problems (in the squad) - they have a good spirit.

"There are a lot of reasons that can explain this moment, but that doesn't matter.

"Now we have to look forward, to the next game. We have to prepare well and we have above all to maintain confidence at this moment.

"It's very easy now to lose confidence."

He added in an interview with Chelsea TV: "I think that on the training ground everything is okay. The players are working hard. They are angry and they want to move on quickly from this moment.

"I think that to move on quickly from this moment we have stay compact together. Not just the players, not just the manager, not just the staff - also all the people that are involved with this club with emotion with passion can do something to move on quickly from this moment."

The strength in depth of the Blues' squad has been called into question, most notably last month by their own captain John Terry.

Ancelotti revealed there were "some opportunities" for him to bring in reinforcements in the transfer window, but was reluctant to elaborate further.

"Looking for the transfer market there are some opportunities we can do something," he said. "But I think it's private and confidential.

"The line-up (against Wolves) was very good. At this moment we have to stay focused on the details."

Wolves' victory, which lifted them out of the drop zone, meant they had beaten Liverpool and Chelsea in the space of a week.

They have, however, lost to relegation candidates West Ham and Wigan in their other two games since Christmas, but manager Mick McCarthy was philosophical about the fact his side need to keep digging themselves out of trouble.

"If you're going to be good at something, be good at digging," he said.

"We're probably only going to have 10 really good days in a season. Out of 38 we're going to have, what, 10 wins? And the rest of the time we're going to have to put up with feeling rubbish on a Saturday or a Wednesday night.

"That's the way it is - that's because we're one of those teams and there's a load of others that are just the same.

"We go to Manchester City next so that should be a piece of cake, shouldn't it?"

Wolves look set for a further boost with the news they are in discussions with Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell over a move to Molineux.

The 28-year-old had been on the verge of a switch to West Ham, but that move now appears to have fallen through. Wolves had already agreed a fee with Villa.

Striker Kevin Doyle hopes the deal goes through.

"Steve would be an excellent signing if it happens," he said on the club's official website.

"I played with him at Reading for a number of years when we had some great success and he's also played for top clubs like Chelsea and Villa.

"If he does sign I'm sure he'll be raring to go.

"I have spoken to him this morning and we'll just have to see what happens but it would be a big boost if it goes through."

DISQUS...

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Ancelotti: I don't fear for my job

Carlo Ancelotti insists he remains the right man to lead Chelsea out of their current slump.

The Blues went down 1-0 to Wolves at Molineux tonight, Jose Bosingwa's own goal after five minutes deciding the contest, as their faint title hopes all but disappeared.

The defeat made it one wins from their last nine league games for Chelsea, who are nine points behind leaders Manchester United having played a game more.

Despite presiding over the club's worst run of form since the 1995-96 season, Ancelotti is determined to fight on.

Asked if he was confident he was the right man for the job, the Italian said: "Yes, I know this team very well and I'm sure that this moment will change and we will be able to fight for everything this season.

"I don't fear (for my job). I'm worried because the team doesn't reach the result. I think it's obvious we are not good enough in this moment.

"But the team has the skill, the ability, the character, the personality to move on. It's important to stay compact, to stay together and to work hard for each other."

The former AC Milan boss admitted the decision over his future could be taken out of his hands, although he does not have a meeting planned with owner Roman Abramovich.

"It's not my decision. I hope I can continue this job, because I would like to stay here and I have a good relationship with the players and with the club," he said.

Ancelotti did not write off his side's title chances completely, but admitted they looked bleak.

"We can fight for a lot of things, nothing is lost in this moment," he said.

"It's difficult to come back in the Premier League but we have the FA cup and the Champions League."

The Chelsea boss claimed going behind so early in the game was key, Bosingwa unwittingly diverting the ball into his own net from almost on the goalline from a Stephen Hunt corner.

His side had chances to level through Salomon Kalou, who fired a one-on-one opportunity wide, and Didier Drogba, who fired a snapshot against a post, but Wolves' first Premier League win over Chelsea was just reward for some resolute defending.

"The most difficult thing for us was we conceded the goal after five minutes," said Ancelotti.

"It was not the right way to start the game, we wanted to start the game differently, but we conceded a goal from a little detail, I think we could have done better, and after that the game was very difficult.

"I think we had some opportunity to get back in the game but were not able to score. It's another defeat, at the moment it's very difficult."

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy praised the effort of his players as they recorded a win which took them out of the bottom three.

"For effort and endeavour they never leave a drop on the pitch," he said. "They give me everything, for which I'm hugely thankful and proud of.

"We sometimes lack a bit of quality and sometimes make mistakes - and that's me included - but as a unit they're fabulous in terms of what they give me.

"We played 4-4-2 against the much-lauded 4-3-3 and I asked them to do certain things. You can ask them, but it's the players who deserve the credit and the plaudits for doing it. They have to work blooming hard to play that way and they did."

McCarthy revealed he is also keen to sign Aston Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell, who had been expected to move to West Ham but was reportedly at Molineux tonight.

"I haven't spoken to him," said McCarthy.

"If he's available and we can agree a fee and terms I would take him in a heartbeat. If that's the case we'll sign him."

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Ancelotti 'lucky' to stay Blues boss

Carlo Ancelotti admits he is lucky to have kept his job as Chelsea manager after the club's recent results.

Ancelotti has presided over the worst run of form under the reign of owner Roman Abramovich.

The Blues have taken just 10 points from their last 10 Barclays Premier League matches and just two from their last five away games - a poor run which has seen them slide to fifth place.

They face Wolves at Molineux Wednesday night when a win is vital if they are not to lose touch with the Premier League pace-setters.

When the former AC Milan boss was asked if he would have been sacked by now if he was still in Italy, he replied: "I am a lucky man. I understand that a lot of coaches are sacked with results like these."

However, Ancelotti wants to be judged on his results at the end of the season.

He added in the Daily Mail: "When you go to a restaurant, you have to pay the bill when finish your meal.

"It's the same here. We have to pay the bill at the end of the season. At the end the club can judge me. The best food would be the Champions League. I've tasted it sometimes and it's good."

But if Ancelotti is not to pay too high a price come May, he needs his team to find some consistency, having been let down by conceding late goals in recent games.

"Against Everton we conceded in the 86th minute," he said. "We missed a penalty at Tottenham and conceded in the last minute against Aston Villa. We have lost six points in the last minute and with those six points we'd be top of table."

The January transfer window could provide a boost, but Ancelotti does not want to make any panic buys - and has ruled out a move for David Beckham.

"When the Champions League comes back, we need to have a squad without injuries," he said.

"If the club does buy, it will not be just for this year. We are looking for young players but ones with experience who don't need time to adapt.

"Beckham is a fantastic player and could be good for Tottenham, but we're not interested. In that position we have good players.

"The young players are in the squad because we trust them."

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Ancelotti: Top-four spot is priority

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti admits a top-four finish and not the title is now his focus in the Barclays Premier League.

A poor run of form has seen the champions slip to fifth in the table, six points behind leaders Manchester United, who also have a game in hand.

And while Ancelotti is a long way from giving up the title, he concedes a Champions League place is "the most important thing."

Ancelotti, who has long-term casualties Alex, Yossi Benayoun and Yuri Zhirkov still unavailable but no new injury problems ahead of tomorrow's trip to Wolves, said: "There are a lot of teams involved in the first positions.

"To stay in the first places of the table is important for the future.

"We have to think now we can win the title again, but the most important thing is to stay in the places to be in the Champions League.

"I am not worried. We have the skill and the ability to stay in the top four without a problem."

Chelsea have taken just two points from their last five away league games, but Ancelotti believes they will get back on track at Molineux.

Ancelotti, who is looking to strengthen in the January transfer market but has ruled out any interest in signing David Beckham on loan, said: "We won't lose. We will win.

"We are improving and the team is very close to moving on from this moment. I have confidence that the team improves a little bit and instead of drawing games we can win in the last minute."

Ancelotti refused to divulge his transfer plans but revealed striker Daniel Sturridge would not be allowed out on loan and admitted he would not be in the market for Beckham, whom he worked with two seasons ago at AC Milan.

Beckham is keen to return to Europe in order to prove to England manager Fabio Capello that he deserves a recall to the national side, and has been linked with Tottenham, Blackburn and Newcastle.

Ancelotti said: "I read that Beckham would like to come back to play for Tottenham. He is a fantastic professional player and could be good support for Tottenham.

"But we are not interested. Our aim is different. In that position we have good players."

However, Ancelotti does believe Beckham could be an asset to a top Premier League team.

"When he came to Milan two years ago he was not young," Ancelotti said. "He gave fantastic support for the team. He worked very hard and was fit.

"Beckham is a professional player, it is easy to manage him. He is an unselfish player. I was very happy to manage him for six months because he is a fantastic player and a very good man."

Ancelotti also dismissed the idea that there was unrest in the Chelsea camp after John Terry and Didier Drogba apparently left the pitch arguing after the 3-3 draw with Aston Villa, which featured a last-minute equaliser by their opponents.

He said: "It was not an argument. They were speaking about the position on the goal. It is normal that the players can speak about this."

Ancelotti also insisted the frantic celebrations surrounding Terry's goal, which saw the manager leaping up and down on the touchline, did not upset the team's concentration.

"I don't think it was too much because the players really showed a fantastic attitude," he added. "When you score a goal you have to celebrate. We didn't lose concentration at that moment."

Ancelotti even maintained that but for bad luck, his team could be leading the Premier League.

He said: "We won against Bolton, drew against Everton and in the 86th minute we conceded a penalty.

"We conceded a penalty in the last minute against Tottenham and we conceded a goal in the last minute against Aston Villa. We lost six points in the last minute. With six points we would be at the top of the table.

"It's true we are not playing so well but sometimes when you concede a goal in the last minute we are not so lucky.

"We have to keep going. We are moving from the difficult moment. The performance is starting to be better. Sometimes we are not able to play for 90 minutes as we want but everything quickly will be okay.

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Chelsea not interested in Beckham

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out a move for David Beckham in the January transfer window.

Beckham has been linked with a loan move to Tottenham with Blackburn and Newcastle also expressing interest in the former England captain, who is currently in the close season with his MLS league club, LA Galaxy, in the United States.

Ancelotti worked with 35-year-old Beckham during his loan spell at AC Milan two seasons ago.

But he said: "I read Beckham would like to come back for Tottenham. He is a fantastic professional player and could be good support for Tottenham if he comes back.

"But we are not interested. In that position we have good players."

Beckham spent the last two close seasons on loan at AC Milan and is keen to return to Europe in order to prove to England manager Fabio Capello that he deserves a recall to the national side.

And Ancelotti believes he could do a job for a top Premier League club until the MLS season begins again in March.

He said: "When he came to Milan he was not young. He came from the American league and it is not a league with fantastic football but he gave fantastic support.

"Beckham is a professional player, it is easy to manage him. Every time he does total support for the team. He is an unselfish player. I was happy to manage him for six months because he is a fantastic player and a good man."

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Chelsea's Carlo Ancelotti Unfazed By Protest Banner At Training

Italian aware that the buck stops at his door

By Ian Murphy

Jan 7, 2011 6:21:00 PM

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Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has laughed off a protest from a fan who put up a banner at the entrance to the club's training ground calling for the Italian to be sacked.

Players and staff arrived at the Cobham training ground on Friday morning faced with two banners draped outside the entrance, reading: "Ancelotti and Abramovich out" and "None of you are fit to wear the shirt".

The banners were presumably the work of a fan disappointed with the club's recent abject form, which hit a new low with a limp defeat at Wolves on Wednesday night.

Ancelotti appears to have the majority of the Chelsea fans behind him and this allowed him to poke fun at the solitary protest.

"There was only one?," joked Ancelotti with reporters on Friday

"If it's only one, there's no problem. Here, you saw outside just one person who is not happy.

"In Italy, it's different. You can find outside the training ground 1,000 people not happy.

"It's difficult to fight with 1,000. With one, you can manage."

The Italian masterminded Chelsea's league and cup double last season but, after an excellent start to this campaign, has seen his side falter dramatically.

The Blues have won just one of their last nine games and sit in fifth place in the Premier League – a staggering nine points behind Manchester United who top the league with a game in hand.

It is the worst run since Roman Abramovich bought the club in 2003, but fortunately for Ancelotti he appears to still have the support of the Russian billionaire.

"For a manager, it is important at this moment to have the support of the club, of the players, and obviously of the fans – minus one," Ancelotti added.

"It is the right way to move on quickly. The problem now here is not the relationship with the club, or with the owner, or with the players.

"The problem is the team is not doing well. We've stayed a long time in a difficult moment, we've lost confidence.

"We spoke on Friday with the staff to try to find the solution. The solution is on the pitch, it is not outside the pitch."

The former Milan boss is not alone in being an under-pressure Premier League manager and insisted that he is not surprised by such scrutiny in a game where the buck always stops at the manager's door.

He said: "In football, you usually say when everything is okay, the players are fantastic. When everything is wrong, it is the manager who is not so good.

"When the moment is not good, we have to take responsibility.

"I feel in this moment more responsibility than my players. This is normal, this is not a worry for me."

Chelsea were five points clear at the top of the table back in October and Ancelotti says that the quality of his players means that he is not keen to panic buy in the January transfer window.

"We started very well this season, with this squad," he said. "Everyone was excited to watch our games, was excited to speak about our players, and how we played.

"I think that these players are able to move on with their quality, with their character, with their personality.

"We don't need to have the support from any [new] players.

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Ancelotti to face Abramovich grilling?

After only two wins in 11 Barclay Premier League cames, Roman Abramovich is flying to Chelsea for answers.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, the Russian billionaire will be in London later this week to meet Carlo Ancelotti at the clubs training ground in Cobham, and will expect answers to why his star-studded team are so far off the pace in the Premier League.

What will trouble the owner is the fact that tensions seem to be at a high at Stamford Bridge, with captain John Terry and Didier Drogba clearly at odds with each other after their humilation at the Emirates Stadium, losing 3-1 to Arsenal, according to sources close to the squad.

There are concerns that if the slide continues, fractions could develop in the squad, with the French-speaking players rallying around Drogba, and the English players, Terry.

With a Russian holiday ending on Tuesday, Abramovich is expected at Cobham soon, though his return could be delayed, should the Russian decide to wait until after the Orthodox New Year on Friday.

With Chelsea's 7-0 thumping of Ipswich in their FA Cup Third Round clash, the Italian will feel he has turned a corner, and will feel confident in his job security after the club's preferred replacement, Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, has reportedly agreed to a new deal to stay with the Catalans.

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Ancelotti: Win or destroy the season

Carlo Ancelotti admits Chelsea will "destroy" their season if they do not end their worst run of results for almost 15 years.

But the Blues boss insists that if they do so, they will emerge "stronger" from the slump that has seen them all but surrender their Barclays Premier League title.

Ancelotti knows his side must start winning "now" if they are not also to lose their grip on the FA Cup, with their defence of the trophy beginning against Ipswich on Sunday.

"If you are not able to move on, you destroy the season," Ancelotti said.

"If you are able to move on, you will be stronger."

One win in nine league games has left Chelsea languishing in fifth place, nine points behind unbeaten leaders Manchester United having played a game more.

The first signs of discontent among the club's fans at the crisis appeared to emerge yesterday when a pair of banners were draped opposite the club's training ground which read: "Ancelotti + Abramovich out!!!" and "None of you are fit to wear the shirt".

Having been given yet another vote of confidence by the club's billionaire owner and knowing the majority of supporters still back him, Ancelotti could afford to laugh off the mini-protest.

But he knows the disquiet will multiply if he is on the wrong end of a cup shock.

For that reason, the former AC Milan boss is not planning to make wholesale changes tomorrow, although he was waiting on fitness checks today on Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien.

"We will play with the strongest team," said Ancelotti, who nevertheless hinted 21-year-old striker Daniel Sturridge would start up front.

"Sturridge played very well against Tottenham for the reserves, scored five goals.

"I think that he deserves to play in this moment."

Ancelotti's use of his youngsters has come under the spotlight during Chelsea's current slump.

The Italian continues to insist he agrees completely with the club's shift in policy to develop their own players, with UEFA's financial fair play regulations looming large.

And he is adamant he would blood the likes of Jeffrey Bruma and Josh McEachran more regularly when the time is right, saying: "It's difficult in this moment, when things are not so good, to give the key to McEachran - 17 years old - to manage the play of the team.

"So I prefer to put in Essien, who has experience, personality, and wait for McEachran in an easier game."

And Ancelotti also hit out at suggestions he was over-reliant on a core of ageing players, saying: "You can say, 'we are old, we don't have character, we don't have motivation'.

"But I maintain confidence that we have experience, we have quality, we have ability to manage this period and to move on."

Ancelotti also insists the mounting pressure is not giving him sleepless nights.

"I don't take a tablet," he joked. "Food is okay, drink is okay. But the sleep is okay because of the drink!"

Meanwhile, John Obi Mikel has revealed his knee injury will keep him out until at least next month.

The midfielder, who has been sidelined since last Monday's 3-1 defeat at Arsenal, told skysports.com: "I am very disappointed by this injury - it will at least take me out for the whole month."

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Ancelotti not getting carried away

Carlo Ancelotti has refused to get carried away with Chelsea's 7-0 FA Cup thrashing of Ipswich.

The Italian admits they need a run of victories to emerge from their worst slump for almost 15 years.

The Blues went some way to lifting the gloom at Stamford Bridge as they began their defence of the trophy they have won for the past two seasons in emphatic fashion.

The managerless visitors proved ideal cannon fodder for Ancelotti's faltering double winners, who had won just one of their previous nine league games to all but surrender the championship.

The Chelsea boss, who has twice been given votes of confidence by billionaire owner Roman Abramovich in the past fortnight, said: "We needed to have this kind of performance.

"The result was good and we did a lot of things well in this game - the performance of the team, the strikers scoring again.

"We don't have to be excited.

"But, obviously, with this victory, our confidence will improve.

"We have to wait to say everything is okay."

Ancelotti's decision to continue last season's policy of fielding some youngsters in the early rounds of the cup did not backfire, with Daniel Sturridge and Frank Lampard scoring twice, Salomon Kalou also finding the net and Nicolas Anelka ending the goal drought that has coincided with Chelsea's two months of misery.

Chelsea toiled for the opening half-hour but once Kalou found the net, the floodgates opened.

"There were differences in the first 30 minutes of this game and the other 60," Ancelotti said.

"We were a bit worried, less confident in that first period.

"When we scored the first goal, everything was okay.

"But we have to play more games to say the bad moment has gone."

Friday saw Ancelotti laugh off a lone protest calling for his head and today proved the Italian still had the backing of the vast majority of Chelsea fans, who chanted his name towards the end.

"It's very nice, obviously, to hear the fans like that," he said.

"We all have to be close, and the fans showed fantastic support today."

Despite some good performances from his young players, especially two-goal Sturridge, Ancelotti was unwilling to guarantee them a place in his side against Blackburn next weekend.

He said of Sturridge, who also netted five times for the reserves on Thursday: "He deserved to play. He played well, scored, is a good player and a good striker, very dangerous.

"In the future, he'll have opportunities. We have a lot of games in this period coming up.

"I think he has to fight with the other strikers, but everyone has to fight. There are a lot of players in competition up front."

Van Aanholt limped off with 20 minutes remaining and Ancelotti revealed the youngster had suffered a minor hamstring tear.

The main injury today, however, was inflicted on Ipswich, who looked a side in disarray following Roy Keane's sacking this week.

Caretaker boss Ian McParland admitted the visitors were given "a right thrashing".

"I knew what was going to happen today," he said.

"The boys are a bit shellshocked with the manager going."

McParland believes Keane may have fared better had he still been in charge, saying: "I'd like to think it would have made a difference.

"For half an hour, we were doing okay. We were in the game.

"We gave them three bad goals.

"I've never been beaten like that.

"It hurts my pride but I'll bounce back.

"Let's not forget who the lads were playing against.

"Some Premier League clubs were beat seven or eight here last year, so maybe we're in good company."

McParland was praying Keane's replacement would take charge in time for Wednesday night's Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal, with Paul Jewell a strong favourite to land the role.

"I think he's got a really tough job," he said.

"I hope he's in by Wednesday!"

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Chelsea 7-0 Ipswich

Chelsea went some way to lifting the gloom at Stamford Bridge as they crushed Ipswich 7-0 in the FA Cup.

The managerless visitors proved ideal cannon fodder for Carlo Ancelotti's faltering double winners, who went into the game on their worst Barclays Premier League run for almost 15 years.

Ancelotti's decision to continue last season's policy of fielding some youngsters in the early rounds of the cup did not backfire, with Daniel Sturridge and Frank Lampard scoring twice, Salomon Kalou also finding the net and Nicolas Anelka ending the personal goal drought that has coincided with Chelsea's two months of misery.

Carlos Edwards' own goal made up the tally.

Ancelotti, who handed rare starts to 17-year-old Josh McEachran and 20-year-old Patrick van Aanholt, will be praying this win helps inspire his established stars, like the rested Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Ashley Cole, to kick-start their ailing league campaign.

Despite the number of changes and standard of opposition, Chelsea - looking to become the first club to win a hat-trick of FA Cups since the 1880s - continued to be dogged by a lack of cutting edge in the opening half-hour.

Sturridge, rewarded with a start after scoring five times for the reserves on Thursday, saw one chance closed down by Marton Fulop and another balloon off target.

They were almost made to pay by the team who had boss Roy Keane sacked on Friday.

A fine break involving Scotland and David Norris ended in the former unleashing a left-footed piledriver which Petr Cech could only beat away.

Chelsea surged down the other end and Anelka looked to have put them ahead but Troy Brown produced a brilliant clearance off the line from the Frenchman's low finish.

Lampard blasted over after good work down the left from Van Aanholt and McEachran's drive was deflected behind off Connor Wickham.

A lovely Chelsea move was then spoilt by a horrible finish from Anelka, who made amends by providing the breakthrough in the 33rd minute after Ipswich gave the ball away in midfield.

Chelsea sprung forward and Anelka's finish hit Fulop and squirmed towards the line before Kalou made sure.

It was 2-0 less than a minute later, Sturridge tucking home Jose Bosingwa's low cross after more poor defending from the visitors.

Lampard's weak 20-yard shot was straight at Fulop as Chelsea looked to kill off the tie before half-time.

Ipswich captain David Norris was booked for a poor tackle on John Terry and Lampard made him pay from the resulting 41st-minute free-kick, with Edwards flicking the ball into his own net.

Anelka's mis-hit finish was straight at Fulop at the start of the second half but the striker finally ended his barren spell in the 49th minute, finding the bottom corner after a neat exchange with Kalou.

Ipswich had been preparing a substitution at the time and immediately withdrew Scotland for Ronan Murray.

Chelsea began to play with a swagger and Sturridge made it 5-0 three minutes later, curling superbly into the top corner from just inside the box.

Ancelotti threw on another youngster, with Gael Kakuta replacing Kalou.

Peters drilled wide in search of a consolation before the highly-rated Wickham was replaced by Tamas Priskin.

Chelsea lost Van Aanholt to injury for the final 20 minutes, with Jeffrey Bruma entering the fray.

The home side were in cruise control but Ipswich pressed the self-destruct button again twice in a minute to hand Lampard a quickfire double.

The England midfielder blasted home from 15 yards after the visitors failed to clear a corner, and then bundled home Branislav Ivanovic's low cross.

It was party time at Stamford Bridge and Ramires fired over with the outside of his right foot before Chelsea fans showed their support for the under-pressure Ancelotti, who responded with a wave.

Kakuta, Anelka and Ivanovic all had chances to make it 8-0 in stoppage-time before the final whistle ended Ipswich's torture.

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Ancelotti: Winning title would be huge

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed retaining the title with Chelsea this season would be the greatest achievement of his career.

The Blues' worst slump in the top flight for almost 15 years has seen them blow a five-point lead to lie fifth, nine points behind Manchester United having played a game more.

Ancelotti has refused to surrender the title completely but claims Chelsea overhauling such a points deficit and all four teams above them would rank even more highly than his two Champions League triumphs with AC Milan.

"Yes, it would be fantastic. It wouldn't be easy to do that, but we can try," said the Italian, who believes it could take as few as 80 points to win the title this season.

"We needed 86 points to win it last year. This year, the team will need less. 80 points is enough."

Even so, Chelsea would need to win at least 14 of their remaining 17 games to reach that target, and Ancelotti added with a hint of understatement: "It'll be tough."

While retaining the title could be beyond them, it is unthinkable Chelsea will fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.

Yet, the same could be said for Liverpool last term when they finished seventh.

Then-manager Rafael Benitez promised a top-four finish just over a year ago and ended up with egg on his face and ultimately his P45.

Ancelotti was not about to fall into the same trap.

"I don't like to promise because I have to stick with that promise," he said.

"I don't want to bet because I don't like to bet, but we have the possibility to stay in the top four."

With Luiz Felipe Scolari sacked just under two years ago when owner Roman Abramovich began to fear Chelsea would not qualify for the Champions League, Ancelotti knows his double win last season will count for little if he fails to finish in the top four.

"It would not be good to be out of the Champions League," he said.

"For us, one of the most important things is to stay in the first four places in the table.

"I don't want to speak about financial reasons, but about the motivation of the players, the club, the manager.

"We have to play the Champions League."

Ancelotti spoke over the telephone this week to Abramovich, who is obsessed with winning Europe's premier club competition.

"We didn't speak about that," he added.

"We're not considering being out of the top four.

"I don't think it's impossible - we have to pay attention - but we didn't speak about it."

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Ancelotti laughs off Scolari comparison

Carlo Ancelotti laughed off Frank Lampard's claim the atmosphere at Chelsea was like the final days under Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Lampard compared the confidence of the squad at present to that during the end of Scolari's doomed reign just under two years ago.

The Blues are on an even poorer run than they were at that time - indeed, their worst in the league for almost 15 years - and have all but surrendered their title.

Despite this, Ancelotti continues to enjoy the backing of the club's billionaire benefactor, who he spoke to over the telephone this week and who may attend tomorrow's game against Blackburn.

Ancelotti admitted Abramovich was "not happy" with recent results but that their exchange had been "positive", giving him confidence to shrug off Lampard's outburst.

"This is not good news!" he joked when asked about his vice-captain's concerns.

"I think the players, the team, lost some confidence in their football, the football that we played very well last year.

"But I think we are able to come back and play the same."

Ancelotti, whose side have slumped to fifth, added: "I don't know the feeling with Scolari, but the feeling here with the players is very good.

"Maybe it's the same atmosphere, but we have the capacity to move on.

"We are very close. I support the players at this moment, and the players support me.

"I think it's not a big problem if the players are not happy, no?

"I think the only reason they are not happy sometimes is that we didn't get the right results. This is the only reason."

Ancelotti insisted the mood at Stamford Bridge had improved in the wake of Sunday's FA Cup third-round win over Ipswich, saying: "The week was good, and I hope that tomorrow we can show this also not just on the training ground but on the pitch against Blackburn."

The club, as always, are refusing to comment on Abramovich's movements but there would be no better time improve their record of one win in nine league games than in front of the owner.

Ancelotti said: "He knows what the difficulties are, and he hopes - like us - to look forward to try and beat Blackburn tomorrow."

With virtually half the transfer window having passed, the Italian has yet to reinforce his squad but continues to insist there is money available.

Chelsea have been linked with a host of players in recent days, including defenders David Luiz and Diego Godin, while outgoing sporting director Frank Arnesen revealed Ajax and Holland full-back Gregory van der Wiel was a target for next season.

Ancelotti was tight-lipped over a £3million move for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, which has reportedly broken down.

"There are a lot of rumours, a lot of speculation and names," he said.

"Maybe sometimes some agents are using the names to earn more money.

"Pienaar is a good player and we know him very well, but this doesn't mean we need to have him play here.

"We are thinking about central defence.

"If we find the right player for us, we have the possibility to buy."

Tomorrow's opponents have already made a move in the transfer market, completing the loan signing today of Roque Santa Cruz from Manchester City, who could make his second Blackburn debut tomorrow.

"He had some problems with injuries, but, as a player with skill, he's a very good striker," said Ancelotti.

The Italian also revealed he planned to speak to Lampard about his media comments but only regarding his revelation he wants to be a manager himself one day.

"He has that capacity to be a manager in the future," Ancelotti said.

"I will speak with him. I can give some help to him to be a good manager.

"One of the most important things as a manager is to be patient with the journalists..."

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Ancelotti praises "unselfish" Drogba

Carlo Ancelotti insisted Didier Drogba was "close to his best" despite another goal-shy effort from his striker.

Drogba's display was one of few areas of concern on Saturday when they beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 as the Barclays Premier League champions produced arguably their best outing for more than two months to end their worst run since 1996.

The 32-year-old Ivory Coast international has struggled to get back to his bulldozing best since a malaria scare earlier this season and continued to look below full power against Rovers.

He was unable to bully Christopher Samba and Ryan Nelsen yesterday, appeared a yard short of pace, and failed to show the kind of clinical finishing that made him one of the most feared forwards on the planet when one on one with Paul Robinson.

But manager Ancelotti was happy with his contribution, saying: "Didier is very close to his best.

"He played a good game for the team.

"He didn't score but it doesn't matter. He played the second half for the team, he came back to help the midfielders.

"It was an unselfish match for him. This is important also if he doesn't score."

He added: "Didier is not the quickest player.

"He's a good player because he has power, he has strength, he has ability, he has skill.

"Last year, he scored 40 goals and maybe he didn't have as many opportunities as he did in this moment.

"This is the life of the striker. Sometimes, you shoot one time at the goal and you score. Sometimes you have to shoot 10 times to score."

Ancelotti insisted in the build-up to the game that Drogba and Michael Essien - who has also struggled to hit top form - were not undroppable.

And despite opting for their sheer "size" on Saturday, the Italian suggested they were not guaranteed to start at Bolton next Monday, with Daniel Sturridge and Josh McEachran waiting in the wings.

Ancelotti said of Drogba and Essien: "They are two of the most important players.

"But they are not two of the most important players because they play every game.

"Sometimes, they can stay out.

"Also, it's very important for us that McEachran is able to play, is ready to play.

"He has the quality to play from the beginning so could put more competition in the squad."

Saturday's win was another step in the right direction for Chelsea following last weekend's FA Cup thrashing of Ipswich.

It moved them back into the top four for at least 24 hours and kept alive their paper-thin hopes of retaining the title.

Ancelotti said: "We have to play better again but we have more confidence now.

"I'm sure that we will do better in the Premier League.

"It's not easy to close the gap but we have to think that we are able to do this.

"I don't know if it's possible.

"Because we won last year, we want to do everything to be in competition until the end."

Defeat signalled the end of a good run for Rovers, which had lifted them clear of the drop zone.

Steve Kean has managed to limit any disruption caused by the shock dismissal of Sam Allardyce since taking charge.

Diego Maradona has been heavily linked with the north-west club and has revealed he will hold talks with an English side next month.

But Blackburn owners Venky's have now given Kean a guarantee that he will not be sacked for the remaining two-and-a-half years of his contract.

And as well as being given the backing of his bosses, Kean believes he has already been accepted as manager by his players.

"I don't feel as though I've ever had any problems with the lads," he said.

"The atmosphere at the training ground is good."

Kean was allowed to bring Roque Santa Cruz back to Ewood Park on Thursday and is close to signing United States midfielder Jermaine Jones, also on loan, from Schalke.

"We've added Roque," Kean said.

"Hopefully, we'll add another one or two.

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Ancelotti demands more from Chelsea

Chelsea finally ended a run of poor results with a convincing 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers.

The champions ended a sequence of one victory in nine with arguably their best performance for more than two months, winning 2-0 to haul themselves back into the top four.

But just as after Sunday's FA Cup third-round thrashing of Ipswich, Ancelotti refused to get carried away with the result, insisting his side needed to record an away win to demonstrate their slump was at an end.

"I think a good support for us for these two games was to play at home," he said.

"Now we have to check also away in the next game against Bolton."

Their performance was still some way below the level Chelsea were showing at the start of the season, when they threatened to sweep all before them, but it was another step in the right direction.

Ancelotti added: "We are not at the same level but we will come back to play at the same level.

"We don't need to have a lot of time to come back.

"It will be very important the next game against Bolton because we can say definitely that the moment is gone.

"If the moment is gone, I think that we will be stronger."

Chelsea were let down by their final ball in the first half and both their goals came from corners, with Branislav Ivanovic and Nicolas Anelka punishing slack defending.

Ancelotti said: "If I have to judge the performance today, I can say it was good.

"We could score before the first goal of Ivanovic, we could score in the first half.

"But our play was good, more intensity, more quality."

He added: "It was important also for us to score on the set pieces.

"We had a lot of opportunities today. Ivanovic is very good with his head, he scored in an important moment.

"After the first goal, the team played a good game.

"Obviously, we want to score with good play, with good football. But also we have to use the set-pieces because I think we have dangerous players in the set-pieces."

It was that which determined Ancelotti's selection policy, with Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Ashley Cole all recalled.

"We needed to have more size," Ancelotti said.

"I knew that Blackburn could use long balls and set-pieces.

"So I wanted to have power in the box.

"For this reason, Essien and Drogba started the game."

Ancelotti, who refused to discuss the club's move for Steven Pienaar, which has stalled due to the Everton midfielder's wage demands, also insisted he never felt his job had been on the line in recent weeks.

"I didn't have a doubt before, also when we lost the games because the support of my club was very close to me and the players," he said.

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Ancelotti delighted with squad depth

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti is happy with the squad at his disposal before the clash with Fulham on Monday.

Chelsea's loss to Liverpool last week left their title hopes hanging by a thread - but a look at the players they have shows they can explode at any time and regain their early season threat.

In comments reported on the club's official website, Ancelotti said: "Now we have a strong squad with David Luiz and Torres, we've improved our ability and we have more power. The squad was good, but now it is even better.

"This week Ramires has recovered and is able to play so we have a lot of options, he is improving game by game because he takes more confidence on his play and combinations with the other players so it will be good to have him back.

"In attack we can choose whether to play with two up front or with the Christmas tree, it depends on the game that we want to play. When we play with two strikers Nicolas Anelka can be in the number 10 position, in the hole, but with one striker he can play on the right.

"Florent Malouda can also play there, and sometimes we tried last year Lampard at the beginning of the season which was not bad. Malouda can also play in the Christmas tree, but I don't need to think of him as a central midfielder because we have a lot of options there."

Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic recently signed a new deal which will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2016. Ancelotti was understandably delighted given the quality and versatility the Serb brings to the table.

"We are very happy because Ivanovic has signed a new contract and with Davd Luiz, and Alex, he is young. We will not have a problem in the centre of defence in the future," declared the gaffer.

"Ivanovic is important because he can play centre-back or right-back without a problem. He has a body that can recover very well from matches, and he has played more than any other player this season."

Chelsea face the Cottagers on Monday knowing that anything but a win would see them drop out of title contention.

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Ancelotti: Chelsea title hopes are over

Carlo Ancelotti may be ready to introduce another new signing on Monday, but he has conceded Chelsea are out of the title race.

Ancelotti will give a full debut to £25million defender David Luiz at Fulham, having blooded £50million striker Fernando Torres last week against former club Liverpool.

But despite boasting such world-class reinforcements, Ancelotti appears to have accepted a Champions League place is the best he can hope for in the Barclays Premier League.

The Blues failed to sustain a bright start to the season and a series of poor results have left them fourth in the standings and 10 points adrift of Manchester United.

"For us it is difficult to think we can come back to fight for the title. It is better for us to think game by game," he said.

"We have to reach fourth place in the table, minimum. It is better to think game by game because to close the gap is very difficult.

"We must be honest, the most important step is to reach fourth place and we have to fight with other teams (to do that).

"The surprise was that the bad moment we experienced was too long."

Luiz, meanwhile, is looking forward to being part of the star-studded Chelsea dressing room and believes it will help him grow as a player.

Ancelotti already rates the January recruit from Benfica enough to spend heavily on him, but the Brazil defender believes there is plenty to learn from his new team-mates.

One of those is, of course, Torres, whose record move from Liverpool somewhat overshadowed the Luiz deal.

Luiz is used to strikers getting the lion's share of the publicity and is happy to be sharpening his defensive skills alongside an attacking group that also includes Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda.

"Usually it is the strikers who get the spotlight because they bring the joy and the goals to clubs," he said.

"I'm just happy to be here to help Chelsea conquer their aims and be successful. I want to become a better player.

"It is certainly easier to play alongside them in training; I had the privilege to play against Torres when I was at Benfica and it was much harder.

"I can only learn from the best and it is a great pleasure to play alongside great players."

Another Blues icon Luiz is hoping to strike a partnership with is captain John Terry.

Luiz is expected to start alongside the England man in central defence on Monday and he is simply pleased to at the same club.

He continued: "Football in general admires John Terry, not just me. He is an amazing player who has won a lot. I would like to learn from John Terry and have the same success he has had for many years."

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Fulham vs Chelsea Preview

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed £25million signing David Luiz will play against Fulham.

Centre-back Luiz is expected to come in for Jose Bosingwa, who has a knock, with Branislav Ivanovic moving to right-back.

In attack, the Italian looks set to persevere with a front three of £50million former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Fulham's Eidur Gudjohnsen could make his first start for the Cottagers.

The Iceland striker made his Cottagers debut as a late substitute in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa and will be pushing for a spot in the first XI against his former club.

Dickson Etuhu (hamstring) and Philippe Senderos (Achilles) are likely to miss out again, while Bobby Zamora is still two to three weeks away from fitness after recovering from a broken leg.

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Roma targetting Carlo Ancelotti

Serie A giants Roma are planning to bring Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti to the Stadio Olimpico in the summer.

Il Corriere dello Sport reports that the Giallorossi are looking to replace incumbent Claudio Ranieri as they seek to once again stamp their authority on Italian football.

Ranieri finds himself under immense pressure following a poor run in the domestic competition where his side have slumped to three consecutive defeats. They are currently a lowly eight in the standings - 13 points behind leaders AC Milan.

Wednesday's home Champions League defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk will not have done anything to ease the pressure and Ranieri has been forced to make statements almost every day that he is not resigning from his post.

Things are not looking too good for his Italian compatriot at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea lost in the Carling Cup and went out on penalties to Everton on Saturday in the FA Cup. The much coveted Champions League remains their only realistic chance of a trophy - and so dire is their situation in the Premier League that they might not even qualify for the tournament next season.

Ancelotti has himself said he would not want to coach a team not playing in Europe and owner Roman Abramovich has been known to be ruthless with managers in the past - firing Jose Mourinho, Luis Felipe Scolari and Avram Grant after they failed to deliver in the Champions League.

Anything less than victory in club football's premier competition could well see him getting rid of Ancelotti too - thus paving the way for Roma to appoint the Italian.