Will Carlo Ancelotti Fulfil Chelsea’s Champions League Dreams?
Carlo Ancelotti might be one of the most successful persons in the history of football, in terms of Champions League success. Ancelotti has been with AC Milan for the most part of his career, and most of his successes came with AC Milan. First, as a player, he won two Champions League trophies with the club. Later on, he came back to San Siro as a manager, and he led the team to two more trophies in Europe.
Therefore, Ancelotti has the experience and the knowledge to win the biggest tournament in club football. Due to his outstanding credentials, Ancelotti was taken on by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2009 on a three year deal. The purpose is very simple and clear: Abramovich wants the club to succeed in Europe. A lot of managers have been tried and tested, including Jose Mourinho; however, Carlo Ancelotti is probably the best out there. Apart from two victories in Champions League, as a manager, he has also played another final, against Liverpool. However, despite leading at half-time by 3-0, Milan lost the match, making it the lowest point in Ancelotti’s career.
There is no doubt that Chelsea possesses the squad to take them to victory in Europe. However, due to certain reasons, success has so far eluded them. They have played only one final so far, but they lost the match against Manchester United. Apart from that, they are often knocked out, especially during the semifinal stages, due to certain mishaps. The squad is there but the luck is missing, due to which the dream of Roman Abramovich is still far from being fulfilled.
Ancelotti is well known in the world for his tactical knowhow. He has proved himself worthy on a number of occasions, especially during his stay in San Siro. Initially, Ancelotti adopted a diamond playing style, but he failed in getting results out of that formation. The same diamond style has been employed by Chelsea for a very long time now. However, Ancelotti changed his style, and started involving width in the attack. However, he still plays with a lone striker, but with an attacking mentality, rather than a defensive one. All these things should work for Chelsea as well, because they have the players who can play in these positions, with Didier Drogba playing the role of a sole striker.
Chelsea has the most complete squad in the English Premier League, as other teams are going through their transition phases, while Chelsea is still the strongest in England. They have the depth to challenge teams in Europe and go all the way through to victory. The best players in Chelsea are the two African players, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien. Drogba plays the role of a forward and he is probably the strongest forward in Europe. His strongest point is his aerial abilities, where he can win the ball against any defender in the world. He is tough and resilient, but sometimes he lets his team down because of his temperament and the over-exaggeration of fouls. However, there is no doubt that Drogba can score goals, as he has scored plenty of them for Chelsea (84 in 166 appearances so far.)
Michael Essien is one of the toughest and strongest defensive midfielders in Europe. When he is playing at his best, he is the best in the world in his particular position. He can hold off any forward in the world, as he always outplays them due to his incredible strength. In the success of Chelsea, these two players carry immense responsibility on their shoulders.
Chelsea has some other world class players as well, including Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Petr Cech, Florent Malouda, Nicholas Anelka and Deco. The squad is there, but Ancelotti has taken his time, last season, to understand the players and their strengths and weaknesses. However, this year he would make no excuses, as he would have to win it for Chelsea. Every ingredient is in place, while Ancelotti has the funds to overcome the shortcomings. Therefore, it is very much possible that Chelsea will win the Champions League for the first time in their history.
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