Ancelotti: Ready to Rotate

chelseafc.com - Carlo Ancelotti says the position Chelsea are in going into the final two months of the season was only a dream scenario during the dark midwinter spell of poor form.

Since then there have been additions to the squad and an improvement in results that have placed the Blues into the quarter finals of the Champions League and at the top of the Barclays Premier League form table based on the last six games.

It is not only recent results that have the manager predicting the team will hold its form in the coming weeks, but also an injury report that is as short as it has been all season.

The players involved in international matches over the past week returned without significant injuries. Yossi Benayoun, who played 20 minutes for Israel on Tuesday after six months out, is training normally. Alex has no problems with the knee that underwent surgery and is increasing his training load gradually.

Both might be considered for selection for the second leg of the Champions League tie against Manchester United, away at Old Trafford in a week and a half.

The squad has trained lightly the past two days and before he chooses his front pairing for tomorrow's game, Ancelotti will observe Friday afternoon's more intense session with his eye especially on Fernando Torres and Salomon Kalou, who returned from internationals with a slight fitness problem.

'The month of March was very important for us and we did very well,' Ancelotti says.

'We returned to play our football and our confidence came back. We are ready to play games every three days because all the players are fit and have good motivation.

'Always in April you have to play your cards but we are ready to play, and if we think three months ago in November and December, it was a dream to arrive here in this situation. Now I feel we have the possibility to fight and do our best.

'There is a good atmosphere in the team and for this reason I am happy. Maybe tomorrow we lose the game but I won't change my idea on this because I have a good sensation.'

With a possible nine games in April, Ancelotti identifies team rotation as vital and he is pleased Nicolas Anelka expressed a relaxed attitude to this in his interview on the Official Chelsea Website today.

'The players understand that rotation is important for them and above all for the club. If you play individually you want to play every game but if you play as a team you understand. The strength of this team is that players like Anelka and others with strong personalities are thinking for the team and not just for themselves.

'It would be wrong to have just 11 players involved and the other 11 or 12 without motivation. To play eight or nine games in April we have to have more than 11 players.'

Stoke have fitnessed doubts over striker John Carew and goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.