Chelsea urged to right the wrongs of Christmas past

CLAUDIO RANIERI last night urged his players to keep righting the wrongs of last season over the Christmas and new year stretch of their hugely-promising Premiership campaign.

Chelsea, who eased into second place by beating Aston Villa 2-0, last night had their title odds trimmed to 7-1 third favourites behind Arsenal and Manchester United.

Their Italian manager commended his side's efforts at jubilant Stamford Bridge, believing their desire to "cancel out" last season's 3-1 home defeat by Villa inspired them. Now his Christmas wish is for his team to keep showing that same hunger to banish the memories of last season's inconsistency.

Ranieri has noted his side's results against the sides they face over the coming holiday period were disappointing last season and hopes they can put that right this year.

"I looked at last season's fixtures," he said. "We lost 3-1 at home to Aston Villa, 4-2 at home against Southampton, drew 0-0 at Leeds, lost 2-1 at Arsenal and lost 1-0 at home to Charlton Athletic.

"That was one point from those five matches last season so this period is crucial to us now. We need to show what we want to achieve in those five matches this season."

Ranieri faces a selection dilemma on Thursday, when Chelsea bid to avenge that New Year's Day defeat from last season.

Skipper Marcel Desailly has been dealing with what he described in Saturday's match programme as a "serious family problem away from Europe."

The 34-year-old Frenchman, born in Accra, Ghana, was excused from last weekend's 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough and was an unused substitute in Tuesday's 1-0 Worthington Cup defeat at Manchester United. Desailly was not in the squad at all on Saturday so Ranieri allowed John Terry to keep the captain's armband and partner William Gallas, who has been complaining of calf and back pain, in central defence.

"Marcel spoke to me on Saturday morning and I decided to give him another day of recovery," Ranieri explained. "It's OK because he's training now and he'll be on the pitch in the next game. John works very well and deserves to play, so I don't know if I will drop him.

Villa were condemned to defeat yesterday by Eidur Gudjohnsen's 42nd-minute angled drive and a curving cross from Frank Lampard in the 56th minute which deceived Peter Enckelman and skidded into his net.

Boss Graham Taylor, whose side will now attempt to crack their winless away league run at Manchester City on Boxing Day, was fuming.

"We lost a lot of shape and too many players didn't have the attitude to dig in deep and bring us back into it," he said.