Chelsea's 'dead man walking' goes Gunners hunting

Claudio Ranieri must have struggled to hide his contempt for the pretension of his employers as he faced the media yesterday. As everyone now knows, Ranieri will soon be sacrificed as Roman Abramovich pursues his desire to create an über-club in the Russian's adopted city: a West London Real Madrid.

The élite of European management are being lined up to replace Ranieri, the humble Italian whose CV lists rather more clubs (eight) than trophies (one). He is a journeyman coach who, nonetheless, is currently steering Chelsea to their most productive top-flight season - in terms of the games-wins ratio - in 99 years.

Sven Goran Eriksson, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti constitute the glittering four-man shortlist to replace him, a quartet who boast eight European trophies, 22 domestic league titles and 22 domestic cups between them.

Yet as Ranieri yesterday walked across the spartan canteen at Chelsea's training ground, then went through the swing doors into the bar area, he must have wondered what the likes of Capello, Eriksson and company would think of his workplace. They are used to operating in the purpose-built facilities that are de rigueur among Europe's football aristocracy, state-of-the-art steel and glass structures like Arsenal's, a few miles around the M25 at London Colney. That has manicured pitches, an indoor swimming pool and plasma televisions in the players' lounge. Chelsea's Harlington base does not even have a radio.

Chelsea rent this training ground from Imperial College (it is out of bounds on Wednesday afternoons and Saturdays, when the owners get preference). Thus team pictures featuring students who have long joined the mortgaged, even the pensioned in some cases, gazed down as Ranieri endured his latest interrogation by the hundred-plus journalists crammed into the small bar. Behind him a tiny Champions' League sponsors' backboard attempted to suggest, to anyone watching on television, that he was really in an upscale conference centre.

Ranieri insisted he would only talk about the match. But being both angry at his treatment, and a voluble communicator, he found this promise impossible to keep. He told the television cameras he had been living with speculation about his position since July and that they were "just rumours", adding "a manager in my position must just keep working".

But when he later sat down with a smaller group of journalists this dignified man's sense of helplessness came through. "I go day by day, step by step, that is my philosophy," he said. "It has been said I am a dead man walking, so I want to see only tomorrow. Since the beginning [of Abramovich's takeover] I put in my mind that, even if I win everything, I may go home.

"Remember," he said, "this is my culture. I am Italian. In Italy you can win one match, draw the second and lose the third and you go home." Of 47 matches this season Chelsea have won 32 and lost eight. Significantly three of the latter have come, each by 2-1, against Arsenal, tonight's Champions' League quarter-final opponents. Chelsea's League record outstrips that of Real Madrid, the Spanish leaders, and would also put them first in France, the only other league to have completed 29 games.

But results are not enough. The leaks from Chelsea's hierarchy stress that Abramovich wants to win in style and Chelsea are getting by with 1-0s and 2-1s. Ranieri admitted: "Sometimes we don't play with style, but sometimes it is important to just win. Even the Galacticos [of Real Madrid] don't win every game 5-0. In Lazio, when I had all my players [and Chelsea won 4-0], we had style."

Against Arsenal, Ranieri would settle for any kind of win and, given the value of away goals, be elated if it was accompanied by a clean sheet. Chelsea have beaten Arsenal once in 22 matches dating back to 1995 and that victory, in November 1998, was under Gianluca Vialli against a virtual reserve side in the League Cup. Since then Arsenal have gone 16 matches unbeaten against them.

Chelsea will be lifted by the inclusion of Damien Duff but will have to field Marco Ambrosio in goal as neither Carlo Cudicini nor Neil Sullivan is fit. There was much talk yesterday of team spirit, with John Terry pledging the squad's support for Ranieri and each other. This would have been more convincing if Marcel Desailly, sitting alongside, had not been busy rolling his eyes and stifling a yawn.

This is one of the problems of Ranieri's lame duck status. There are too many egos in Chelsea's squad to accommodate in the starting XI and the outsiders are now marking time until the new manager is named. Then they will decide whether to play, or call their agent.

But who will it be? Three of the fab four are probably out of reach and hiring the other, Eriksson, would be a public relations disaster whatever England's summer fate. There is already a significant anti-Eriksson media brigade and this when he is winning matches for England. It may seem contradictory but their spleen will be multiplied should he walk out.

Which leaves a second tier including Marcello Lippi, Hector Cuper, Louis van Gaal, Martin O'Neill and, of the native candidates, Steve McClaren and Alan Curbishley. The view within Stamford Bridge is that these are either "yesterday's men", "not ready" or promote a style of play that is insufficiently expressive. Carlos Quieroz and Felipe Scolari would be imaginative choices. The rumour is that Quieroz's position at Real is far from secure, while Scolari may be lured from Portugal after Euro 2004. Or there is the next wave of Stuttgart's Felix Magath, Roberto Mancini of Lazio and Porto's Jose Mourinho.

Whoever takes over will have a tough job for, as the Harlington setting underlined, Chelsea's structure is still well behind Arsenal's and Manchester United's. Winning the title would be an achievement, never mind doing it in style. It was put to Ranieri that, when the turnover of managers is so great, how can a club be built properly, as he says is required at Chelsea? "You have to build very quickly. The foundations, the first floor, fifth floor, roof garden and roof - everything at once," he replied. Perhaps a cowboy is required at the Bridge, not a Tinkerman.

Chelsea (probable 4-4-2): Ambrosio; Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Bridge; Geremi, Lampard, Makelele, Duff; Crespo, Mutu.

Contenders for Ranieri'S Post

Sven Goran Eriksson

Favourite since he was pictured entering Roman Abramovich's Knightsbridge home. Aged 56, he wants eventually to return to club management. Has two years left on FA contract; they want him for longer. Odds: 4/5.

Fabio Capello

The Roma coach, 57, would jump at the chance. But he is high-maintenance. Even for Abramovich, his wage demands may be too much. Contracted until 2005. 6/1.

Ottmar Hitzfeld

The Bayern Munich coach, 55. Talks have apparently taken place but Hitzfeld did not want to commit for more than two years. Is believed to want the German national job. Won four domestic trophies at Bayern as well as European Cup - which he also won at Borussia Dortmund. 8/1.

Carlo Ancelotti

The Milan coach has laughed off talk of leaving partly because he is coaching the club he loves and the current European champions. His style does not fulfil Abramovich's criteria to entertain. Contracted until 2005. 14/1.

Others

Martin O'Neill 8/1, Marcello Lippi 12/1, Steve McClaren 12/1, Sir Alex Ferguson 16/1, Arsène Wenger 25/1. Ken Bates and David Mellor are at 1000/1.

*Odds supplied by Bet365.

ARSENAL AND CHELSEA IN EUROPE

ARSENAL

Last six European away matches: DLDLWW

Last away win in Europe: 3-2 v Celta Vigo, CL, 24/2/04

Leading Champions' League scorer in current squad: Thierry Henry, 31 (with 7 for Monaco)

Leading European scorer for Arsenal in current squad: Henry, 31

All-time leading European scorer: Henry, 31

Record v English clubs in this season's Champions' League: no matches

CL/European Cup appearances: 8

Quarter-finals: 3

Champions' League 2003-04

Group phase:

H v Internazionale (Italy), 0-3

A v Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia), 0-0

A v Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), 1-2; Henry

H v Dynamo Kiev, 1-0; Cole

A v Internazionale, 5-1; Henry 2, Ljungberg, Edu, Pires

H v Lokomotiv Moscow, 2-0; Pires, Ljungberg

First knock-out round:

A v Celta Vigo (Spain), 3-2; Edu 2, Pires

H v Celta Vigo, 2-0; Henry 2

P8 W5 D1 L2 F14 A8

CHELSEA

Last six European at home: WWLWDD

Last home defeat: 0-2 v Besiktas, CL, 1/10/03

Leading CL scorer: Hernan Crespo, 14 (with 2 for Parma, 2 for Lazio, 9 for Internazionale)

Leading European scorer for Chelsea: Eidur Gudjohnsen, 5

All-time leading scorer: Peter Osgood, 16

CL v English clubs: P2 W2 D0 L0 F2 A0

Home to English clubs: P1 W1 D0 L0 F1 A0

CL/European Cup appearances: 2

Quarter-finals: 2

Champions' League 2003-04

Qualifying round:

A v Zilina (Slovakia), 2-0; Gudjohnsen, own goal

H v Zilina, 3-0; Johnson, Huth, Hasselbaink

Group phase:

A v Sparta Prague (Czech Republic), 1-0; Gallas

H v Besiktas (Turkey), 0-2

H v Lazio (Italy), 2-1; Lampard, Mutu

A v Lazio, 4-0; Crespo, Gudjohnsen, Duff, Lampard

H v Sparta Prague, 0-0

A v Besiktas, 2-0; Hasselbaink, Bridge

First knock-out round:

A v VfB Stuttgart (Germany), 1-0; own goal

H v VfB Stuttgart, 0-0

P10 W7 D2 L1 F15 A3