csconstantine.com

{ Torres will improve for Chelsea - Ancelotti

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti defended £50m striker Fernando Torres after his side lost 1-0 to Liverpool.

Torres was mostly anonymous before being substituted on his Chelsea debut against the team he left on the final day of the January transfer window.

"I took him off as, after 60 minutes and a very busy week, it was good for him to come off," said Ancelotti.

"Fernando has experience, he has confidence and didn't show problems before the game."

He added: "He was enthusiastic to play, excited, and it didn't show a problem.

"We have to give Fernando time to adjust to the shape, but I think that he will do it quickly."

He [Torres] had one shot on target and Jamie Carragher made one great block tackle on him

Ancelotti played Torres, who was constantly barracked by the Liverpool fans, in attack alongside Didier Drogba, with fellow forward Nicolas Anelka deployed in a creative role in the hole behind them.

However, Chelsea rarely threatened a disciplined and organised Liverpool, who won the game courtesy of a fourth goal in five matches from Raul Meireles.

"The problem wasn't that Torres played - he did a good job on the pitch," said Ancelotti.

"We had difficulty finding enough space in front, because Liverpool defended very well and they put three defenders in the middle, and we didn't find the right way to attack them.

"We were too slow playing from the back. We didn't find the space."

He added: "We played a fantastic game with this shape [in a 4-2 win] at Sunderland and wanted to reproduce that but Liverpool were strong defensively, put strong pressure on in their half, and we were not able to find the solution.

"The right result would have been a draw, but this is football."

The defeat leaves reigning Premier League champions Chelsea in fourth place, 10 points behind leaders Manchester United, who lost at Wolves on Saturday.

Dalglish hails 'magnificent' Liverpool

"We are disappointed because we had an opportunity to close the gap, but now we are still the same distance," said the Blues boss.

"Maybe now we have less possibility to close the gap, but we have to try again. We have to try to fight again for the title.

"The Premier League is very difficult in every game, so it could happen that United can lose again."

Liverpool moved up to sixth - their highest position so far this season - and six points behind Chelsea and fifth-placed Tottenham, who both have a game in hand on the Reds, as they raised hopes about challenging for a Champions League place.

"Liverpool played very well, with fantastic power, play and attitude. Obviously they can come back to fight for fourth place," said Ancelotti.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish insisted the presence of Torres in the Chelsea side did not act as an extra incentive for his side as they registered a fourth consecutive league victory.

"The players approached it professionally," said Dalglish. "I don't think [Torres' presence] was any incentive.

"The incentive for us was to get three points and we did. Whatever someone else wants to do with their life is up to them.

"I came here to win three points and it would have made no difference if Carlo Ancelotti was playing up front, I'd still want the three points. The personnel of the opposition is not important to me."

He added: "He [Torres] had one shot on target and Jamie Carragher made one great block tackle on him, but I'm not here to talk about other people's players, I'm here to talk about my own players."

Agences de presses

Labels: Ancelotti, Carlo, defends, Fernando, showing, Sport, Torres