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Jason Dasey

Given the well-documented struggles of  Roberto Mancini and Fabio Capello, being described as 'very un-Italian' is probably one of the best compliments Carlo Ancelotti could be given one month into the  Premier League season.
 While his fellow countrymen have endured criticism for shackling their respective English teams with a defensive mindset, Ancelotti continues to win praise for attractive soccer at high-flying Chelsea  with echoes from his Dutch-flavoured AC Milan playing days.
 Tomorrow, as newly promoted Blackpool visit Stamford Bridge, another rout is predicted even in the wake of Chelsea's Champions League midweek trip to Slovakia to face MSK Zilina.  
The last remaining EPL team with a perfect record this season have scored 17 times in their first four games and conceded just once:  a super goal from old boy Scott Parker,  now with West Ham.  
 Sitting on the rooftop verandah overlooking Chelsea's slick Cobham  training centre in Surrey, the 51-year-old speaks of his sparkling brand of play - and his love affair with England.
'I think we are playing good football and that is our aim: to show our quality and try to attack,' he said. 'And these first games we did very well and everybody could see our kind of play.'
Ancelotti's fluid 4-3-3 system brings out the best in creative players like Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda and stands in contrast to the cautious formation anchored by holding midfielders adopted by Mancini, which is creating unrest within the Manchester City dressing room.
Capello may have overseen some encouraging recent results in qualifying for the 2012 European Championship, but England's dismal failure on the back of an inept attacking performance at June's World Cup is still fresh in everyone's minds.
While Capello and Mancini appear stubborn about changing their defensive ways, Ancelotti seems open and flexible as he soaks up his London experience, alongside a backroom staff that includes assistant coach Ray Wilkins, who first joined the club as a teenager in the early 1970s.
After May's FA Cup final victory over Portsmouth to complete the double, Ancelotti confessed he would be happy to stay as Chelsea manager for another 10 years because he was enjoying the experience so much. He joined the club from AC Milan in July last year.  
'There is less pressure because the atmosphere here is more enjoyable compared to Italy,' he said. 'I am very happy to stay here. Otherwise, the job is the same [as Serie A]. Nothing changes.'
Just six months ago, Ancelotti's position at Chelsea wasn't so secure. In the wake of the Blues' premature exit from the Champions League at the hands of former boss Jose Mourinho and Inter, Ancelotti was reportedly given just five games to secure his future after a draw at Blackburn on March 21 saw his team slip to third, four points behind Manchester United.  
In the preceding weeks, Ancelotti was forced to deal with distracting scandals in the private lives of John Terry  and Ashley Cole. Terry was stripped of the England captaincy but kept the armband at Chelsea. Already in tune with the player-power culture at Stamford Bridge, Ancelotti was probably wise not to make a big deal of it. 
Three days after that  draw with Blackburn, Chelsea responded by travelling to Portsmouth  and handing the soon-to-be relegated club a 5-0 thumping and they would score 17 times in  just four matches, including two goals in a crucial victory at Old Trafford. Ancelotti went from grinder to genius as the Blues turned around their fortunes to complete a glorious season.
Chelsea's build-up to this campaign was disrupted by the World Cup and then a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United in  the Community Shield  hinted  the momentum might be shifting. But four games in, the Londoners already sit four points above their arch-rivals.
'We had a problem in the pre-season because we had a lot of players come back at different times,' Ancelotti said. 'We needed the first two weeks of the season to prepare them well. But we've started very well.'
Ancelotti speaks slowly and deliberately, sometimes appearing to spin through an imaginary thesaurus in his mind's eye to find the right word. As busy as he is with coaching duties, he still finds time to have private language lessons three times a week.
'I like to speak English,' he said. 'To me it's not difficult to speak, it's more difficult to understand some of the English people. I've found everything here in London. I found a fantastic Italian restaurant. I found fantastic Italian coffee. I am Italian and I love Italy but it feels good to stay here.'
Ancelotti wasn't the least bit self-conscious as he publicly savoured the club's inaugural double success four months ago, but imagine the celebrations if Chelsea were able to become the first London club to win the Champions League this season.   
'To win the Champions League, you have to arrive in March at the knockout stage fit and with no injuries,' he said. 'You have to control all the details and  be lucky.'
Details matter to the man who once shared the pitch with Paolo Maldini,  Ruud Gullit  and Marco van Basten  at AC Milan.  Cappuccinos  arrived and Ancelotti prepared to  return to his glass-fronted office.
'To say goodbye,' he smiled, 'I will speak in Italian ... ciao.'



Ancelotti high on Chelsea life and love affair with England