Premiership: Desailly desperate for silverware

Marcel Desailly declared his determination to lift his first trophy as Chelsea captain as he stressed the importance of tonight’s Worthington Cup semi-final tie against Tottenham.

Marcel Desailly is determined to lift his first trophy as Chelsea captain and is stressing the importance of tonight’s Worthington Cup semi-final tie against Tottenham.

Chelsea take a 2-1 lead from the first leg to White Hart Lane, where they have not lost since 1987 the year Spurs boss Glenn Hoddle last played for the club.

While some other leading teams have not taken the Worthington Cup seriously, Chelsea view it as the ideal way to gain the first trophy since Claudio Ranieri took charge in September 2000.

It was in May 2000 that the club last won any silverware when they lifted the FA Cup and Desailly, who succeeded Dennis Wise as skipper last summer, believes it is time to ensure their fans can attend another final.

With an FA Cup fourth round tie against West Ham also to come this weekend, he said: ‘‘We must win something for the supporters and this is one possibility.’’

The Frenchman also said ‘‘Our minds are now on the cups as we have two very important matches.

‘‘Against Spurs, we have the chance to take our supporters to a final. It is extremely important to them to go to Cardiff.’’

Desailly praised Ranieri’s tactics in the 5-1 win against West Ham, with a back three featuring himself, John Terry who has been tipped as a future England captain by chairman Ken Bates despite his recent arrest and William Gallas.

Of compatriot Gallas, he added: ‘‘It was good for him to play in this formation as it will bring him a lot more experience and many more appearances.

‘‘I was happy for him as he has adapted well to the English game and has played well.’’

Behind that defensive trio was keeper Carlo Cudicini, who is relishing the chance of facing his close friend Gustavo Poyet again following the midfielder’s summer departure from Chelsea.

‘‘When I saw him wearing a Tottenham shirt in the Chelsea tunnel it was a strange feeling, but football is like that sometimes,’’ he told Chelsea TV.

While Les Ferdinand equalised for Tottenham in the first leg, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s 30-yard free-kick gave Chelsea a vital advantage, even if Teddy Sheringham is now available again after suspension.

‘‘Teddy is a great player, very intelligent. That is why he, Gus and Les Ferdinand play well together and are likely to give us problems,’’ admitted Cudicini.

‘‘But Jimmy’s goal was very important for us. The result was still not perfect, as a clean sheet would have been better, but we are 2-1 up and we can counter-attack, which is the football we like to play.’’

Chelsea have warned travelling fans not to step out of line in the wake of missiles being thrown at Ferdinand and Hasselbaink during the first leg, sparking a Football Association investigation which is not yet over.

Cudicini agrees with the need for restraint and calm, but has no worries ahead of tonight’s game, especially in the wake of his past experiences with Castel di Sangro in Italy.

‘‘Especially in the south of Italy, the supporters are crazy,’’ he recalled. ‘‘They used to throw not just bottles and coins but everything at you and when I say everything, I mean everything.’’

Chelsea are without Celestine Babayaro, who is on international duty with Nigeria, but Graeme Le Saux is back in the squad after flu, while Slavisa Jokanovic and Sam dalla Bona are available again after suspension.