Ancelotti's range of options leave chelsea's rivals in the shade

| Monday October 25, 2010 00:00

Opponents are bouncing off Carlo Ancelotti's side, even when the champions fail to shine, as they failed to in this 2-0 victory over Wolves. Already five points clear of Manchester City after nine games - and eight ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United - Chelsea advance without obvious weakness.

Jose Mourinho's back-to-back title-winning teams were more dauntingly mechanical but this one has a greater range of styles and more strength in each position.

Example: at right-back they now have Jose Bosingwa restored. Out for a year with knee-ligament damage, Bosingwa made an impressive return to the starting XI in a position Branislav Ivanovic had been looking after with considerable authority. Ivanovic shuffled along the line to join John Terry at centre-back, where Chelsea can also call on Alex. Further over, Ashley Cole is in his pomp.

No wonder the defending champions have yet to concede in the league at Stamford Bridge. A two-man screen of Mikel Jon Obi and Michael Essien hangs in front of a dependable back four. On the flank Florent Malouda brings adventure - and goals. A good gauge of managerial talent is how many underachievers are brought in from the cold. Malouda, who scored Chelsea's first, has recovered his gift for fantasy under Ancelotti.

This week, before a certain transfer saga was resolved, it was all the rage to query the age of the forward line.Soon Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka would be joining the Chelsea Pensioners. Granted, these two aristocrats sometimes claim the same turf. But Ancelotti is alert to that risk. Half an hour into this match he shifted Anelka out to the left to stretch the Wolves defence. Both are in their 30s now but no defender would want Drogba and Anelka bearing down on him in one afternoon.

'They're the best team in the league,' declared Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager. 'They've got loads of ability, loads of pace, they've got one of the best goalkeepers and they're clever. They look like they're going to pass one way, then they slip someone else in. They trust each other with the ball. They know they're going to get someone making a run.'

'Tomorrow we could have Manchester City two points behind,' said Ancelotti, hosing down expectation. 'We didn't play so well, we conceded too many shots from distance and should have closed the game down before. We usually have, this season. Our fans have seen us play very good football and when we don't they are impatient.'

This last point was in answer to a question about the restlessness of the crowd. Watching Chelsea at home confers many pleasures. But there are days that could be called mundane 'two-nillers'.

These are the afternoons when a low-table side induce a kind of ennui in this part of London. Chelsea start out sure they are going to win. They exert themselves only as much as necessary. A glimmer, here, for City, United and Arsenal. Complacency sometimes afflicts Ancelotti's plans. But we always see a correction.

When Bosingwa tired, Chelsea sent on Paulo Ferreira, a Champions League-winning deputy.

When Yuri Zhirkov's aimlessness required a remedy, Ancelotti dispatched young Josh McEachran to replace him.McEachran's presence is rich in symbolism.

To Chelsea fans he arrives on a wave of youth.

A craving here is that all Roman Abramovich's investment at academy level will sustain the club when Drogba and Terry have shuffled off. Chelsea were all about the moneyed present. Now they aim to stake out a homegrown future. (Guardian)