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Ray Wilkins: Ancelotti Might Not Be Back For Chelsea's Game With Blackburn Rovers
Manager might have to remain in Italy with sick father...
23-Oct-2009 7:31:13 PM
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti could return from Italy in time to take his place in the dugout when his side face Blackburn Rovers this weekend.
Ancelotti is currently visiting his unwell father in his homeland, but assistant manager Ray Wilkins could not unequivocally state that 'Carletto' would be back in time for the tussle with Sam Allardyce's men.
"I am sincerely hoping that Carlo will be back," Wilkins told reporters at his Friday press conference.
"His father is not in the best of condition. I spoke to Carlo last night and his father was stable, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that he will be back. Carlo will decide who plays."
Wilkins could promise though that Chelsea would be much tighter when defending set-pieces - something which was their undoing at Aston Villa last weekend.
"Sam's side will always be extremely well-organised and cause massive threats from set-plays. So once again we have to be rock solid from set-plays," he affirmed.
"We made a couple of errors at Aston Villa but every club in the country makes errors at set-plays. We have worked on them and spoken about it a lot."
Frank Lampard was also hailed by Wilkins. The England midfielder scored his first goal in ten games against Atletico Madrid in midweek but Wilkins and the rest of the Blues' coaching staff have not been unduly worried about the player's barren run.
"Frank is a world class footballer and when someone who normally scores lots of goals and then doesn't do so, people keep thinking his form is on the wane," Wilkins explained.
"But the other things he gives us are his defensive qualities and making of goals.
"I think he's made more goals this season already than he did last season. So his contribution to the team has been first class. We were not overly concerned that he had not scored. We have no qualms with that whatsoever.
"Frank is always going to score but what else he gives to the team and the club is first class."
Meanwhile, the issue of Chelsea's transfer ban arose with the club awaiting the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision about whether the embargo can be lifted.
Wilkins insisted that the issue is not a major source of anxiety for the club.
"We have got a massive game against Blackburn tomorrow and as far as the transfer situation is concerned I am not overly concerned about that," he asserted.
"It would be very pleasant to be able to bring people in because [in January, when the African Cup of Nations takes place] we lose some influential players in [Salomon] Kalou, [Didier] Drogba, [Michael] Essien and [John Obi] Mikel, but we have a squad here that is more than capable of coping with that situation.
"If we are able to bring people in then all well and good, and if we are not, we'll just crack on with what we have got. We are quite confident with what we have here."
Zack Wilson
Ancelotti is currently visiting his unwell father in his homeland, but assistant manager Ray Wilkins could not unequivocally state that 'Carletto' would be back in time for the tussle with Sam Allardyce's men.
"I am sincerely hoping that Carlo will be back," Wilkins told reporters at his Friday press conference.
"His father is not in the best of condition. I spoke to Carlo last night and his father was stable, so we are keeping our fingers crossed that he will be back. Carlo will decide who plays."
Wilkins could promise though that Chelsea would be much tighter when defending set-pieces - something which was their undoing at Aston Villa last weekend.
"Sam's side will always be extremely well-organised and cause massive threats from set-plays. So once again we have to be rock solid from set-plays," he affirmed.
"We made a couple of errors at Aston Villa but every club in the country makes errors at set-plays. We have worked on them and spoken about it a lot."
Frank Lampard was also hailed by Wilkins. The England midfielder scored his first goal in ten games against Atletico Madrid in midweek but Wilkins and the rest of the Blues' coaching staff have not been unduly worried about the player's barren run.
"Frank is a world class footballer and when someone who normally scores lots of goals and then doesn't do so, people keep thinking his form is on the wane," Wilkins explained.
"But the other things he gives us are his defensive qualities and making of goals.
"I think he's made more goals this season already than he did last season. So his contribution to the team has been first class. We were not overly concerned that he had not scored. We have no qualms with that whatsoever.
"Frank is always going to score but what else he gives to the team and the club is first class."
Meanwhile, the issue of Chelsea's transfer ban arose with the club awaiting the Court of Arbitration for Sport's decision about whether the embargo can be lifted.
Wilkins insisted that the issue is not a major source of anxiety for the club.
"We have got a massive game against Blackburn tomorrow and as far as the transfer situation is concerned I am not overly concerned about that," he asserted.
"It would be very pleasant to be able to bring people in because [in January, when the African Cup of Nations takes place] we lose some influential players in [Salomon] Kalou, [Didier] Drogba, [Michael] Essien and [John Obi] Mikel, but we have a squad here that is more than capable of coping with that situation.
"If we are able to bring people in then all well and good, and if we are not, we'll just crack on with what we have got. We are quite confident with what we have here."
Zack Wilson
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