Source: Team_Talk
Carlo crucial in Chelsea triumph
TEAMtalk's Ian Watson believes the impact of Carlo Ancelotti was the most crucial factor in Chelsea's Premier League title triumph.[LNB] Jose Mourinho may well have been special, but Ancelotti is one victory against shambolic Portsmouth away from eclipsing what the controversial Portuguese tactician achieved at Stamford Bridge.[LNB]Ancelotti guided Chelsea to the Premier League title on Sunday, capping a remarkable first year in charge of the Blues and one after which the Italian deserves much praise.[LNB]Mourinho would no doubt claim he built the empire that Ancelotti now presides over but the former AC Milan and Juventus boss has re-established the Blues as champions without spending anything like the money Mourinho had, and has instead managed to mould the precocious talent and precious egos amongst the Chelsea players into the best team in England.[LNB]Ancelotti's predecessor Guus Hiddink was hailed as one of the best things to happen to Chelsea in recent years - but even the capable Dutchman could only lead the Blues to a third-placed finish.[LNB]Ancelotti has taken the same group of players and turned them into deserving title holders and likely Double winners.[LNB]Roman Abramovich opened his wallet last summer only for the purchase of Yuri Zhirkhov, a deal Ancelotti is unlikely to have had any input over, so the manager is the only element of the equation that has changed. [LNB]But even a year into his reign, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what decisive quality Ancelotti has brought with him to Stamford Bridge.[LNB]The Italian is one of the most amiable and approachable bosses in the Premier League, but in both victory and defeat, the Blues boss gives very little away. As an outsider looking in, it simply seems to me that Ancelotti has achieved a perfect balance and harmony among everyone at the club.[LNB]Abramovich has been given the expansive style he craved but Ancelotti has managed to implement it without sacrificing any defensive solidity. With the owner looking down from his box at the Bridge, the players have stuck to the tactical plan, especially without the ball, all the while taking advantage of the freedom they have been given to express themselves when they do have it.[LNB]Despite having stamped his identity on his side, Ancelotti should also take credit for the way in which he quietly came in, refusing to rock the boat too much, which is a temptation many new bosses fail to resist.[LNB]The manager rightly prescribed a programme of precise tweaking rather than a major overhaul, which is exactly what many observers who claimed his Chelsea squad had reached the end of its cycle demanded. [LNB]Ancelotti brought with him only his trusted sidekick Bruno DiMichelis, the man seen by many as the brains behind the brilliance at the world-renowned Milanello lab. DiMichelis aside, though, Ancelotti is working with the backroom staff he found when he arrived in west London.[LNB]That may however have been one of the conditions of taking the job, because Abramovich to his credit has built an incredibly powerful and capable management team.[LNB]The Italian pair and English duo Ray Wilkins and Paul Clement are the most visible presences on the touchline and training pitch. As a quartet, they are the team responsible for the here and now. But behind them, Abramovich puts a lot of trust in sporting director Frank Arnesen and performance director Mike Forde, who between them have all the knowledge and resources to ensure the Blues remain a powerful force for many years to come.[LNB]Abromovich has gathered a backroom staff, football club board and PLC board that brings together the blend of six nationalities and expertise from almost everywhere in the sporting and business environment. But ultimately, Chelsea will be judged by results on the pitch and while Abramovich basks in the glory of his third Premier League title since buying the club, even the no-nonsense oligarch will know he owes much to the management and leadership of Ancelotti.[LNB]That is not to say there is not still work to be done. Last summer, the Blues hierarchy envisaged a maximum of nine defeats in a 60-game season would still be enough to enjoy a successful campaign. That target has been achieved - just - so Abramovich will be looking for further progress next season, especially in the Champions League and even more so if, as expected, he loosens the pursestrings.[LNB]With Ancelotti in charge though, no-one should be surprised if the Russian gets what he wants again next May.
