COMMUNITY SHIELD: Manchester United v ChelseaCARLO ANCELOTTI believes Chelsea's summer of few personnel changes has given them the edge over their Premier League title rivals.
The manager, by some distance the most significant new face at Stamford Bridge after joining the club at the start of July, talked up the value of continuity as he prepared to face Manchester United in tomorrow’s Community Shield at Wembley, his first major test in his new job.
He has overseen the signing of the winger Yuri Zhirkov, who may not face United because of knee trouble, the striker Daniel Sturridge and the goalkeeper Ross Turnbull and he said yesterday he did not anticipate or require further additions.
The biggest battle, he said, had been to keep key players such as the captain John Terry, who eventually resisted the pull of Manchester City’s millions.
Other squad members have been chased by rival clubs, including Joe Cole by Tottenham Hotspurand Ricardo Carvalho and Deco by Internazionale. Although Chelsea had appeared willing to sell the Portuguese pair, Ancelotti insists they are to stay put.
Chelsea are the only member of the so-called Big Four who have not lost important players.
United sold Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez; Arsenal, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor; and Liverpool, Xabi Alonso.
Although all these clubs have made signings, Ancelotti contends that less is more.
“We do have an advantage because we are the same group of players and they all have good relationships,” he said.
“Zhirkov is a top international player, Sturridge is a good young player and we got Turnbull as well because we needed a goalkeeper.
“But it was more important we did not lose a player this summer than it was to buy players.”
Chelsea’s policy has been dictated, to some extent, by their failure to entice a big name.
When Andrea Pirlo committed his future to Milan on Wednesday, he became the latest Chelsea target to slip the net. Ancelotti, though, was unconcerned.
“I don’t want to take other players because I think the squad is very competitive,” he said.
“We don’t need other players. I don’t expect any new signings now.
“We don’t have the idea to sell players, either.
“When I started my adventure at Chelsea, I would have had a good feeling if I knew how well it was going to go.
“This is a very important match and with a victory, we can start the season well and with good confidence in our quality. It’s not a friendly game. We want to play well and win.”
Guardian Service
MANCHESTER UNITED v CHELSEA, SKY SPORTS 2, Kick-off 3.0, Sunday
