ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE Chelsea v Bolton Wanderers:CARLO ANCELOTTI has urged his Chelsea players to ignore Alex Ferguson's suggestions the Premier League title is as good as regained and instead focus on a game he considers "the most important of our season" against Bolton Wanderers this evening.
Chelsea can open a four-point advantage on Manchester United with victory tonight following the champions’ goalless draw at Blackburn Rovers on Sunday. Ferguson admitted the title was “slipping away” after that stalemate and predicted Chelsea would have “an easy game” against Bolton, who arrive 15th in the table and without a win at Stamford Bridge since 2003.
Yet Ancelotti remains wary of the threat they will pose and has demanded his team guard against complacency. “At this moment of our season, nobody can make us lose our concentration or determination to win the title,” the Italian said. “There is no possibility my players will lose their concentration. We have worked all season to be in this situation. Now we’re in a good position and not because we were lucky but because we worked very hard every day, all season.
“On paper, maybe Bolton Wanderers have less quality than us. But they have a possibility to play a game with high intensity because they didn’t play at the weekend and we played a tough game on Saturday (in the FA Cup). They will arrive fresh. I would like them (his players) to think it’s a very, very important game. Maybe the most important game of our season.
“If we win we improve our position at the top of the table and go four points clear of Manchester United. This could be a very important step for us towards winning the title. My players have to be focused on this.”
Ancelotti, who welcomed Ashley Cole into training with the first-team squad at Cobham yesterday, will nevertheless omit Joe Cole and Deco, both of whom “need a rest”, and possibly even the in-form Florent Malouda for Bolton’s visit with Saturday’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur in mind. Salomon Kalou and Michael Ballack will return to the line-up with the manager stressing it would represent more of a risk to select players who are weary than to rest those who have been playing well and often.
While a willingness to alter a line-up that has flourished in recent games may appear bold, Chelsea have demonstrated the depth to their squad in recent weeks, coping admirably despite losing key members of defence and midfield to injury.
“Until now, we are top of the table because we have had more consistency and we have shown we are able to do well without very important players,” Ancelotti said. “We had a lot of players out for a long time, both with the African players away at the Cup of Nations in January – when we did so well without them – and now without the likes of Ashley Cole and (Michael) Essien. But we are still doing well.
“We deserve to win this title because, up to now, we’ve done better than the other teams. Now it is in our hands.”
The recent revival that has seen four consecutive victories in all competitions – including the 2-1 league success at Old Trafford – was sparked by a meeting between players and staff following the London club’s draw at Ewood Park in late March. “We spoke and tried to clear the air having also lost to Manchester City and Internazionale (in the Champions League),” Ancelotti added. “After that, the players were more able to change our aims from the Champions League to the Premier League and the FA Cup.
“That was an important moment. The manager and the players have to accept the responsibility when things aren’t going so well and we did that. After that, the players worked with more concentration and determination and togetherness. We share the same aim: to put Chelsea in first position.”
Venue: Stamford Bridge Kick-off: Tonight, 8pm On TV: ESPN
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