Carlo Ancelotti was prepared to admit it was a below par Chelsea against Wolves, but there was one aspect of the display to please him - the return of Jose Bosingwa.
That's not say the manager wasn't satisfied with three points that ensure another week at the head of the Premier League pack. In the light of the victorious retreat from Moscow, a second 2-0 win this week will do even if the Black Country side had enough chances to be the first to find the net at the Bridge in the league this season.
'It was a tough game because we didn't play so well. We suffered from some dangerous situations in the first half and in the second half we conceded too many shots from distance,' analysed Ancelotti.
'We could have closed the game before the second goal, we had a lot of chances, but we didn't play as well as we usually do this season.
'This is a very good result from a difficult week because there was the game in Moscow and we were not 100 per cent. It is important to win when you are not 100 per cent.
'Bosingwa was one the best players on the pitch,' he added.'He put a lot of pressure on in the second half by pushing up without the ball and he had opportunities to score. For 70 minutes he played very well and he is an important player for us in the future.'
A year was long time out for the right-back as he rehabilitated from knee surgery but the wait will be worth it if he finds the form of his first Chelsea season straight away.
'He took the right time for recovery, he was comfortable to play and he was excited before the game and this is very good news for us,' reported Ancelotti who also predicted Florent Malouda will only need two days to recover from an ankle problem that preceded his substitution.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy became the latest in a long line of visiting bosses who left the Bridge complementing Chelsea.
'I think they are the best team in the league,' announced the Yorkshireman.
'They have loads of ability, loads of pace and one of the best keepers in the league. They are tough, they are clever with some of the runs and they trust each other. They are a fantastic team and we should have scored against them.
'That may well have given us something out of the game. We had the best two chances prior to Chelsea scoring. It was certainly a good performance from us but then you must have that bit of devilment in front of goal.'
Substitute Salomon Kalou's fifth league goal of the season was added to Malouda's seventh and the two moves for the decisive strikes were closer to vintage Chelsea than much of the game. They were also a sign of flexibility.
Nicolas Anelka had taken Malouda's more usual position prior to his compatriot's opener.
'Anelka was more comfortable to play on the left,' explained Ancelotti, 'and the first goal was a fantastic idea of his and good movement from Yury Zhirkov.'
from: www.chelseafc.com
