Bold claim by Carlo Ancelotti, but one that is justified?

If fans of Chelsea‘s title rivals were already concerned about the form of Carlo Ancelotti’s team, then yesterday’s result is going to have done nothing to ease their woes. The west London club emerged 3-0 winners over neighbours Arsenal on a cold, wet afternoon at the Emirates, underlining a message to their rivals; catch us if you can.

It was a strong display from a Chelsea side who, despite giving away possession for much of the game, always looked the more threatening of the two sides. The Blues gave Arsenal a harsh lesson with a ruthless nature to their play. They were able to soak up sustained amounts of pressure from Wenger’s men before pouncing on the break and it was a tactic that Arsenal had little response to. The performance came with a sense of professionalism that we have become accustomed to this season, with Chelsea often looking comfortable, if not always on top. This mentality and form has prompted manager Carlo Ancelotti to make some hasty comments regarding the remainder of Chelsea’s season.

Ancelotti has claimed that not only can his side go the rest of the season unbeaten, but they can win every game in the process. The Italian said, “We know very well our possibilities, we can win every game. This team have a lot of quality: technical qualities, mental qualities and physical qualities. We started the season believing that we could win. Our objective is to stay in all the competitions until the end of the season. When I signed a contract with Chelsea, I believed we’d win something.”

It is a bold statement from Ancelotti, as despite emerging victorious 12 times already this season, Chelsea have also suffered two defeats at the hands of Wigan Athletic and Aston Villa. Yet no matter how good Ancelotti’s Chelsea side are, it is hard to see them recording 24 wins from their remaining 24 games. It is more likely a statement of intent and one that typifies the character of his Chelsea side. They will aim to power on with their five point lead, urging their rivals to try their best to keep up with them.

It is no doubt also a tactical move from the Italian, who is no stranger to the mental games involved in a title race, having seen his fair share in his time at AC Milan. By winning yesterday, Chelsea recorded their third win over last year’s top four in as many games, having not conceded a goal in the process. The Blues’ have already clearly achieved an advantage on the pitch and Ancelotti has looked to capitalise on this by suggesting the form can and will continue. I also believe it is a ploy from Ancelotti as he attempts to gain every advantage possible before the January African Cup of Nations, a period that will no doubt have a huge effect on Chelsea’s title ambitions.

I, even as a Chelsea fan myself, do not think for one second that there is any possibility of Ancelotti’s statement coming to fruition, yet I understand his eagerness to build upon the sense of strength and success that his Chelsea side have already shown on the pitch this season. Only time will tell just how accurate Ancelotti’s boldness is, yet one thing is for sure, it is Chelsea’s to lose from here on in.