Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti defends his star men Petr Cech despite second successive defeat

07 December 2009 16:09
Carlo Ancelotti defended Petr Cech and Frank Lampard ahead of  their final Champions League group game against Apoel Nicosia.[LNB]After two defeats and three penalty misses inside four days last week, it was somewhat predictable the focus would be on certain individuals.[LNB]Cech was blamed for allowing Carlos Tevez to score Manchester City's winner from a 25-yard free-kick in the Premier League on Saturday.[LNB] Spot of bother: Frank Lampard misses a late penalty for Chelsea at Manchester City[LNB] Lampard was then guilty of his first penalty miss since September 2006 when Shay Given saved his 83rd-minute attempt.[LNB]That followed spot-kick blunders by Michael Ballack and Gael Kakuta in a penalty shoot-out defeat by Blackburn in the Carling Cup quarter-final last Wednesday.[LNB]But both Lampard and Cech are likely to figure in Tuesday's Group D encounter at Stamford Bridge, and Ancelotti declared he has no concerns about either player's form.[LNB]'This season, I think Cech did very well,' said Ancelotti. 'I like him. He takes the responsibility and likes to come out and catch the ball in the box.[LNB]'He could do better if you ask me about the free-kick on Saturday. I think the goalkeeper has to stay on his post and, if the player puts the ball over the wall and in, we have to congratulate him.[LNB]'Even a good goalkeeper can make a mistake sometimes but this season Petr has been doing very well.[LNB]'I can say that, at our training ground, Lampard is the player who practices penalties more than any other player. It's a psychological problem to shoot a penalty. When Lampard shoots a penalty, Cech tries to save it.[LNB]'I think that we did very well in the last games. In the last game against Manchester City we conceded a goal on the free-kick but set-pieces are different.[LNB]'We don't have to mark people on a free-kick. We have to put up a wall. That's not a problem like set-pieces. It was different to the last league game we lost against Aston Villa.[LNB] Still on top: Carlo Ancelotti watches his Chelsea squad train on Monday[LNB]'That was two corner kicks, they scored twice. The situation has changed since that match. Set-pieces and free-kicks, they are different.'[LNB]Chelsea have already won the group and so there is a temptation for Ancelotti to rest some players against the Cypriots.[LNB]Captain John Terry, carrying a knee injury from the City defeat, is likely to miss out even though the problem is responding well to treatment.[LNB]Ancelotti also has doubts over Ballack and Ashley Cole. Cole is still suffering from an ankle problem while the Germany captain has a knee complaint.[LNB]Kakuta is almost certain to make his first start for the club while Ancelotti will also call upon youngsters Daniel Philliskirk and Nikki Ahamed.[LNB]'I think that John Terry will be able to play tomorrow but I have to control the next training session,' added the Italian.[LNB]'I want to put the best team out. But the most important thing is to monitor the players, to check whether they're able to play tomorrow.[LNB]'We had some problems with Terry, Ballack and Ashley, and I want to look at them before I name my squad. I think, tomorrow, we can use some young players if Ballack, Ashley and Terry are not able to play.[LNB] Kakuta: Ready for his first start[LNB]'We have two aims tomorrow. One is to maintain a good position in our group - we've done very well, won four games out of five, and we want to finish this group with a good performance.[LNB]'We have a home record we want to improve and, also, we have to have respect for the other teams because Apoel and Atletico Madrid are still competing for third place, an important place for them. We want to do the best.'[LNB]While Chelsea's European position at the top of the group is already sealed, their lead at the summit of the Premier League has been cut to two points following their defeat against City.[LNB]Second-placed Manchester United have a reputation for producing a strong run-in, but Ancelotti is prepared for a fight to the finish.[LNB]'I think that, until now, we did better than Manchester United,' he added. 'We have two more points at the top of the list. We won the game against them.[LNB]'We know very well that Manchester United are a fantastic team. We have to race with them until the end of the season.[LNB]'Until now we have to consider what we've done, and until now we've done better than them. I don't know the future, though.'[LNB] [LNB]  Explore more:People:Ashley Cole, Carlo Ancelotti, Carlos Tevez, Petr Cech, Shay Given, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael BallackPlaces:Germany

Source: Daily_Mail