reading 2-2

Sunday Times

August 2, 2009

Salomon Kalou’s late goal saves Chelsea from defeat Reading 2 Chelsea 2Nick Townsend at the Madejski stadium

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti conceded that his side lacked sharpness after they needed a late rally to salvage a draw against Reading yesterday.

The coach attributed a far-from-convincing performance to the fact that the previous day the players had undergone after a strength session in training, although he claimed, ahead of next Sunday’s Community Shield fixture against Manchester United: “Now the team is in good condition.”

A powerful late recovery preserved the Premier League team’s unbeaten sequence in pre-season friendlies, following four victories on their US tour.

Chelsea should have capitalised on their early domination, but Reading’s Jimmy Kebe and Scott Davies scored before half-time. Salomon Kalou’s last-minute goal and an own goal afforded Chelsea belated reward as they finished with a flourish.

Ancelotti went on to praise the hosts, who defended well and denied his team space. “A draw was a good result,” said the Italian, who deployed Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba as a strike partnership. It looked effective enough, and Ancelotti insisted: “I am sure they can play well together.”

Ancelotti is likely to persist in his attempt to bring Andrea Pirlo to Stamford Bridge, despite Silvio Berlusconi’s denial yesterday that the Milan captain would be following his former coach to England. Although, at 30, Pirlo would hardly lower the average of an aging Blues squad, Chelsea are determined to supplement their numbers.

They have reportedly had an offer of £14m plus Claudio Pizarro for the playmaker rejected, but appear certain to return with an increased bid. The Chelsea manager declined to comment other than saying that his compatriot was a Milan player and he had to concentrate on preparing his own squad. However, his demeanour suggested that he is anxious to add a player to his squad.

Reading: Federici, Rosenior, Pearce, Cisse, Bertrand, Gunnarsson (sub Bikey h-t), Tabb (sub Harper 55min), Davies (sub Mooney 63min, Robson-Kanu (sub N Hunt h-t), Long (sub Church 55min), Kebe (sub Henry 78min)

Chelsea: Cech (sub Turnbull 76min), Ivanovic (sub Bosingwa h-t), Carvalho (sub Alex h-t), Terry, A Cole, Mikel, Essien (sub Belletti 63min), Deco (sub Malouda h-t), Lampard, Anelka (sub Sturridge 63min), Drogba (sub Kalou 63min)

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Mail:

Reading 2 Chelsea 2:

Carlo on course as Ancelotti's blushes saved by Salomon Kalou and last gasp own goal
By Andrew Warshaw

Welcome to English football, Signor Ancelotti. What was supposed to have been a stroll in the park almost turned into an embarrassment as Chelsea completed their pre-season schedule by salvaging a last-gasp draw against Championship opponents.

Call it fatigue after their four-match tour of the United States or lack of intensity. The way Carlo Ancelotti saw it, the sharpness he has come to expect in his brief tenure at Stamford Bridge was not there.

But that, he said with a shrug, will be easily put right. Ancelotti is still learning English so did not give too much insight into what he had learned, if anything, about his team, whose blushes against a pumped-up Reading were spared with a goal in the last minute of normal time and another well into the three minutes added on.

This may only have been a friendly but the way Chelsea responded after a poor first half showed a pride and determination that augurs well for the new season.

'English matches are different to those in other countries where there are pauses. Here you have to run for 90 minutes but my players know this,' Ancelotti said.

'This match took place a day after heavy training and there was a lack of sharpness. We played too slowly at first and we have to improve. But we are in good shape.'

John Terry, who rejected a reported £250,000-a-week offer from Manchester City, received the biggest welcome from a healthy away support at what was the club's only domestic friendly following their 100 per cent record in the States.

Ancelotti retained the formation he believes will serve Chelsea best during his first season in charge, with Frank Lampard at the head of a diamond midfield, John Mikel Obi at the base and Nicolas Anelka up front alongside Didier Drogba, who lasted 70 minutes before being substituted, as were most of those who started.

Reading took the lead seven minutes before the break when Jimmy Kebe pounced on a somewhat fortuitous rebound to round Petr Cech and shoot home.

Then, with virtually the last kick of the first half, Chelsea were two behind. Terry, beaten for pace, brought down Shane Long on the edge of the box and Scott Davies drove home the free-kick.

Salomon Kalou's last-minute goal seemed no more than a consolation, only for Chelsea to snatch the equaliser, courtesy of an own goal by Reading's Alex Pearce.

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Independent:

No substitute for class as Kalou and Alex rescue Chelsea
By Mark Burton

Pre-season friendly matches may be about building fitness, bedding in new players and trying out some new systems, but it never looks good to fans for any team to lose to supposedly inferior opposition.

So it must have come as a relief to Chelsea that they finally made their superior class tell with two late goals to force a 2-2 draw at Championship side Reading yesterday.

Defeat would not have impressed Chelsea fans on a day when Milan rejected as too low the west London club's offer of £6.5 million plus striker Claudio Pizarro for midfielder Andrea Pirlo. The manager Carlo Ancelotti had to make do with a starting midfield of Deco, Lampard, Mikel and Essien at the Madejski Stadium.

Despite their quality Chelsea found themselves 2-0 down courtesy of sloppy work in defence. Jimmy Kébé scored Reading's first after Hal Robson-Kanu's shot had been deflected to him and Scott Davies netted a low free-kick after Shane Long's run was cut short on the edge of the area.

But much of the match was played out in front of the home goalkeeper Adam Federici, who denied Chelsea until added time loomed. Then the substitute Salomon Kalou broke through to beat him one-on-one and Alex, also a substitute, headed home John Obi Mikel's free-kick.

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NOTW:

READING 2, CHELSEA 2 Carlo Ancelotti suffers right Royal wake-up call

CHELSEA'S new master-coach Carlo Ancelotti was nearly embarrassed by Jose Mourinho's former young apprentice at Reading. Brendan Rodgers came within seconds of beating his old club Chelsea in his first test as Royals' boss.

It was former Blues' chief Mourinho who plucked Rodgers away from Reading in 2004 and later promoted him to reserve team boss at Stamford Bridge.

The Championship side stormed 2-0 ahead by half-time through goals from Jimmy Kebe and Scott Davies.

Italian Ancelotti was facing his first defeat as Blues' manager after enduring four wins on the trot in the club's US tour.

Rodgers had won the tactical battle which was a considerable feat considering he had only cut his managerial teeth at Watford in January.

But substitute Salomon Kalou pulled a goal back for the Premiership giants one minute from time with what looked like a consolation effort.

But deep into injury time, Reading's Alex Pearce deflected the ball past his own goalkeeper to spare the Londoners' blushes.

Ancelotti, no doubt, will not have enjoyed his first game in charge in England and this was definitely a wake-up call.

The Italian will no doubt demand a far more professional performance when he squares up to Sir Alex Ferguson for the first time on Sunday when Chelsea meet Manchester United in the Community Shield.

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