Sunday, September 20, 2009

Ancelotti calm over Drogba injury

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Ancelotti hopeful over Drogba injury

Carlo Ancelotti is confident Chelsea can cope without Didier Drogba should the striker be sidelined by an injury picked up against Tottenham.

The Ivory Coast international was carried off in the Blues 3-0 win over Spurs at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

"We have played without Didier before," said Chelsea's Italian manager. "I think we can play well without Didier.

"Against Porto we won without him and we have Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini."

Drogba, 31, has been in superb form so far this season and took his tally of goals for the season to five with one of the Chelsea goals against Tottenham before his substitution in the 83rd minute.

I don't know if Tottenham should have had a penalty, I am not a referee

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti

The injury will be assessed in the next couple of days and Ancelotti remains hopeful that it is not as bad as feared.

"We hope tomorrow we will have a precise diagnosis of the situation," said the Italian. "It is a calf injury but he felt that he had cramp. If it is cramp, it is good for us."

Chelsea overcame Portuguese side Porto 1-0 in the Champions League last Tuesday without Drogba and Ancelotti made a special point in praising 18-year-old Italian striker Borini, who came on as a late substitute against Spurs.

"Borini is a young player and we are pleased he came on for his first game in the Premier League," said Ancelotti. "We have a very good academy and we want to take a young player into the first team."

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Chelsea's impressive victory on Sunday set a new record of 11 straight wins, better than the one forged by Jose Mourinho, and keeps them top of the Premier League table by three points from champions Manchester United.

"All the players did a very good job," said Ancelotti. "The match was easy in the second half. If you don't do a good job on the pitch against Tottenham you cannot win 3-0."

But the 50-year-old Italian would not be drawn on the Tottenham penalty appeal for Ricardo Carvalho's challenge on Robbie Keane, waved away by referee Howard Webb.

"I don't know if Tottenham should have had a penalty, I am not a referee," added Ancelotti. "I do not like to speak about the job of the referee. I prefer to speak about the match."

Ancelotti watched Manchester United's 4-3 win over rivals Manchester City before Chelsea's game but remains focused purely on his own team.

"I saw Manchester United's game," he said. "It was a fantastic game, unbelievable, but in England there are matches of this kind.

"But I am only interested in Chelsea playing well and winning."

Chelsea next play QPR in Wednesday's Carling Cup third round tie and Ancelotti is determined not to allow his players to lose focus.

"We need to maintain the mental attitude and win our next game against QPR in the Carling Cup on Wednesday," stated Ancelotti.

"Our next game will not be easy. We do not think about records, only winning the next game."

ะพ 11:12 AM

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