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Carlo concedes tough week
Chelsea boss insists confidence remains high
Last updated: 21st March 2010 
Carlo Ancelotti concedes it has been a hard week after Chelsea followed up their Champions League elimination by dropping points on their travels to Blackburn in the league.
El-Hadji Diouf's second half header cancelled out Didier Drogba's opener at Ewood Park to ensure it is advantage Manchester United and Arsenal at the Premier League summit.
With both of the aforementioned picking up wins at the weekend Chelsea are now down in third place, four points behind leaders United, although with a match in hand against bottom club Portsmouth next week.
Ancelotti came in for criticism after crashing to defeat against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan in midweek, and the Italian can now expect further scrutiny after two dropped points on the road.
"It has been a hard week, but every week is hard as you have to prepare for the games," the Italian said on Sky Sports.
"It was a difficult game, with a lot of fight on the pitch.
"We tried to play football, but lost some confidence as they put us under pressure and won more second balls.
"We tried, but were unlucky."
While the doom-mongers are predicting Chelsea's title tilt is in real danger of unravelling, Ancelotti is quick to emphasise that morale in the camp remains high.
"Now is a difficult moment, but we do not have to lose our confidence," he said.
"We are behind now and have to catch up, but I think we can still do it.
"The pressure was already on us as we needed to win, but we did not.
"It is more difficult now, but we have to think about the game on Wednesday [at Portsmouth] and have to come back to win."
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Comments (9)
Kareem Mowdy says...
As a die hard Chelsea fan it's hard to take, after working hard at the beginning of the season we r going to let this slip again. As much as I don't like Man Utd and it's hard for me to say this but well done Utd you deserve the title. For us it's about time we start rebuilding the winning team again and get some injured players back in the squad Cech,Cole and Essien....... c'mmon go and get Ribbery and Aguero.
Posted 22:22 21st March 2010
Eamonn Kerrigan (Chelsea fan) says...
Im getting sick and tired of united winning the league and im afraid its going to happen again. I was happy enough with ancelottis team selection today but was very concerned with the subs coming on. If you look at united subsitutions they where of a far higher quality. I think we need a centre back, attacking midfielder, right winger and a striker
Posted 21:45 21st March 2010
Torry Chen (Chelsea fan) says...
Okay come on Chelsea we could win the Premier League with a easy win over pompey and as long as we win the crucial game at Old Trafford the title is ours.
Posted 21:06 21st March 2010
Graeme Mcclinton (Chelsea fan) says...
Chelsea don't have the legs in midfield to control games its England not Italy the game is run at a more pace!Also not getting the best out of some players with the system why not trying 442 it would be easier to replace and rest players looking at the squad maybe.
Posted 21:03 21st March 2010
Richard Ryan (Chelsea fan) says...
Forget about trying to play football Carlo just concentrate on winning.It's obvious the squad isn't good enough to play 'football' so until you improve it just try and win ugly instead.I don't understand why Chelsea can't string 2 passes together or even get any crosses into the box.Unless Essien and Cole come back from injury Chelsea have no chance except in the Cup maybe because of who's left in it. We're getting worse by the game and it's like nobody cares.If Drogba were to get injured we'd be screwed.Anelka,Lampard,Mikel,Terry are palying terrible if Ivanovic is injured God help us.It's awfull being a Chelsea fan at the moment especially because the season started so well,suprise suprise Essien get's injured and season might aswell be over.The John Terry scandall was all we needed after that! thanks captain you really gave the squad the boost it needed.Your a disgrace to the armband doing that to a team mate and it was obvious it affected the whole squad considering they nearly all were friends of his and better friends than you were at that. Ancelotti has selected some strange teams this season and his subs have very little impact but I do think he can be a success at Chelsea,he's been unlucky with who has been injured this season and Terry clearly didn't help.He needs backing in transfers and the balls to stamp his authority on the team.Three to Four high quality players needed and a little bit of luck with Essiens fitness and Chelsea can be a force again.We can beat anyone with Essien. As for the rest of this season well he has to play Joe Cole or Kakuta or someone to spark some life into them.The worse thing is Chelsea could and should be nearly home and dry by now.Set pieces and crosses into our box have killed us and all that is avoidable.
Posted 20:55 21st March 2010
Simon Thomas (Chelsea fan) says...
I honestly think Man Utd will take the league this season and i have doubts about whether we can maintain pressure on them as they are looking stronger than we are. Injuries aside, i think that with our squad we are lacking a bit. Specifically Ballack, Kalou, Deco who i cant see them improving at Chelsea because there just not good enough. But Lampard hasnt been in his best form this season as well. I think Ancelotti should stay...dissapointed in how many managers weve had since Mourinho. What we need for next season is a striker (hopefully Torres or Aguero) and an out and out winger. Joe Cole is two injury prone and we miss wingers like Robben and Duff.
Posted 20:50 21st March 2010
James Taylor (Chelsea fan) says...
This has dealt a big blow, we wont come back from this in the title race, and we'll be lucky to win the cup. We need to bring in some young pace and a few big names (david villa/sergio aguero/ribery) for next season, otherwise we will be going to the bridge week after week and end up disappointed.
Posted 20:47 21st March 2010
Amin Ben (Chelsea fan) says...
all this misery been created by the owner the sacking of jose was the biggest mistaque ,the team has lost the wining mentality and the fighting spirit, ancelotti is not the special one his spagetti one
Posted 20:10 21st March 2010
Nick Times (Chelsea fan) says...
To many injuries to the younger players of our old squad. Essien and Cole are badly missed. There's always next season, we have no chance now.
Posted 19:38 21st March 2010