Carlo Ancelotti faces up to one of his first big tests
Football FanCast columnist Ross Mooring feels that Ancelotti is facing up to one of his first big tests as Chelsea boss.
On Saturday begins one of the first tests of Carlo Ancelotti’s short career at Chelsea. With no disrespect intended to Wolverhampton Wanderers it is not the opposition that will trouble the Italian as much as how he will be setting out his own side.
For the next three weeks, if not longer, Ancelotti will be without both of his energetic width-providing full backs in Jose Bosingwa – a three month absence following surgery on his left knee – and Ashley Cole – a minor leg fracture which should hopefully heal quickly. Although blessed with capable cover in Serb Branislav Ivanovic, veteran Paulo Ferreira and the hitherto unfit Yury Zhirkov (who has somehow managed more appearances for Russia than he has Chelsea this term) Ancelotti may be forced into a rethink beyond just shuffling his backline.
The discussion on Chelsea’s midfield diamond may have been done to death, but one thing it does require is width from other areas. As well as Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka have been playing together this year neither does their best work from the flanks, nor are they expected to and so, the burden falls on Cole and Bosingwa.
Without them, can one really expect the same things offensively from the defenders mentioned above? Ignoring for a moment Zhirkov – an ideally suited player if only we ever caught sight of him at Stamford Bridge – Ivanovic, Ferreira and also potentially Juliano Belletti lack one thing in common and that is pace.
In Belletti’s case he compensates with the ability to cross from deep but one suspects that Ancelotti will prefer the defensive abilities of Ivanovic. The ever dependable Paulo Ferreira will look to support on his “wrong” side and could prove a more than acceptable stop-gap if he can cross as well as he did in the League Cup tie versus Bolton.
In terms of attacking rhythm however, Ancelotti may choose to go down a different route than continue to rely on his full backs. As Frank Lampard is also injured (I don’t recall ever writing that before!) the Italian may opt to select flair in Florent Malouda, Deco or Joe Cole. The former and the latter also have the potential to bring width and, depending on how flexible our silver-haired manager views his formation, the surprise may come in a more orthodox flat 4-4-2.
With consecutive trips to Porto, Arsenal and Manchester City in the next few weeks Ancelotti surely has a fall back plan for his full-backs.
Fun fact of the weekend: Chelsea have drawn/lost four games this season. Michael Ballack did not start any of them and the German is a doubt for Wolves.
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Unfortunately I wrote this before it was announced Ashley Cole was fit. Lampard, Drogba, Deco and Ballack are out.