ANCELOTTI
Watching team grow?
Of course we are really pleased for the start, we did really well. But we want to focus on what is going on. The start was good but it is only the start. The season is long, I advised them that there would be difficulties. We have to focus every game, but the atmosphere, the spirit of the team is really good. The new players adapted really well and really fast. Everything is okay in this moment but tomorrow it will be more difficult. We have some injuries. I told the players to pay attention, it can be a tricky game. Brighton played a fantastic game against Man Utd, we have to expect a strong team.
Calvert-Lewin - England call up, how much potential?
It’s a great achievement for him. Congratulations, I hope it will not be the last [call up]. He’s doing really well, he needs to have consistency because he’s really young but he’s in the right way to have consistency.
Ben Godfrey deal close?
The situation is that I’m really happy the market is going to close in the next few days! There are a lot of rumours, speculation. There can be surprises at the end but honestly I want to talk about the game on Saturday. That’s in my mind today, not the rumours. Something can be true, something can be wrong.
Moise Kean - future at Everton?
He has a future of course, at Everton. The club made a big investment on him, he’s young. This week he was not well so he didn’t train. He will not be in the squad on Saturday but only for this reason. Everyone of us is sure he has a future here, we are working on it every day.
DCL benefiting from playing with James?
As I said in the last news conference to have James is helpful, not only for Dominic but for the team. I think Dominic has used the quality not only of James, but also the team. We would like to play attacking football. Now he is focused on the box and he has scored a lot of goals for this reason. Not only James, but also the other players.
Expecting from Brighton?
They played a fantastic game, they play fantastic football. It’s exciting, they like to attack. I think we would like to attack tomorrow. It will be an open game. I think the team which wins will be the team which defends better, not attacks better. I think both teams have a good attacking style.
Graham Potter?
I am pleased [he called me a legend], though sometimes being a legend means you are close to being old. I don’t know Graham well but he is doing a fantastic job. The identity of the team is really clear. I think you can judge a manager not only on the result, but also on the identity of the team.
Injuries?
The injury list is quite big. We don’t have Branthwaite, Holgate, Kenny, Allan and Andre Gomes. Richarlison, he is better. We are going to have a test tomorrow and see if he is available to play or not.
DCL - midfielder when he was younger. Surprised by that?
I had no idea. He perhaps doesn’t know that I started as a striker and finished as a midfielder. The characteristics he has, he cannot be a midfielder. He is powerful, he is really fast and has a lot of energy. His physical style is not of a midfielder, he’s a striker.
Changed target for goals?
No, my target has not changed. I ask him to work well for the team, be ready. The striker has more opportunities than others to score goals. I’m really pleased he’s doing well and scoring goals.
Enjoy working with strikers?
I like Dominic as a striker because he is able to do everything. He is a complete striker. Usually a player like him is not usually so fast. He is really tall and really fast. It’s not easy to find a striker with these kinds of characteristics.
Bolasie – future?
Bolasie is doing well, training well and professionally. He is not part of the squad. He can train with us if he is not able to find a club before the end of the window, and of course if he stays here he will be training, but I told him we have a big squad and unfortunately there is no space for him.
Hard to keep players happy if they’re not in the squad? A lot of departures?
To keep the players happy is not the goal. I want to win with the club. It is impossible to keep all the players happy. Sometimes, the sadness of the players can be a good motivation to work hard, be focused and wait for their moment. The moment comes. There is no other solution. If you are ready the moments will come. The players who were not involved in the last games might be involved tomorrow. The judge is not the manager, the judge is the training ground - do well, and you have the opportunity to play.
Why has it clicked this season?
There are a lot of reasons. The new signings have improved the quality. We have started well, there is motivation, the atmosphere is good. I know that it will finish. This beautiful bubble, everything is okay, it’s going to finish sooner or later. The strength of the squad is when the danger is coming, we have to be ready and strong. Maybe it comes tomorrow, the opponent is really strong. If we are not focused, the danger will come.
Injuries - length.
Allan - there is an international break, after that he will be ready 100 per cent. Not for Kenny, he is out for four weeks. Gomes would be ready if we were playing on Sunday or Monday but he isn’t available tomorrow. They’re not big injuries, apart from Kenny who had a twist in his ankle.
DCL - doing in training?
Nothing special. Crosses, finishing, but nothing special. I think it was more mentality, tactically to be focused in the box.
100 Games in England.
I didn’t know. I am really pleased. It was a fantastic period at Chelsea, it is now a fantastic period here. This is the atmosphere of English football. The best game, the best memory, is difficult. It was the victory against Man Utd at Old Trafford which practically gave Chelsea the Premier League title, and of course the first game at Everton for the reception I received.
James - is everything okay for him to travel to Colombia? Is he going to be in the squad v Liverpool (Oct 17th) if he plays on October 14th against Chile.
James is fit, he is in a good condition. He can go to play for the national team. They have two games. Their last game against Chile is the 14th of October here but the 13th of October in Chile. He doesn’t have a lot of time to recover. I hope he will recover well for the game against Liverpool. If he doesn’t recover well, he’ll go on the bench, there is no other solution. The Colombian national team has organised everything. They follow the FIFA protocol for the virus and we have to respect and accept that. They are going to take care of the players for this kind of travel.
