Ancelotti – Ivanovic can replace Terry, and Ashley Cole is ready to play

Carlo Ancelotti is a bit short of defenders for tomorrows game against Stoke City, and he will pick his first Chelsea team that hasn’t got his captain John Terry on the teamsheet, for the first time since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, but he thinks that he has got an able deputy in Branislav Ivanovich.

“John Terry is an important absence for us but now we have Ivanovic fit we can substitute him into the centre position very well because Ivanovic is a centre-back,” Ancelotti said.

“He played a lot of games as a right-back but he has the quality to be a centre-back, so for this we will not have a problem.”

The Italian coach also revealed that Ashley Cole is also available to help out Chelsea’s decimated defence if needed. “Ashley has a realistic chance to start because he is fit and he wants to play,” he said.

“He has the desire to play, because he was out for a long time and he has the will to play.”

Ashley Cole’s return is great news for England, but he will only have a few games to convince Fabio Capello of his match fitness. Let’s hope that Ancelotti will give him some time on the pitch tomorrow.