Source: Team_Talk
Ancelotti happy with share of spoils
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti was content with a share of the spoils from the goalless draw at Aston Villa on Saturday evening.[LNB] The Blues were held to a Premier League stalemate after Nicolas Anelka headed against the woodwork in the closing seconds and they have now only won once at Villa Park in their last 12 visits.[LNB]But Ancelotti was happy with the way his team responded to the absence of key players such as Didier Drogba, Alex, Salomon Kalou and Frank Lampard.[LNB]He said: "We didn't start so well and gave Villa a couple of good chances, but in the second half we played very well.[LNB]"We did everything to try and score. The way we played in the second half we deserved to win, but Villa did well in the first half, so a draw is fair.[LNB]"I am not disappointed about failing to go seven points clear. We knew this would be a difficult game.[LNB]"Last year we lost here. This is a good result at this stage of the season, and to be five points clear is good.[LNB]"I'm not going to complain about the injured players because the ones who came in today did well."[LNB]Ancelotti was full of praise for youngster Josh McEachran who was introduced as a second-half substitute.[LNB]He said: "Josh is a very good player. He has a fantastic personality as well. He is very young, but is a player who is ready to play for us."[LNB]Ancelotti also expects Kalou, Alex and Daniel Sturridge all to be available for Tuesday's Champions League clash away to Spartak Moscow, but Drogba will still be missing after suffering from a fever.[LNB]Villa boss Gerard Houllier was also content after suffering three late withdrawals in Emile Heskey (back), Luke Young (hamstring) and Marc Albrighton (illness).[LNB]He was forced to bring in John Carew, Stephen Ireland and Habib Beye as their replacements, and they all performed well.[LNB]Houllier said: "The only thing missing from a good game was goals. It was football played at a great pace between two good sides.[LNB]"We had the better chances in the first half, but we were under the cosh in the second half before coming back at the end.[LNB]"We had to make late changes, but I want to pay homage to the players who filled in and the way they responded. They showed great attitude and a great spirit."[LNB]In addition, Villa's central defender Richard Dunne had to be substituted after only 15 minutes with an ankle problem, but his replacement Ciaran Clark also performed creditably.[LNB]Houllier said: "Richard needed four stitches in his ankle. He wanted to come back, but I said we couldn't wait for 10 minutes and play with 10 men, so I brought on Clark, who also did well."
