Premier League - Cech return boosts Chelsea

Reuters - Tue, 23 Mar 16:19:00 2010

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is fit to return for Wednesday's Premier League game at bottom club Portsmouth but defender Branislav Ivanovic will be sidelined for a month.

2009-10 Champions League Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is helped off by physios after injuring himself during match at Internazionale - 0

Manager Carlo Ancelotti also said Ashley Cole was back in light training after breaking his left ankle at Everton at the start of February and he expected the England defender to return to the first team before the end of the season.

Czech Republic keeper Cech has been out since he was carried off on a stretcher with a calf injury in the Champions League last-16 first leg match at Internazionale on February 24.

Third-choice keeper Ross Turnbull, who has played the last three games, will drop to the bench against Portsmouth. Ancelotti also said he expected second-choice Henrique Hilario to be fit again for Saturday's home game against Aston Villa.

Serbia defender Ivanovic, who has played at full-back for most of the season, limped off with knee ligament damage midway through Sunday's 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

"Ivanovic is an important player for us," Ancelotti said.

"He is out for one month but we hope to recover him before this period.

"Fortunately we have Yuri Zhirkov recovered so we can put Paulo Ferreira at right-back and Zhirkov at left-back."

Chelsea, who have 65 points from 30 matches, have a game in hand on Manchester United and can move within one point of the Premier League leaders by winning on Wednesday.

"The mood was not good after the Blackburn game because when we don't win we are disappointed," said Ancelotti, who believes a points tally of 86 will win the title.

"But we have a possibility to come back (strong) tomorrow."

Reuters

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  1. Chelsea's present predicament was caused by­ Ancelotti. The man simply lacks ideas and has no Plan­ B. If his first eleven doesn't work, Chelsea­ invariably lose the game. Its very sad that the fool­ will probably still be on the job till next season...

    From steph, on Wed 24 Mar 22:51
  2. anelka created the opportunity for the goal last game.­ but yeah, too bad, he's really in a poor form.­ what's happening to chelsea right now? come on­ blues? bring the premiership back home. away from the­ diving reds

    From john t, on Wed 24 Mar 8:58
  3. NEIL685.......why do morons like you bother writing on­ forums like this??? you prove how stupid you are by­ saying rubbish about lampards wife...he aint married­ you cretin...or is it that you just have little man­ syndrome...either way i am sure decent arsenal­ supporters find fools like you an embaressment to their­ club.....get a grip sonny and get back to kindergarten

    From Chris, on Wed 24 Mar 8:51
  4. Its really gud 2 hav no 1 bak cech welcome bak 2 d­ squad and hope dis boost our winning spirit. Hope­ essien recovers in time 2.

    From yaqtaq1, on Wed 24 Mar 5:08
  5. Its really 2 hav no 1 bak cech welcome bak 2 d squad­ and hope dis boost our winning spirit. Hope essien­ recovers in time 2.

    From yaqtaq1, on Wed 24 Mar 5:07
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Anelka should join the bench how can he go for 11­ games­ without a goal. ASK LAMPARDS WIFE TO GIVE HIM­ CHEATING LESSONS .

    From neil685, on Wed 24 Mar 4:24
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    keep cheating chelsea you may well yet win a very small­ FA cup which is just not good enough for 300 million­ spent . STOP cheating stay on your feet and play the­ good football you can . all your cheating came back to­ haunt you again when inter out cheated you to a very­ high standard how does it feel . drogdive lampard ­ terry scum should play with in the rules and spirt of­ the game .. ps is lampards wife still the cheating­ coach at cheating chelsea . hope terry dies soon ..­ arsnel for the league . everton to finsh above­ liverpool

    From neil685, on Wed 24 Mar 4:22
  8. Utd have it wrapped up.
    Dream on Chelsea fans.
    You will­ have to wait a few more years to get your hands on the­ title!!!!!!!!

    From Hairo, on Wed 24 Mar 3:58
  9. I just want to say good luck next year to all­ Portsmouth fans i hope you come back up straight­ away.

    Jut like people who struggle with thier­ fianacial personal problems you are too.

    I think its a­ discrace that when you are struggling with debt you­ just get punished even more discrace to this country­ and the FA.

    I am not asking for anything tomorow­ against Cheski either they are self distructing­ anyway.

    Hope to have you back soon.....

    Every­ supporter of Manchester United must think the same too­ good luck...........
    Glory Glory Man Utd

    From keith j, on Wed 24 Mar 3:54
  10. Good Czech is back but can he score goals? Sturridge­ should be given more time to play not the usual 4­ minutes of added time. Surely, Carlo isn't serious.­ Anelka should join the bench how can he go for 11 games­ without a goal.

    From alain, on Wed 24 Mar 2:56
  11. THE PRESENT POSITION OF CHELSEA F.C. ON THE LEAGUE­ TABLE WAS CAUSED BY BOTH THE PLAYERS AND THE COACHING­ STAFF.FIRST,YOU DON'T CHANGE A WINNING TEAM IN ANY­ SPORT NOT TO TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL.THE REASON WHY JOSE­ SUCCEDED IN HIS TIME AS MANAGER OF MY TRUE CLUB WAS­ BECAUSE HE PLAYED HIS TACTICS CONSIDERING THE PLAYERS­ HE HAD.PLAYING A TRUE DIAMOND FORMATION NEEDS A GOOD­ CREATIVE MIDFIELDER WHOSE FEET MOST BALLS FALLS TO FOR­ ATTACKING PLAY.A TRUE WORKAHOLIC IN THE FORM OF ESSIEN­ WHO CAN COVER 11KMS IN THE COURSE OF A MATCH.AN HOLDING­ ROLE MIDFIELDER WHOSE MAJOR JOB IS TO SIT IN FRONT OF­ THE BACK FOUR AND A GOOD MIDFIELDER WHO CAN SWITCH TO­ EITHER FLAG AS THE CASE MAY BE .FOR NOW WE CANNOT­ EMPLOY THE TRADITIONAL 4.3.3. FORMATION AS OUR FLAG­ PLAYERS ARE NOT PROLIFIC ENOUGH .PLAYERS EXCEL WHEN­ PLAYED IN POSITIONS SUITABLE TO THEM AND FORMATIONS­ USED NOT CONSIDERING THE ASSETS AS PLAYERS AVAILABLE­ ALWAYS RESULT TO ZERO.BALLACK IS TOO SLOW THIS DAYS TO­ FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN A NY 4.4.2 FORMATION.DECO IS­ MORE CREATIVE AMONGST ALL OUR MIDFIELDERS BUT HIS SPEED­ HAS GONE TOO SLOW NO THANKS TO AGE AND INJURY.JOE COLE­ SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PLAY BEHIND THE 2 STRIKERS IF­ 4.4.2 IS USED AND ON THE FLAG IN 4.3.3.AS HE HAS BETTER­ SPEED BUT NEEDS MUCH TALKING TO.WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST­ SET OF DEFENDERS IN EUROPE BUT NO BACK-UP STRIKER TO­ SUPPORT THE TWO WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT AND NO PROLIFIC­ WINGER IN THE TEAM AT THE MOMENT EITHER EXCEPT WE KEEP­ UP WITH JOE COLE AND FLORENT MALOUDA.PLEASE CARLO THIS­ IS MY DARLING TEAM,KINDLY SIT BACK AND RETHINK ON YOUR­ FORMATIONS AND TO BE SINCERE,MOST OF YOUR SUBSTITUTIONS­ ARE DISASTROUS TO US INSTEAD OF HELPING THE GAMES,WE­ LOOSE RYTHM WHEN YOU DO MOST OF THEM..........BLUES FOR­ REAL,BLUES FOR LIFE

    From adebisi, on Wed 24 Mar 2:53
  12. THE PRESENT POSITION OF CHELSEA F.C. ON THE LEAGUE­ TABLE WAS CAUSED BY BOTH THE PLAYERS AND THE COACHING­ STAFF.FIRST,YOU DON'T CHANGE A WINNING TEAM IN ANY­ SPORT NOT TO TALK ABOUT FOOTBALL.THE REASON WHY JOSE­ SUCCEDED IN HIS TIME AS MANAGER OF MY TRUE CLUB WAS­ BECAUSE HE PLAYED HIS TACTICS CONSIDERING THE PLAYERS­ HE HAD.PLAYING A TRUE DIAMOND FORMATION NEEDS A GOOD­ CREATIVE MIDFIELDER WHOSE FEET MOST BALLS FALLS TO FOR­ ATTACKING PLAY.A TRUE WORKAHOLIC IN THE FORM OF ESSIEN­ WHO CAN COVER 11KMS IN THE COURSE OF A MATCH.AN HOLDING­ ROLE MIDFIELDER WHOSE MAJOR JOB IS TO SIT IN FRONT OF­ THE BACK FOUR AND A GOOD MIDFIELDER WHO CAN SWITCH TO­ EITHER FLAG AS THE CASE MAY BE .FOR NOW WE CANNOT­ EMPLOY THE TRADITIONAL 4.3.3. FORMATION AS OUR FLAG­ PLAYERS ARE NOT PROLIFIC ENOUGH .PLAYERS EXCEL WHEN­ PLAYED IN POSITIONS SUITABLE TO THEM AND FORMATIONS­ USED NOT CONSIDERING THE ASSETS AS PLAYERS AVAILABLE­ ALWAYS RESULT TO ZERO.BALLACK IS TOO SLOW THIS DAYS TO­ FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY IN A NY 4.4.2 FORMATION.DECO IS­ MORE CREATIVE AMONGST ALL OUR MIDFIELDERS BUT HIS SPEED­ HAS GONE TOO SLOW NO THANKS TO AGE AND INJURY.JOE COLE­ SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PLAY BEHIND THE 2 STRIKERS IF­ 4.4.2 IS USED AND ON THE FLAG IN 4.3.3.AS HE HAS BETTER­ SPEED BUT NEEDS MUCH TALKING TO.WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST­ SET OF DEFENDERS IN EUROPE BUT NO BACK-UP STRIKER TO­ SUPPORT THE TWO WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT AND NO PROLIFIC­ WINGER IN THE TEAM AT THE MOMENT EITHER EXCEPT WE KEEP­ UP WITH JOE COLE AND FLORENT MALOUDA.PLEASE CARLO THIS­ IS MY DARLING TEAM,KINDLY SIT BACK AND RETHINK ON YOUR­ FORMATIONS AND TO BE SINCERE,MOST OF YOUR SUBSTITUTIONS­ ARE DISASTROUS TO US INSTEAD OF HELPING THE GAMES,WE­ LOOSE RYTHM WHEN YOU DO MOST OF THEM..........BLUES FOR­ REAL,BLUES FOR LIFE

    From adebisi, on Wed 24 Mar 2:52
  13. How could any reasonable person say that we dont­ deserve at least 1/4 of the PK we suppose to have in­ Europe? Is it because of Drogba? If thats the case, he­ is not the only one who get fouled in the box yet both­ the ref and linesmen wave it off, how cruel?

    As a­ Chelsea fan, im pissed.

    From Dynamic, on Wed 24 Mar 2:37
  14. If Chelsea win all their remaining games they will­ finish top of the table. Not a bad situation to be­ honest

    From Half A Brain, on Wed 24 Mar 2:00
  15. the comments that got low rating is a shock to me as­ they say the truth and im a chelsea fan chec has not­ been the same since the head injury ans our team lacks­ pace and focus look at blackburn 1st half we were all­ over them but only one goal to show for it serves us­ right to draw. while dider was away we found a­ formation to destroy teams he comes back nikki gets­ shoved out on the right we stop scoring, deco gets the­ nod over cole the mans a fool deco's finished­ ballacks had a crap season cant remember the last time­ he played well, mikel is suffering from havin wilkins­ as a coach always playing sideways pass when there is­ space to run into,frank has been off the pace for weeks­ now is he carring an injury or does he think the world­ cup is more important to him after watchin ashley get­ crooked? terry .alex ,paulo,malouda belletti(now fit)­ are the only real stand out players since xmas,we will­ loose joe cole to someone and i cant blame him we are­ wasting a talent there, the boss told jose who to play­ maybe he should stick his nose in again and bloody soon

    From osgood9, on Wed 24 Mar 1:50
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    With or without Cech,Chelsea can't win the Premier­ League,they are good for second position

    From idowu, on Wed 24 Mar 1:32
  17. That Ancelotti wants to give Joe Cole regular games, (­ every week ). If he dont he will go else were, and we­ dont bloody want that.

    From wakey wakey, on Wed 24 Mar 1:29
  18. dam

    From CHRISTINE, on Wed 24 Mar 1:21
  19. With regard to the injuries , I find it incredible that­ our back up keepers are so inexperienced or in the no.­ 2 's case just rubbish!! However , I am still­ trying to rack my brains to find when any team other­ than us , have had as many bad decisions in crucial­ games . The penalty that Liverpool got against Milan in­ the final was no more a penalty than any of the­ decisions that were not given against Inter , but as a­ Chelsea fan , I am happy to let Jose roll on and­ believe that the best team did go through over the 2­ legs . Come on Euro refs , give us a break! How can­ noone see these penalty incidents with so many­ officials. I am with JT on this! Let's get it­ sorted out, so every team gets a fair crack of the whip­ . Come on you blues ! Stuff it to them all, win at Man­ U and we win the league I reckon! PC Blue

    From PETER, on Tue 23 Mar 23:09
  20. Great to have you back Cech.Good luck Chelsea..and a­ speedy recovery to Ivanovic.

    From Hamimah, on Tue 23 Mar 23:08
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