Avram Grant[Coach]

[Freddy Adu]

Chelsea boss Grant: January big chance for Sheva

[Freddy Adu]

No revenge, but Grant wants Chelsea win against Villa


Written by: AFP

	Chelsea manager Avram Grant, seen here on December 10, is counting on a much-improved performance from his players when they go out to protect their long unbeaten record at home against Aston Villa.

LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea manager Avram Grant is counting on a much-improved performance from his players when they go out to protect their long unbeaten record at home against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Villa have already beaten Chelsea once in the Premier League this season, a performance three months ago at Villa Park which Grant recalled as poor.

While he is mindful of Villa's abilities, Grant is determined the Blues will rise to the challenge of keeping their unbeaten home record intact.

"We lost against Villa the last time we met them," he recalled.

"We didn't play well, even though we played with all of our squad - so we know they are a good, organised team with a good manager.

"It will be a tough match. But we are the home team. While I don't like the word revenge, we want to win - especially after our defeat there."

Grant is hailing Chelsea's chaotic Christmas fixture congestion as "exciting," despite an injury crisis which threatens to sour his team's festivities.

Chelsea have three games in a week - most likely without first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech, despite the encouraging news from scans on his injured hip yesterday.

Captain John Terry and striker Didier Drogba are also sidelined, but despite the injury setbacks Grant admits he enjoys one of English football's quirkier traditions.

"This is the only country in the world that plays over Christmas," he added.

"All the other countries, including my own of Israel, have a break at this time of the season.

"But for me it has been interesting to look on from the side.

"I don't think I've missed a game in England for more than 30 years, since I was 22.

"It has been very exciting watching from the side, but it's more exciting from the inside.

"I was in England last year with another club (Portsmouth), so for me it's exciting. This tradition is nice."

It was at Christmas last year that Chelsea's chances of a third successive title were blown apart by three successive draws.

Remarkably, the same situation threatens injury-hit Chelsea again.

With Chelsea six points adrift of leaders Arsenal and five points behind second-placed Manchester United, a repeat of last season's loss of form would kill off Chelsea's championship dreams.

For now, Grant is comfortable with Chelsea's third position in the league - and is refusing to discount Liverpool from the title race even though they are another four points off the pace.

"I think it's unusual to have four teams fighting for the title in December," he said.

"All four teams won their first game of the Christmas programme, so for you and us it will be an exciting title race this season.

"For us, six points is a gap we can make up.

"We just need to concentrate on winning our games because at this stage of the season there is not one team who will win every game from now until the end."

[Freddy Adu]

Chelsea´s Grant vows to keep fighting


Written by: AFP

	Chelsea manager Avram Grant, seen here 10 December 2007, vowed he would never concede defeat in the English Premier League title race, despite his Chelsea side losing ground on front-runners Arsenal and Manchester United.

LONDON (AFP) - Avram Grant vowed he would never concede defeat in the English Premier League title race, despite his Chelsea side losing ground on front-runners Arsenal and Manchester United.

The third-placed Blues face a tough fight to keep themselves in the contest going into the New Year and their injury and suspension problems are mounting, leaving Grant without key players.

Chelsea drew 4-4 at home to Aston Villa on Wednesday, coming back from 2-0 down to take a 4-3 lead with two minutes to go, before having defenders Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole sent off -- both of whom will be suspended for three matches.

On Saturday, Chelsea host Newcastle -- defeated 1-0 at lowly Wigan on Wednesday -- before a west London derby at Fulham on Tuesday.

Grant is determined to emerge from the games with the maximum six points and keep up Chelsea's hopes bringing the Premier League trophy back to Stamford Bridge after a one-year absence.

"As long as we have a chance we will do everything we can," Grant said.

"We will not give up. Any difficulty for me is a challenge. We dropped the points so I'm not happy with this.

"We continue to fight for all the titles that we can take. It's not good to drop points but it's not the end of the world, even though we are very disappointed."

With impending suspensions for Carvalho and Cole, and midfielder Frank Lampard pulling up in the 4-4 draw with a thigh injury, Grant faces doing more patching up work on his team.

Grant said life was already tough enough without defender John Terry, striker Didier Drogba and winger Florent Malouda.

"I want them back as soon as possible," he sighed.

"This is the situation and we'll have to make the best of it."

He doubted England midfielder Lampard, on 99 club goals for Chelsea, would be fit for the rest of the festive period.

"I don't think he will play in the next games but how bad it is we will have to wait and see," the former Israel coach said.

Aston Villa took a 2-0 lead thanks to two goals from Scotland striker Shaun Maloney.

Villa defender Zat Knight was dismissed for a foul in the penalty box. Chelsea's Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko scored the spot kick and equalised five minutes after the interval.

Blues centre-half Alex scored and Villa's Martin Laursen equalised before a frantic final 10 minutes.

Carvalho's two-footed lunge earned a red card then team-mate Michael Ballack scored an 88th-minute free kick.

Cole was sent off for a handball on the line and Villa captain Gareth Barry scored the injury time equaliser from the resulting penalty.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill said his side had to exert greater control after taking the lead in matches.

"That's what we need to learn to be good at. The top four sides have that," he said.

"To come back from 3-2 behind and twice coming back from the jaws of defeat -- great effort," said the former Northern Ireland captain.