Carlo starts title mind games
In what some might construe as the beginning of the managerial mind games for the Barclays Premier League run-in, Ancelotti reiterated his own side needed to win their nine remaining matches to stand any chance of completing one of the great title comebacks.
But the Italian also claimed any further mistakes by United and Arsenal would see the top two pay the ultimate price and miss out on the championship.
“To make a mistake now is very dangerous,” said Ancelotti, whose side will take to the field at Stoke today looking to pounce on any United slip-up at West Ham.
“Make a mistake here (and) you can lose your possibility to win something.
“It’s not just for us. Also Manchester United, also Arsenal. They cannot make a mistake either.”
Chelsea are nine points behind United with a game in hand and four adrift of Arsenal.
The champions retaining their title looked unthinkable a month ago as they languished 15 points off top spot.
But a perfect March, which coincided with a serious blip by their rivals, resurrected their hopes ahead of what will be a season-defining month. And on May 8 they have to visit Old Trafford in the Premier League.
“Always, in April, at the end of the season, you have to play calmly,” said Ancelotti, whose side also take on United in the Champions League quarter-finals over the next 11 days.
“For me, we are ready to play.
“Three months ago, November or December, it would have felt like a dream to arrive in this situation now.”
The fact Chelsea have managed to haul themselves back into the title race is all the more astonishing considering their strikers have failed to score in the league since Fernando Torres was signed two months ago.
“Fortunately, we didn’t need their goals,” said Ancelotti, who must fear that winning the last nine league games will be impossible unless Torres, Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka or Salomon Kalou start finding the net.
“In April, they’ll come back to score. You can’t lose that ability.
“If you are a top scorer, you’ll stay like that until the end of your career.”
It could be argued Ancelotti rotating his strikers has not helped any of them end their droughts.
But the Chelsea boss revealed he would persist with the policy and insisted he did not have a preferred forward partnership.
“The choices I make on it are down to the players’ physical condition and the tactics,” he said, declining to reveal who he had in mind for a Stoke team he refused to underestimate.
“If we want to play on the counter-attack, we’ll use Anelka and Torres, players who can move quickly in front.
“When we need more power, we’ll use Drogba.”
For his part, Stoke boss Tony Pulis fears Torres is about to break his duck at Chelsea.
Torres heads for the Britannia Stadium today without a goal in five Barclays Premier League games since his record-breaking move from Liverpool in January.
Stoke manager Pulis believes the Spain striker will rediscover his touch — but hopes that it is later rather than sooner, especially as his side are just five points above the relegation zone.
Pulis said: “Torres is a quality player and it is just a matter of time once he has settled in London and settled at Chelsea he will find his form.
“The one thing you can guarantee (is) he will start scoring again.”
Pulis believes Chelsea are still in with a chance of retaining their crown, although they are nine points adrift of leaders Manchester United but have a game in hand.
He said: “I saw them against Manchester City and I thought they played really well. They’ve had problems in the middle part of the season but they still have a great chance of the title. It is wide open.’’
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