Marcel Desailly: Chelsea’s inconsistency has cost them title & Manchester United will win Premier League

EXCLUSIVE
By Michel Nasrallah

Stamford Bridge legend Marcel Desailly has tipped Manchester United to win the Premier League, citing Chelsea‘s inconsistency as the reason why Carlo Ancelotti‘s side won’t retain the title.

The French World Cup winner, who played for the Blues between 1998 and 2004, admits that he’s been dissappointed with former side’s inability to build on last seasons league and FA Cup double.

“Manchester United should win the league,” Desailly told Goal.com. “They just keep going, always just ahead of everyone else. They have the consistency which other teams do not. You cannot help but be impressed,” the Frenchman admitted.

“Chelsea have been too inconsistent and too many of their best players have been injured at the same time.

“I have been disappointed to see Chelsea with so many problems. Some signings have taken too long to adapt to the team, which has cost them too many points.”

And despite enjoying a near-perfect first season in the Premier League, Desailly admits that Ancelotti could face the axe come the end of the season – as is the nature of football – but feels that such a outcome would be hard to explain should the Italina triumph in the Champions League.

“If he Ancelotti wins the European Cup, then how can you sack a manager. But this is football these days. One bad season can see you get the sack,” he added.

But the former Blues favourite has welcomed the acquisition of Brazilian defender David Luiz, who has been the Premier League Player of the Month following a blistering start to his Chelsea career, having scored key goals in wins against rivals Manchester United and Manchester City.

And Desailly believes that former Benifca stopper has every chance of becoming a ‘top player’, adding that he compliments skipper John Terry.

Ancelotti has been linked with a move to Roma following the club takeover by Thomas DiBenedetto, and Desailly feels talk of the Blues boss being replaced is symptomatic of the modern game.

He said of the stopper: “I would love to talk to him. He has it all to be a top player, but I would suggest that he has to concentrate on his defending then worry about everything else.

“It’s been good to see him go forward and get goals,” Desailly added. “However, he is a defender and that is his first job. He compliments John Terry well and he’ll be a great Chelsea player. But he has to concentrate on keeping out the goals, not scoring them.”

Despite backing United to lift the crown this term, Desailly admitted that it could all change at the top of the Premier League ladder next season, depending on the transfer activity of financial heavyweights Manchester City, but believes that Roberto Mancini has too many players who are not at the requirred level to take the title to Eastlands.

“We will see what players get bought this season and then guess who can win,” he added. “There has been a lot of talk about Manchester City because they have the money, but they must buy top level players. Carlos Tevez is, what I would call, a first-choice world class player.

“But there are too many at City who are below that level, who maybe weren’t playing every week for their old clubs. Arsenal need to buy a good defender and we’ll see what Chelsea do. However, Manchester United just keep going. They are a remarkable team.”

As a former defender, it was only natural for Desailly to comment on the defenders who have impressive him this season.

“The defenders I like are all experienced,” he continued.

“I’m a fan of Terry and Nemandja Vidic. Vedran Corluka at Tottenham is someone who has caught my eye as well. The best defenders always tend to be the older guys.”

Moving onto Italian soil, Desailly spoke of AC Milan’s ambition to win the league for the first time in eight years, with Saturday’s derby della Madonnina looming.

“I think Milan will win and then go on to win the title. They have become a good side with good balance,” he said. “They remind me of Manchester United in that there is a good spine through the middle now. Inter have been through a great time, but now maybe Milan can get some glory.”

Marcel Milan | French legend 164 appeances for the Serie A giants

Speaking on the past, present and future of Serie A, he continued: “Nothing has changed. That is the problem with Italian football. It is still all about tactics. Football has moved on since my day, but Italy has not. It remains too defensive. There are good players in Serie A, of course, but the style of play needs to be more expressive, more attacking.

“Milan are a good, solid team. They remind me of Manchester United in that there has been a strong spine down them for a few years. It was always going to be difficult to replace Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta, but they are slowly getting there.

“Also, it has been Inter’s time. Nobody really got near them for five years. Milan should win the title, however they need one more flair player to take them to a higher level. My hope was that Ronaldinho was going to do that, but it never really happened.”

And our chat wouldn’t be complete without a return to France, and Marseille, where it all began for Desailly.

On his former side’s bid to conquer Ligue 1 again after last year’s success, he added: “French football is in a rut. I think Marseille can win the league, but I’m afraid I can’t see them challenging for the European Cup like my team did. The money just isn’t there.

“Marseille got to two finals in a few years, but that won’t happen again, I’m sorry to say. What needs to happens in France is that a team must be built from scratch.

“Go with young players, keep faith with them and watch the team grow. But that needs patience and who has any patience in football these days?”

His final thoughts were on the England – Ghana friendly at Wembley, which ended 1-1, saying: “I really enjoyed England-Ghana on Wednesday. My problem with Ghana is that their tactics from the World Cup haven’t changed. They are strong in defence and play on the break. That has to change.”

Marcel is a regular expert on AD Sports who cover the Premier League live and exclusive and was in Dubai to help open the second leg of the Barclays Premier League Global Trophy Tour on Friday, April 1.