Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has fired shots at English Premier League leaders Manchester United about the lack of style that they play with, despite their successful results in the EPL this season.
Ancelotti accepts the Blues are currently no match for unbeaten Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester United when it comes to grinding out results. But the Italian has no intention of changing the approach which brought Chelsea the double last season.
"For Chelsea to win a game, we have to play well, play good football," said Ancelotti, whose side travel to Bolton tonight 10 points adrift of United. "We are not able to win a game if we are not able to play well. We played very well last season and when we didn't play well, we lost the game the same way we have lost them this season."
He added: "Our aim is to improve our football. This is the way to win the game. It is our philosophy.
"We don't want to stay back and maybe use the long ball or use the counter-attack. Maybe this is also the reason that if we don't play well, we are vulnerable."
United stretched their club-record unbeaten start to the season to 22 games on Saturday, but Ancelotti is convinced they will not emulate Arsenal's 2004 'Invincibles'.
"I think it's impossible because if we want to come back to fight for the title we have to beat Man United," Ancelotti added.
As well as beating United home and away, Ancelotti admits Chelsea must also win their head-to-heads with third-placed Manchester City and fifth-placed Tottenham at Stamford Bridge in the second half of the season.
"We have to win these games. That is the key to come back to win the title," said Ancelotti, who admitted he had not been completely satisfied with his team's performance since they beat second-placed Arsenal almost four months ago.
"We have to play twice against Man Utd, we have to play Man City, Tottenham, Liverpool."
Managers who aren't as concerned about results as they are about the style their team performs don't usually last very long at the highest of levels, and with Chelsea 10 points behind Manchester United at the moment, perhaps Ancelotti should put more stock into his team's substance...rather than their style...
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