JOEY39™: BPL

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'Drogba sudah temui sentuhan'

2011/01/17
LONDON: Pengurus Chelsea, Carlo Ancelotti menaruh keyakinan penuh kepada penyerang, Didier Drogba dengan menyifatkan bintang Ivory Coast itu semakin hampir menemui sentuhan berbisa di depan gol.

Drogba adalah antara pemain Chelsea yang kedudukannya dalam kesebelasan utama dikatakan terancam, tetapi Ancelotti menegaskan pemain itu kini hampir menemui prestasi terbaiknya selepas pulih daripada demam malaria pada beberapa minggu di awal musim.

“Didier kini semakin hampir ke prestasi terbaiknya. Dia beraksi dengan baik buat pasukannya” kata Ancelotti selepas kemenangan 2-0 ke atas Blackburn, Sabtu lalu di Stamford Bridge.

“Dia tidak menjaringkan gol tetapi bermain dengan baik pada babak kedua. Dia turun membantu pemain tengah. Dia tidak mementingkan diri sendiri tetapi membantu rakan sepasukannya.

“Didier bukan pemain yang pantas, tetapi pemain yang bagus kerana memiliki tenaga, kekuatan, keupayaan dan skil. Tahun lalu, dia menjaringkan 40 gol dan mungkin dia tidak memiliki banyak peluang ketika ini tetapi itu adalah kehidupan seorang penyerang.”

Ancelotti percaya kunjungan penting Chelsea ke Bolton Wanderers akan menentukan sama ada the Blues sudah bangkit daripada prestasi buruk pertengahan musim.

Selepas kemenangan 7-0 pada Piala FA ke atas Ipswich, pasukan bimbingan Ancelotti itu meneruskannya dengan meraih tiga mata ke atas Blackburn. Ia adalah kejayaan kedua Chelsea dalam 10 perlawanan liga. - AFP

Bimbang hilang Ancelotti

LONDON: Barisan pemain Chelsea diselubungi kebimbangan pengurus dari Itali, Carlo Ancelotti akan mengambil keputusan untuk meninggalkan kelab itu.

Beberapa pemain bintang gusar pengurus kelab itu akan meninggalkan Chelsea pada penghujung musim kerana kecewa dengan kehidupan di Stamford Bridge.

Rata-rata mereka percaya pengendali dari Itali itu masih tidak berpuas hati dengan penyingkiran pembantunya, Ray Wilkins selain krisis dalaman di Chelsea.

Mereka juga berasakan Ancelotti sudah bosan dengan masalah politik dalaman dan struktur kuasa di kelab itu.

Sumber kelab itu mendedahkan: “Situasi ketika ini tidak baik.

“Setiap orang mengatakan Ancelotti sudah melakukan yang terbaik walaupun sebenarnya mereka terdesak mengharapkan beliau akan kekal bersama kelab. “Beliau sangat popular di kalangan pemain yang percaya Ancelotti seorang pengurus yang hebat.

“Bagaimanapun, tidak diragui lagi skuad kini semakin gelisah.

“Saya faham Ancelotti semakin tidak selesa dan beliau sering menyalahkan pasukan lain apabila anak buahnya tidak dapat beraksi dengan baik pada saingan Liga Perdana Inggeris.” Ancelotti dilantik sebagai pengurus 18 bulan lalu dan sepanjang tempoh itu beliau berjaya membimbing kelab memenangi kejuaraan liga dan Piala FA musim lalu. Ancelotti pernah menyuarakan hasrat mahu kekal bersama Chelsea dalam tempoh 10 tahun lagi. - Agensi

copy from myMetro

Arsenal on top of Premiership as Chelsea miss out

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: Saturday, December 04, 2010 6:21 PM

Arsenal went top of the Premier League by a point after Samir Nasri scored twice in a 2-1 victory over London rivals Fulham on Saturday.

Arsenal on top of Premiership as Chelsea miss out
English champions Chelsea, who would also have gone above Manchester United had they won, drew 1-1 at home to Everton after Jermaine Beckford, who began his career at Stamford Bridge, equalised four minutes from time to cancel out Didier Drogba's first-half penalty.

United had to endure a frustrating afternoon after their match away to Blackpool was postponed because of a frozen pitch.

At the other end of the table, Wolves dropped to the bottom on goal difference following a 3-0 loss away to Blackburn Rovers, who bounced back in style after a 7-1 loss to United.

Saturday's other top-flight matches saw 10-man Manchester City see off Bolton 1-0 while Birmingham drew 1-1 with Tottenham and Wigan shared the points with Stoke in a 2-2 draw.

"We once again have shown fantastic quality and spirit," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger told Sky Sports.

"Credit to Nastri as well, he got two outstanding goals. He's just been voted French player of the year and that gives you more confidence.

"Apart from that, it's a combination of skill, intelligence and calm - that's what you need to score in the box."

But disappointed Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said: "Our performance was not good, the second half was poor.

"We didn't play our football, just long ball. It was difficult to understand why this happened. My team has to play better."

However, it was a different story for Ancelotti's fellow Italian Roberto Mancini after a victory for his Manchester City side left them just three points behind Arsenal.

"We deserved this, we had a lot of chances. At this moment Bolton is one of the best teams in England and to win against them is very important."

Drogba gave Chelsea the lead three minutes before half-time from the penalty spot after Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard was yellow-carded for bringing down Nicolas Anelka.

But they were made to pay for not scoring again when substitute Beckford nodded in from close range after Australia international Tim Cahill had headed on Leighton Baines's cross.

Arsenal took a 14th-minute lead when midfielder Nasri, played in by Russia's Andrey Arshavin, sold two dummies before shooting high into the net.

However, Fulham were level on the half-hour mark.

Laurent Koscielny and Sebastian Squillaci collided, allowing United States international Clint Dempsey to play in Diomansy Kamara, who curled in from 12 yards out.

But Nasri restored Arsenal's lead 15 minutes from time with a superb second goal, beating a defender and Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, once a Gunners target, before shooting home following a layoff from Robin van Persie.

Carlos Tevez gave City a fourth-minute lead against Bolton in the fourth minute after latching on to Yaya Toure's through ball.

But the hosts had to play the last 11 minutes at Eastlands with 10 men after Aleksandar Kolarov was sent-off for a second yellow card.

In-form Tottenham went ahead against Birmingham in the 19th minute when Cameroon defender Sebastien Bassong got on the end of Gareth Bale's free-kick.

But the Blues were level nine minutes from time when Craig Gardner headed in from close range.

Stoke went ahead at the Britannia Stadium when Robert Huth's 22-yard free-kick was deflected past Wigan keeper Ali Al Habsi in the 18th minute.

Wigan equalised on the half hour through a Danny Collins own-goal but a minute later Stoke's Matthew Etherington shot home from Ricardo Fuller's pass.

But Wigan though were back level five minutes before the break thanks to Tom Cleverly's deflected shot.

Blackburn, who'd seen Wolves hit the woodwork several times, went ahead at Ewood Park when, after Morten Gamset Pedersen's corner was headed back across goal by Ryan Nelsen, David Dunn headed in from six yards.

Rovers doubled their lead two minutes before half-time when Australia midfielder Brett Emerton shot powerfully after good work from Jason Roberts.

Blackburn sealed victory when unmarked New Zealand centre-half Nelsen turned in Pedersen's free-kick.

West Ham, now second bottom, face Sunderland on Sunday when West Brom play Newcastle.

Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier returns to Anfield on Monday with Aston Villa.