The Chelsea Daily Drivel - Anelka, Malouda, Ancelotti & Joe Cole in the Drivel Giggle!

The Chelsea Daily Drivel is a daily update of all the stories concerning our club, the rumours, the opinions and more....

So here are the Chelsea news updates on Saturday 18th September 2010 including: Anelka, Reserves beat Newcastle, Malouda, Sturridge on the difficulty he faced leaving City and the start at Chelsea, Carlo not happy with Sturridge's performance!, Sir Alex Ferguson moaning about Chelsea already, Ancelotti reveals his torment over his sick father, Carlo believes Chelsea should be top of the league, about Blackpool and Frank Lampard and Joe Cole makes an appearance in the Drivel Giggle.

First this morning to free scoring Nico Anelka. Anelka has spoken of the reason behind Chelsea's good start to the season. He has said Chelsea's new approach to blend more youngsters into the squad and with just a few additions has mean't that the group remains as tight as ever. He said:

“We didn't change the team very much, That means everybody knows each other, which makes it easier for everybody. So maybe that's why we seem to be doing so well.

I played as the main striker instead of Didier Drogba in the Champions League on Wednesday and did my best to help the team. A lot of players will sometimes be on the bench to rest this season and everybody knows that.

It's because we have so many games and we know it's going to be a tough season. Everybody accepts it, because we want to win. Chelsea have a lot of big players who can all score, which is good for the club. We try to do it on the pitch and show it to everyone who is watching. It's good for the confidence of the team.

We always have something to prove at Chelsea. We're creating lots of chances and feel we can score against anyone. We try to do our best on the pitch and it's working, so that's good. I always enjoy playing for Chelsea."

(Source: The Sun)

Now to the our Reserves. This week they travelled to Newcastle and won 3-2 with two goals from Milan Lalkovic and the winner from Adam Phillip. That was our first win of the season and with some players away with the first team squad in Zilina, it was a great result.

Newcastle: Tim Krul, Conor Newton, Tamas Kadar, Matthew Grieve, Sol Campbell, Patrick McLaughlin (sub Greg McDermott 62), Ryan Donaldson, Haris Vuckic, Shane Ferguson (sub Phil Airey 74), Joan Edmundsson, Nile Ranger.

Chelsea: (4-3-3): Jan Sebek; Billy Clifford, Daniel Pappoe (c) (Aliu ‘Kaby’ Djalo 76), Rohan Ince, Aziz Deen-Conteh; Conor Clifford, Nathaniel Chalobah, Jacob Mellis; Jacopo Sala, Milan Lalkovic (Adam Phillip 81), Gokhan Tore (Michael Woods 84).
(Source: CFCNet)

Now to Florent Malouda. Malouda has spoken as Chelsea maintaned their scoring spree this week against Zilina. Malouda has clamied that it's Chelsea's ability to score goals throughout the team that is the difference. He said:

"I think that's our strength, we play a system where everybody knows what he has to do and players come in and out and the result is still the same.

Everybody can score and it is difficult for the opponents. We have to maintain that good atmosphere and keep our focus because we play every competition to win, obviously it will be difficult but we have to be really hungry.

We're playing good football but every game is different and at the end we made scoring look easy but we just try to start each game playing well first and look for an opportunity. That's what we did."

Malouda also spoke of the Champions League final this season being at Wembley and said that its our destiny to win the competition at "lucky" Wembley. He said:

"It is a sign for us that the Champions League final is being played at Wembley.

We have won there a lot in recent years and it's a big objective for the club. Our aim is to be there again in May and to win. We love playing there as we have shown by winning three FA Cups in the last four years. We have a good feeling every time we go there and maybe it is our destiny to be there in May.

That's what I wish and every player in the squad is thinking about that in their minds. We have to be ready to get through the group phase now but we have to be ready for the knockout phase as well."

(Source: PA)

Now to more on Danny Sturridge and he has revealed further the difficulty he had when he first came to the club and the arogant tag he has been trying to shake off ever since he left Manchester City. In an in depth interview he said:

"I had some negative things around me when I joined the club, It was very hard for me to handle because I did not have my family around me. It was a hard stage in my life, not only in my career, but in my life as well.

Some people had the opinion that I was an arrogant guy and I didn't work for the team and that hurt me a lot. It hurt me because I didn't believe it. Never in my life have I been an arrogant guy and it was very hurtful to hear people say things like that about me because I know I am not that type of person.

Obviously, you then go home sometimes and feel very, very upset and you don't know what to do. For me, when that type of stuff was going on, it was very hard for me to be alone. I just want to show everyone that I am not that type of guy.

When people meet me they realise I am actually not that type of guy. I am just trying to get as far as I can in football. Hopefully, I can push those things aside and prove to people that I am not like that.

It was hard me for because I am young. It was difficult moving from Manchester to London. I was away from my family for about four or five months when I first joined the club. I am used to having them around me. In the second half of the season, it was different because they were with me and raised my spirits.

It was very difficult for me at the beginning to get used to life alone because I was not used to that. When I was here on my own, the players helped me a lot. They put their arms around me and told me to keep my mind on football and not worry about anything because my time would come.

Now I feel I am a Chelsea player and part of everything. The team has been here has been together for a long time and it was very hard for me to become a part of things. The boys made me very welcome when I first joined the club, they showed me a lot of love.

I was very happy they did that for me because sometimes it is hard when you join the club as a new player and you don't know anyone. But I believe I have become a better player and I hope I can play more often with these world class players .

Carlo Ancelotti is the best manager I have worked with. He gives you huge confidence and has huge faith in me. Hopefully I will be able to repay him."

(Source: The Independant)
Great interview from Sturridge and provides an insight into life for someone coming down south to Chelsea. Of course it would be difficult to settle in if you are on your own and I think it would be the same for all of us. The good thing is that the players supported him, put their arms round him and we will see the benefit, of which I have no doubt this season.

It seems that Sturridge would have suffered some reality after Wednesday night in Zilina. It has been revealed that Carlo Ancelotti wasn't exactly happy with Sturridge after the game as reported by The Telegraph after the game.

The article quotes Ancelotti as saying:

“He’s a Chelsea player with good quality. He could do better. I expected more of him on Wednesday and he knows this.

He has fantastic ability, and I’d like to see these skills and ability more in a game. He scored with fantastic movement, but we need to see more of that.”

I have to say if you did watch the game or go to the game then you would have to say that Carlo was right and spot on. Ok, Sturridge scored with a great goal and showed the pace he has that would threaten any back four we face this season, but its his overall play that was not so good.

At times he lost the ball when he tried to dribble or played some loose passes and it is important as part of his learning experience under Carlo that he listen's and improves his all round game. As per the interview above there is no question in my mind, if he listens to Carlo, he will become World Class.

Now to Sir Alex "I feel I have a divine right to win everything, every season" Ferguson. Fergie as expected, has spoken of Chelsea's start to the new season and has said "We have had it easy!". He is quoted in The Guardian as saying :

"They've certainly had a very easy early start to the season, there's no doubt about that. There are big games coming up [Chelsea play Manchester City and Arsenal in their following two league matches] but they've had a good start nonetheless and you can only deal with the games that are in front of you."

I'm glad he said that at the end as I have stated on here before now that no matter who we are playing, you still need to step out and beat the 11 players you face each week. Look at United for example, they dropped 2 points away at Everton and look at the reaction of Fergie after the game. He expected to win the game and at 3-1 up with only injury time remaining, all the United fans would of thought the same.

Yes we play Blackpool tomorrow and United face Liverpool, but we still have to beat them on the day and anything can happen in football. As for Manchester City and Arsenal we will see what happens on the day in those games and see what Fergie has to say about things afterwards!.

Now to Carlo Ancelotti and his own personal torment. He has revealed that his is travelling to and from London to coach Chelsea and also to Italy to see his sick father. He said:

'My father is not well, He is an old man. He has a lot of problems. When possible I fly back to Italy to see him and he has good support from my sister.

Everyone knows my situation. I spend a lot of time here and when I'm not here I have the good support of my assistant. I don't have a problem managing the team. It is not difficult to keep my focus. It is difficult emotionally when it is your father but this is life. I have to do my best to stay close to him."

(Source: Daily Mail)
Of course all of us Chelsea fans would want to wish Carlo's Father and family all the best at this difficult time.

Carlo Ancelotti then turned his focus onto this weekends game against newly-promoted Blackpool. He also spoke of our start to the season and our free-scoring form. He said:

"It's an important moment now, We have a lot of games and we don't have time to train properly, but we are ready to play against a strong team.

We have more knowledge and for that reason, we are doing well. There's no fear, now, which is good. The players are all involved in the team and there's a good atmosphere. If we can maintain this atmosphere, I think we can have success this year.

To think about the game against City is too far away. Blackpool are a good team and have won two away games, at Newcastle and Wigan, and are showing good skills in the Premier League. We have to pay attention. They are no easy games. Our moment is nice. It's good now, but we want it to continue.

We have fantastic ability up front. We have to put a kind of football on the pitch to showcase this quality. Balance is important in football. If you have players with skill and ability, you can show this balance. You have to find that balance and be able to attack and defend."

Ancelotti also confirmed that Frank Lampard will also miss tomorrow's clash against Blackpool. He said:

"Lampard will be out, I don't think he'll be able to play on Sunday, but he will be ready to play in the Carling Cup next week.

He's training but we don't want to take a risk. He has to put more power in his adductor, so he'll have to train again."

It's a blow to miss Lamps again tomorrow, but you have to say in the two games without him on man in particular has taken on Lampards mantle and that's ESSIEN!. I would much rather Lampard has another full week to recover in time for City next week.

Finally today the Chelsea Daily Drivel Giggle makes a return. Featured in today's Giggle is ex-Chelsea turned dipper Joe Cole!. Joe Cole gave an interview the other day and spoke of Steven Gerrard and said the following:

"He's a tremendous player. I've known Steven since I was 17 or 18 and I obviously trained and played with him for England for 10 years so I know what he's all about, but when you see him in a Liverpool shirt he's even better.

He's a fantastic player and if he plays well the team plays well and it's up to me now to assist him and try and help the club move on. A player like him deserves to win the Championship, I know that's what he wants over the next four to five years at the club.”

Why on earth does Steven Gerrard "deserve" to win the Premier League? When has he even come close to winning it?. I remember they came second once but still a number of points behind United at the time. So when else have Liverpool with Gerrard been close? Never!.

The only time Gerrard would have deserved to win the League Joe, is when he should have joined Chelsea as he would have had two titles and numerous FA Cup/League Cup's by now.

Gerrard "deserves" to win the league.....My Arse!!.

Carefree & KTBFFH everyone. Match Preview follows tomorrow!.