Chelsea-Blackburn Rovers Preview

Posted Friday, October 29, 2010 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (SE) - Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his Premier League champions are not running away with the title again as Blackburn come to Stamford Bridge with their hopes high after a takeover.

Chelsea have already collected 22 points from nine matches and are looking unassailable. Arsenal are second but five points adrift, a big gap by the end of October.

Ancelotti dismissed talk of Chelsea heading for another triumph next May.

Ancelotti said: “I cannot understand why people say we are already the champions. This is not so. There is another six months of the season and almost 30 matches to play.

“We are playing well in most matches and I cannot ask for more from my players but in football there are always surprises.

“We have many difficult games to be played and the gap can be closed quickly. My players do not talk of winning the league again.”

Chelsea have dealt ruthlessly so far with all-comers and Manchester City have so far been the only club to inflict a league defeat.

Didier Drogba has boosted Chelsea’s prospects by returning from injury but the prolific Frank Lampard is not yet in the reckoning.

Ancelotti said: “We are in the Champions League also and to succeed in all matches we must have our best players available. We cannot expect them to be available all of the time.

“Blackburn drew with us last season and we have great respect for them. We know it will be a very hard match there.”

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is wondering what the immediate future might hold after the 46 million pounds takeover by Indian poultry giants Venka.

Spokesman Anuradha Desai said his job was safe and that he would have up to five million pounds to spend in January in the transfer market.

There is already talk of selling the naming rights to ancient Ewood Park, a move which is meeting resistance from some fans who remember the golden days when Blackburn were a power in the land.

Allardyce said: “I am assured it is business as usual and any cash injection will be greatly welcomed.

“The problem is that in this day and age you need a lot of money to be able to compete with teams like Chelsea and Manchester City in the transfer market.

“Chelsea have stormed to the top of the table and are producing some great stuff. We will need to be at our very best to cope with them.

“But we are strong at home and last year we took points off them and Manchester United. They know they will be in a game when they play us.

“There is bound to be some period of settling down after the takeover but the squad is strong and capable.”

Blackburn may make changes after last week’s 3-1 defeat at Liverpool but whatever they might be, Allardyce is keeping them firmly to himself.