Fuente: © Chelsea FC
http://www.chelseafc.com/

CHELSEA FC: AVRAM'S TROPHY HUNT

/noticias.info/ After two impressive victories in the past week, Avram Grant admits he may shuffle his pack for the FA Cup visit to Barnsley on Saturday, as he searches for a first trophy at Stamford Bridge.

Having seen his team dispose of West Ham and then Olympiacos with seven goals and none conceded, Grant understands the need to give some of his players a rest after making just two changes to his side in midweek.

'First, I must say rotation is not the target, we used it because we had a lot of injuries and some of them need to rest, they cannot play so many games. Of course until now I didn't play with the same eleven two games in a row so I don't think it will happen tomorrow.'

One of those changes, the decision to bring Carlo Cudicini in goal for Petr Cech, was enforced, and Grant has already said that while the other, replacing Nicolas Anelka with Didier Drogba, hinted that Grant felt he could not play both.

Today, speaking to the press he rejected that notion, and believes the pair can flourish together at Stamford Bridge.

'Since I am here, you always find me two players that cannot play together, you say Ballack and Lampard cannot, and they played together and played well.

'I don't think it can be a problem, and you will see it in the future. I don't think if you win you cannot be also better. I will continue to think like this, and one of the options is this option, but it depends on many other things.'

As for Ballack, Grant has been pleased with the German's recent form, and believes he is benefiting from a change in footballing style.

'I think the different style of football is good for him, and good for the team. We play with many attacking players that know how to move the ball and pass the ball,' said the Israeli.

'He is one of them, so it's easier for him. He is an intelligent player and knows modern football. I don't compare to the past, I look to the future.'

Media discussion in the past 24 hours has also revolved around former Chelsea manager José Mourinho, who said yesterday that he would like to play against Chelsea in next season's Champions League.

Grant refused to be drawn too much on the topic, but paid respect to his predecessor.

'I'm not a man of fighting, the only fight I know is on the pitch,' he said. 'I will fight for my team and do everything for my club. I have a lot of respect for José, but I need to concentrate only on my club.

'The only thing I know is I need to concentrate on my club. We played two good games, I need to concentrate about this. I will not fight with José or anybody else.

'I have respect to what José did in the club in the past, the club brought me here to go to a different way, and I say again, I have full respect to what happened here in the past.'

Grant's focus is now on the future, and the threat posed by giantkillers Barnsley.

'It is a quarter-final, and is very important. We know Barnsley lost only one game at home and won away at Liverpool, so it will be a tough game tomorrow, as it always is in the English Cup,' he stressed.

'We are the only one from the four big clubs that came to [the Carling Cup] final, and are one of two fighting for other three competitions. We want to win and to win trophies as much as we can.

'I think it's very important for the vision of the club. It's not easy to take a team like this, we progress very well, we have character and play football.

'It's not easy after losing a final to do what we did in the next games. When you come to a big club like Chelsea, which wants to be bigger than now, you do everything to win trophies.' notas_de_prensa_archivo