21 goals scored. 1 goal conceded. Played 5 games, all 5 won. You can’t ask for a better start than that. Chelsea seem to be running away with the Premier League title already.
The question now is – are they beatable? Sure, they lost almost every match of their pre-season and also went down to Manchester United in the Community Shield match but their response to that has been outstanding.
Maybe the reason for their recent results is that they have faced five pretty ordinary sides. Winning against West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham and Blackpool is no surprise for any big team. It’s just the manner in which Chelsea beat them.
West Brom and Wigan felt the full force of Chelsea and both sides went down 6-0 each. Stoke and West Ham gave them a harder time but still lost 2-0 and 3-1 respectively. Recently Blackpool fell to a 4-0 drubbing courtesy of Chelsea.
Chelsea have already shown they can play without the “darlings” of the club – John Terry and Frank Lampard. This proves that their strength in depth is very powerful. This is not the case with other clubs such as Manchester United as they lack the extra bit in their bench and when a player such as Vidic or Rooney gets injured, they do not have the suitable replacements. This cost them the Premiership title last season.
The attacking mindset of Ancelloti seems to be working effectively as a system. If you have seen Chelsea’s recent matches you would have noticed Ashley Cole playing like a left winger. Drogba doesn’t seem to be the lone striker upfront now as he has the support from the likes of Kalou, Malouda, Anelka and Lampard.
With the likes of Ramires, Essien and Obi Mikel, their midfield seems compact and these players provide the perfect support for their team-mates upfront. Finally, a strong defense line at the back and a world class goalkeeper completes this outstanding team. Ancelotti’s “system” is new and unique to the English game.
In my opinion, yes, Ancelotti has got the right formula but it is too early to say. I am interested to see how his side will fare in the Champions League against Europe’s elite. I consider Chelsea as one of the strong favorites to win this year’s Champions League.
This Saturday, Ancelloti will face his biggest test yet when his side faces the big spending Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium. Consider this a tight affair as both sides want to establish themselves as front runners in the title race.
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