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Carlo Ancelotti admits Chelsea were ‘too slow’ in Community Shield defeat to Manchester United
Blues boss insists match was good practice ahead of new season…
8 Aug 2010 18:29:00
By Danny Hart
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insists Sunday’s Community Shield match against Manchester United was a good workout - despite losing 3-1.
Luis Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez gave the Red Devils a 2-0 lead before Dimitar Berbatov wrapped up the win in style following Salomon Kalou’s late consolation.
However, despite Ancelotti's concerns that his side were ‘too slow’ against United, he insists his Premier League holders gained a lot of good preparation ahead of the new season from the Wembley encounter.
Ancelotti told Sky Sports: “We played to slow in the first-half. We didn’t have chances, our play was slow and Manchester [United] went up at the end of the first-half.
"It was difficult, it wasn’t our best day but this can happen at the start of the season. Our players played 90 minutes and this is a good thing for us ahead of the start of the Premier League.”
A number of Chelsea’s players were given an extended break after World Cup 2010 and have only recently returned to full-time training with the Blues.
“It’s impossible to ask our players, after 10 days of pre-season, to be quick and fit," he added.
"We’ve got a lot of players who came back on July 26 and to improve their conditions it’s important to play 90 minutes and I think this game will be a positive.”
With international fixtures coming up in midweek, Ancelotti believes the games could help Chelsea’s players continue to build up their fitness before the Premier League curtain-raiser next weekend.
“I think playing could be a good thing to improve their condition. I don’t worry about this,” he added.
Regarding the expected £18 million transfer of Benfica’s Ramires to Stamford Bridge, Ancelotti said: “No news. Until now Ramires is not a Chelsea player.”
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Luis Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernandez gave the Red Devils a 2-0 lead before Dimitar Berbatov wrapped up the win in style following Salomon Kalou’s late consolation.
However, despite Ancelotti's concerns that his side were ‘too slow’ against United, he insists his Premier League holders gained a lot of good preparation ahead of the new season from the Wembley encounter.
Ancelotti told Sky Sports: “We played to slow in the first-half. We didn’t have chances, our play was slow and Manchester [United] went up at the end of the first-half.
"It was difficult, it wasn’t our best day but this can happen at the start of the season. Our players played 90 minutes and this is a good thing for us ahead of the start of the Premier League.”
A number of Chelsea’s players were given an extended break after World Cup 2010 and have only recently returned to full-time training with the Blues.
“It’s impossible to ask our players, after 10 days of pre-season, to be quick and fit," he added.
"We’ve got a lot of players who came back on July 26 and to improve their conditions it’s important to play 90 minutes and I think this game will be a positive.”
With international fixtures coming up in midweek, Ancelotti believes the games could help Chelsea’s players continue to build up their fitness before the Premier League curtain-raiser next weekend.
“I think playing could be a good thing to improve their condition. I don’t worry about this,” he added.
Regarding the expected £18 million transfer of Benfica’s Ramires to Stamford Bridge, Ancelotti said: “No news. Until now Ramires is not a Chelsea player.”
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