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Lampard won over by Ancelotti's training ways
Marc Isaacs30 Jul 2009
Frank Lampard has revealed how Carlo Ancelotti has already forged a close relationship with the Chelsea players and changed the way they are approaching the new season.
The former AC Milan coach has a proven track record when it comes to winning major trophies and Lampard feels the players are desperate to win major silverware once again.
Lampard said: "Carlo Ancelotti has been very impressive. He has many strengths but, for me, being very close with his players and being very organised are the main ones.
"Recently we have been working very much with the organisation of the team. We know ourselves that we need to have organisation in the team, from the start, front and back.
"Once we have that base and that quality, we can score goals and create goals all the time. It [training] has changed this year.
"We did quite a lot of running without the ball last year, this year there is a lot more running with the ball and a lot more football-based stuff.
"That's something players always want to do, especially if they can bring something new into their game.
"From the first day I came back we were playing small-sided games, keeping possession and working with the ball, so there has been a nice mix of working hard and playing football."
Meanwhile, Chelsea duo Claudio Pizarro and Deco could yet leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Pizarro spent last season on loan at Werder Bremen and scored 28 goals in a successful campaign in Germany.
Although the Peruvian striker is keen to force his way into the first team set-up under new manager Ancelotti, Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs believes he can tempt the 30-year-old into a permanent switch.
He said: "We are going to open up talks once again in the next few days."
Deco is attracting interest from former manager Jose Mourinho at Inter as Barcelona's Alexander Hleb stalls over a loan move to the San Siro.
The ex-Arsenal winger was originally part of the deal that saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic move to the Nou Camp while Samuel Eto'o went the other way but is thought to be seeking guarantees over first-team football.
Hleb's former club Stuttgart now appear favourites to sign him, leaving Inter to turn their attentions to out-of-favour playmaker Deco.
The 31-year-old is keen on proving himself in west London after a disappointing first season at Chelsea but would relish the prospect of linking with Mourinho again after winning the Champions League under his fellow Portuguese in 2004.
Reader views (4)
Get a life Paul ...
- Patrick, London, UK, 31/07/2009 00:31
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Paul H, you winge like a gooner, when will you realise if a player opens his mouth the papers print it, with the media asking inane questions every day what do you expect
- Kakatk, London,UK, 30/07/2009 21:38
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Lampard: "We did quite a lot of running without the ball last year, this year there is a lot more running with the ball and a lot more football-based stuff."
Is there no end to this kind of tearing-up-the-coaching-manual genius at Chelsea?
- Paul H, London, UK, 30/07/2009 12:51
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Your story: 'Frank Lampard has revealed how Carlo Ancelotti has... changed the way they are approaching the new season.'
Lampard: "Recently we have been working very much with the organisation of the team. We know ourselves that we need to have organisation in the team."
Incredible! How come no previous manager - or the players themselves (apart from being plank-thick, that is) - realised before that organisation was A Really Good Idea? Such Einstein-like insight! Such unparalleled tactical genius! This fella Ancelotti is certainly earning his money by bringing in revolutionary qualities like that. These foreign managers, eh? Gods!
- Paul H, London, UK, 30/07/2009 12:43
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