PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS:NICOLAS ANELKA claims the prospects of Chelsea prising the Premier League title away from Manchester United have been enhanced by Alex Ferguson's inability to retain the services of Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez this summer.
Chelsea have not won the league since Jose Mourinho’s second season at Stamford Bridge in 2006 but, having already been buoyed by the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as their fifth manager in two years, they have apparently gleaned further encouragement from the high-profile departures from Old Trafford.
The champions will begin the campaign without two of last season’s quartet of forwards, albeit with Michael Owen in their ranks, and with the London club confident the title can be theirs.
“Sure, United are still a strong team and Ferguson is a good manager who knows what to do, but I don’t think they’ll be as strong this season,” said Anelka, who was the division’s leading scorer last term as Chelsea finished third.
“Ronaldo has gone, Tevez has gone, and maybe that will give us more of a chance to win this title and to be stronger than United. We have a strong squad this year and everyone is together, so we’ll have a better chance.
“We will certainly be stronger going into the season. We have a stronger, more settled squad and a manager who believes in us. We haven’t changed many players this summer which means we are settled and have a good understanding. We finished last season strongly after getting better as the year went on. Now we just have to keep going like we did at the end of last season and I think that will give us a great chance of winning the league. We know each other, we know how to play with each other and we can win the league.
“But it will be a tough title race. All the teams at the top are very strong, and even Manchester City have some good players. They will be competitive and it will be hard to beat them, though they will find it hard to win the title this year.
“ But they have big players. And, because United have lost two big names, it gives everyone else – including ourselves – a big chance to win it. We will fight until the end and see.”
City’s ambitious recruitment policy is threatening to disrupt the established order at the pinnacle. Emmanuel Adebayor’s move from the Emirates to Eastlands prompted raised eyebrows and, like the capture of Tevez from United, has served as a sign of City’s intent.
“I was surprised Ade went to City,” said Anelka. “Maybe he wanted something more from his career. I played for City and I know it is a good club. But in the last three or four seasons Arsenal have been challenging for the title, so maybe Adebayor thinks City have more chance of winning the league given their big money now and the way they are buying a lot more players. Personally, I think Arsenal will be strong.”
Anelka appears likely to be used in a front two once the season proper is under way, with Ancelotti veering away from the 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 formations used under his recent predecessors. His first-choice pairing would see Anelka join Didier Drogba up front in what should prove a potent strikeforce. They began Friday night’s 2-1 victory over Milan in Baltimore together, Drogba scoring the opening goal from 30 yards before Yuri Zhirkov secured the win late on, with the forwards allying industry with bite.
“We can be the best partnership in England because we are strong together as a pair,” said Anelka. “When I signed for Chelsea [in January 2008] I always thought I would play with Didier. On the occasions we have played together, we’ve done well. But this would make it more possible for us to win the Premier League. Playing with Didier, we know we will both get chances to score from each other. We have a good understanding.”
