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CHELSEA FC: GRANT: A GAME FOR EMOTION AND RESPECT

/noticias.info/ With second place in the table within reach this weekend, Avram Grant is happy that problems concerning his team have been properly addressed during the last few days.

The Chelsea manager has spoken in particular about conceding goals from set-pieces and about Ashley Cole's apology for incidents on Wednesday at Spurs. He has also talked generally about facing Arsenal.

'We wanted to come to the position where overtaking Arsenal is in our own hands, now we need to use this situation,' stated Grant.

'We are playing very good football, we are scoring a lot of goals, 15 in the last four league games.

'We are in good shape at this minute and I am very proud of what my team is doing.'

Key to the good state of health will be preventing opponents finding the net from corners and free-kicks, a defensive problem that reared its head against Tottenham and Barnsley.

'We speak about this, we know our mistakes,' explained Grant.

'It is amazing what happened in the last game so we are taking care of this.'

Overshadowing the manner in which goals were scored and conceded during Wednesday's 4-4 draw has been the response to Ashley Cole's challenge on Alan Hutton and the booking by referee Mike Riley that followed.

They were incidents for which our left-back has since apologised publicly.

'I think our team discipline is good, not less than it is in other teams, maybe more. Sometimes things happen here and there but generally I am happy,' insisted the manager.

'I think you need to give credit to Ashley. He behaved like a mature guy, he saw the next day what he had done and he has apologised himself. Nobody forced him to apologise.

'This was the first time Ashley has been involved in something like that and I am telling my players all the time to take responsibility for things that you do.

'There are players that make worse tackles than this and didn't get even yellow cards and didn't even apologise. It has happened to us - someone sent our captain to hospital and he was not playing for a few weeks.

'So Ashley took responsibility for what he said, he apologised and I am giving credit for this.'

Grant also called for a modification on the laws of the game, restricting those who are allowed to approach and talk to the referee to team captains.

'It is a game for emotion, this is the reason sometimes even referees make big mistakes. I think the new rule would be good and clear for everybody.

'Players need to respect everybody - the referee, other players, their profession, even the press.

'And I think my players do respect. I don't need to talk with them again and again about this. It is an emotional game, sometimes things happen, but people speak like only Chelsea players go to the referee and other teams never do. This is unbalanced.

'We are not the only team. That is the reason why the rules need to be more clear.'

Ahead of the visit by Arsenal, Grant has also spoken about his respect for the form of his other Cole following Joe's two goals at White Hart Lane.

'It is very important to bring Joe to a good condition, this is the reason he plays and plays. He is creative, he works very hard and the kilometres he is running in the game is getting better and better. It is good to come at the right time in the right form.'

Grant will delay decisions on the fitness of Petr Cech (ankle) and Nicolas Anelka (hamstring) until after final training on Saturday.

Whatever his final team selection, the meeting of the second and the third-placed teams is one he is relishing.

'We live with pressure all the time. For any manager that comes to this stage there is pressure because you can win the title. So it is a good pressure, not more, not less than it was before.'

Bookmakers Paddy Power are offering 6/4 that Arsenal will score no goals on Sunday. notas_de_prensa_archivo