Carlo Ancelotti has warned Chelsea's players that they will have to tighten up defensively. The Italian's side take on Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday and he knows that mistakes must be eradicated with the start of his first Premier League campaign due the following week.
Ancelotti was unhappy with the two first-half goals conceded by Chelsea in their friendly at Reading on Saturday, citing an error by his centre-back pairing of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho for the second goal. Chelsea were held to a 2–2 draw as the Championship side harried for a point.
"For the second goal Terry and Carvalho did not pressurise the striker enough and he got in the position which led to the free-kick," said Ancelotti. "In pre-season these kind of mistakes can happen but hopefully not after. But as a group we have a very good defence. Before this match we played four and conceded just one goal to Milan.
"The most important thing from this game was the reaction of the team. We kept playing until the last minutes. We dominated the play and probably had 30 shots on goal. We were unlucky but that can happen [when] you lose two goals."
Although the Chelsea manager knows taking on United at Wembley will not be easy, his players will welcome the greater space likely to be provided to them. Ancelotti conceded that his side would have to be prepared for the challenge of creating opportunities against teams whose modus operandi is primarily to defend.
"It was a lesson for me and for the players. All the great teams are targets for smaller clubs who fight hard and close space, and that makes it harder for us. But it is up to our attacking players to open up the spaces and make opportunities."
Terry admitted that Reading's approach and early lead had come as a surprise, Chelsea requiring Salomon Kalou's effort and an Alex Pearce own-goal in the last five minutes to cancel out goals from Jimmy Kébé and Scott Davies
"To be 2–0 down at half-time was a kick up the backside," the captain said. "We all expect better of ourselves. We were fit and sharp and then to be losing was disappointing for us so we all livened each other up. Our determination paid off in the end."
Terry, who recently committed himself to remaining at Stamford Bridge, would not be drawn on the subject of further additions to a squad that has been augmented by only one major new signing so far, Yuri Zhirkov. "I leave it to the manager and board to make the signings. I am 100% a player," he said.
