Source: Daily_Mail
Chelsea truly are head and shoulders clear of their rivals ... just look at the Power League
As if the prospect of facing last season's Double winners was not intimidating enough for Blackpool, their players will also be dwarfed by Chelsea in the tunnel today.[LNB] While some will focus on the number of world-class stars among them, the height and weight advantages of Carlo Ancelotti's muscular side are what will be most apparent before kick-off at Stamford Bridge. Welcome to the big time.[LNB] Ripped: Drogba shows the benefit ofChelsea's fitness regime[LNB]Blackpool's only consolation is that, although their regular team are one of the slightest in the Premier League, they are not alone in facing the possibility of being overpowered by Chelsea.[LNB] Arsenal, whom Chelsea have bullied in recent years, have fielded a team this season who are the smallest of the lot, so it is no surprise that manager Arsene Wenger wants referees to protect them.[LNB] 'It's important to have power and physical strength in the team because a lot of the games here are physical,' said Ancelotti. 'We have a lot of players who are powerful and we also need to have a lot of tall players because sometimes on the setpieces you can have difficulties.'[LNB] Since Jose Mourinho was manager, Chelsea's recruitment has leaned towards powerful players such as Michael Essien. The indefatigable Ghana midfielder regularly runs eight miles or more in games and that sort of fitness, combined with the imposing strength, has been a factor in Chelsea's impressive start to the season.[LNB] They brushed their first five opponents aside, scoring 21 goals along the way, and another powerful performance is expected today.[LNB] [LNB]'We have strong guys,' said John Obi Mikel. 'We have a lot of sixfooters. Even someone like Frank Lampard, you don't realise how strong he is. Essien is shorter but is very, very strong. Our physical presence through the middle with Didier Drogba up front and John Terry and Alex at the back really works well for Chelsea. Ashley Cole may be smaller but if you think he is a pushover, he is strong.'[LNB] Chelsea use the latest technology to help measure their players' fitness and work-rate. Like others clubs, they utilise heart rate monitors, ProZone and GPS tracking software, which provides individual running information and reveals training intensity levels. It also measures how much pressure the players are putting on their bodies and can predict when injuries are likely. That sort of tool at Chelsea's impressive training ground is combined with some of Ancelotti's knowhow from the famous Milan Lab, which involves a series of less obvious tests and treatments designed to help prolong players' careers.[LNB] 'It is a million miles away from what I was used to as a player,' said assistant coach Ray Wilkins, who started his career at Chelsea in the Seventies and went on to play for Manchester United, Milan and England.[LNB] 'Carlo works with the ball the whole time but we used go on these great long runs in pre-season and never saw a ball for the first 10 days. By the time you had finished you couldn't move because your legs were so sore. Now everything is monitored, so everyone trains at the right level.'[LNB] When Ancelotti arrived at Chelsea he brought with him Bruno Demichelis, a sports psychologist who was the visionary behind the holistic Milan Lab approach.[LNB] Demichelis has introduced a mind room at Chelsea's Surrey training ground, similar to the one at AC Milan where he and Ancelotti worked. It measures a player's level of stress.[LNB] Roman Abramovich prevented Ancelotti bringing more of his trusted lieutenants with him when he arrived from Italy in 2009 but Giovanni Mauri joined the fitness team this summer.[LNB] There is a long list of other backroom staff taking care of sports science, nutrition, conditioning. The key people have daily meetings with Ancelotti and the club pride themselves on the level of integration.[LNB] 'We attack the season on four fronts and our guys are extremely fit,' said Wilkins.[LNB] 'They will get fitter too. After the World Cup we didn't think we would be at the level they are at now but we have worked very hard. We have some big guys and it won't be often that we got rolled over physically. We are one of the biggest and strongest sides in the League.'[LNB] Ancelotti certainly believes they are equipped to win an historic quadruple of trophies, even though he plans to follow the lead of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger this week by fielding his young players in the Carling Cup clash against Newcastle.[LNB] 'Nothing is impossible, though I think it would be very difficult because our priority in the Carling Cup is to give experience to younger players,' said the Italian.[LNB] 'It is not our priority, though obviously we want to try to win it. To win four trophies is very difficult but possible, yes. But not just for us; for other clubs, too.[LNB] 'Now we are in a good moment and my players are doing a fantastic job. They know very well when to stay serious and when to joke. I'm very happy in this moment and my objective is to maintain this for a long time. It's too early to say we are the best team. Arsenal are also doing well and Manchester United will be difficult to play against. They have had some problems in two games against Fulham and Everton but they will be involved in the fight to the top of the table.'[LNB] But Blackpool will have their work cut out to survive today. [LNB]It was different in the Chopper yearsTraining has certainly moved on from the days when Ray Wilkins (right) was a Stamford Bridge favourite back in the Seventies. [LNB]Forget weights, ProZone, heart-rate monitors and GPS tracking devices, Butch's secret to getting into shape for Saturday afternoons was to throw in a few laps of the Chelsea training ground on his Chopper bike. [LNB] Former Chelsea defender Desailly set to take over as Ghana bossChelsea coach Ancelotti reveals his torment over sick Dad in ItalyWe're tops! Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti backs his side to beat title rivals after cruising through opening fixtures[LNB] [LNB]
