Ranieri's team emerged from a month of ragged results to thrash Leicester City 4-0 on Sunday and lift the gloom that followed a run that had brought just seven points from six games. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who has recently been going through one of his all too regular sullen spells, was smiling again after scoring twice while Adrian Mutu ended his barren run with a first goal in 15 games.
Coach Claudio Ranieri had made six changes from the team beaten Liverpool 1-0 last week and nine of Saturday's starting lineup predated the arrival of owner Roman Abramovich. '

"Mr Abramovich has already spent more than £110m on new players but he is prepared to finance more deals and does not think this would be a problem. "He believes that we have to buy now to make things better. If the right players are available at the right price, Chelsea will buy them." .

The Blues lie a distant seven points adrift of leaders Manchester United after sinking to a 1-0 defeat at home to Liverpool . They have lost three and drawn one of their last six league games and were held to a 2-2 draw by first division Watford in the third round of the FA Cup.
However, despite recording only two wins in their last six league outings and continued speculation linking England coach Sven Goran Eriksson with the Stamford Bridge job, Ranieri is refusing to panic.
'I am not worried about this run. Of course, I am not happy but there isn't a team who can stay at the high level for 11 months,' Ranieri told the club's website.
'When we were at the top of the league, I said it's not important now. We must continue to build. It's easy for me to say that I want to fight for the title but it's not true. I am fighting to build a team.' Ranieri met with Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich immediately after Wednesday's match but the Italian said this was 'normal' procedure.
'Don't worry, you will see me for a long time yet. You will see me also tomorrow (Thursday),' he said after emerging to speak to the media long after the final whistle. 'After every match, we have a meeting.' Injuries to key midfielders Damien Duff and Juan Sebastian Veron have hindered Ranieri's bid to halt Chelsea's slump, while the calf injury sustained by Hernan Crespo last night could put the Argentina striker out of action for some weeks. but the coach said he was unlikely to add to the £111million spent on players in pre-season.
'No. We need only to go through this bad period,' Ranieri said when asked about any purchases in the transfer window. Chelsea's form contrasts sharply with that of Manchester United who have won their last six league games since a 1-0 defeat by Ranieri's side on November 30.'

Ranieri was, predictably, more circumspect about the club's plans even after First Division strugglers Watford exposed the need for a new centre-back in the 2-2 draw at Vicarage Road.
``I have four centre-backs - Marcel Desailly, William Gallas, John Terry and Robert Huth - so at this moment, I am happy,'' he insisted. ``Marcel had a bad injury to his back and now he's back. It's normal. Maybe sometimes it wasn't only Marcel, but everyone and the first-half was not good. ``We cannot concede 45 minutes to the opponents like that. They created two or three great chances to score and Chelsea cannot permit this. All the high balls were dangerous for us and that's not possible. ``I had hoped to give some rest to John Terry without suffering in this way. But we missed him. Can I afford to leave him out again? At this moment, no.''

Chelsea are ready to boost Parma's coffers to the tune of £50 million.
Press reports suggested Roman Abramovich was preparing a mega bid for Parma pair Adriano and Sebastien Frey. French goalkeeper Frey would move to Stamford Bridge for £10 million, while Adriano would be bought outright for £40 million. The striker's registration is shared between Parma and Inter Milan. .

Despite the opening of the January transfer window, Chelsea have made no early move for West Ham striker Jermain Defoe. Chelsea, who look certain to dip back into the transfer market this month, despite coach Claudio Ranieri's insistence that there was no need "if all his squad are fit", have been linked with Defoe along with Valencia defender Roberto Ayala.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich may have to be prepared to pay well over £15million for the pair, however, if Chelsea are to be successful.

"I love the club as much as ever and I have a fantastic relationship with the fans there and returning is my destiny." He added: "I dream about it but I am a believer and I believe it will happen one day." But Vialli admitted his return to English football is some way off because of his poor record at Watford, where he was sacked after the club finished 14th in Division One. "I would very much love to manage a club in England because that is where I belong and that is where my football mentality is most at home," he said. "Unfortunately, I don't know how much credibility I have because of what happened at Watford and I suspect that my next job will probably be in Italy. It will have to be the right one."

He added: "These days there seems to be so little loyalty between clubs and players but that's not the way I feel about Chelsea. "I love working with Claudio. No one should forget who gave them their first chance in football. He gave me mine and I will remember that for ever. "We can win the Premiership this year. All the players believe it and want it very badly. If I could win only one trophy this year it would be that." On Blues owner Roman Abramovich, Terry also said: "When he first arrived no one quite knew what was going to happen or how big the club would become. "But now we are competing on level terms with United and Arsenal. "We used to be contenders with them but now we are equals. The players really believe we can push on and win the title this season."

Inter Milan secure deal for Chelsea target Adriano
Inter Milan have fought off the interest of Chelsea to secure Parma striker Adriano to a contract. The Brazilian will play out the rest of the season at Parma before returning to Inter in the summer, says Corriere dello Sport. After lengthy talks between the clubs this week, Adriano agreed terms on a five-year contract with Inter. Meanwhile, Manchester United have approached Inter about striker Christian Vieri. Its reported United boss Sir Alex Ferguson wants to sign the Italian international when the transfer window opens this week. Inter have also been contacted by Real Madrid about defender Fabio Cannavaro in recent days.
Tribal Football

Claudio Ranieri's multi-million pound Chelsea squad have been warned to expect a 'bog' of a pitch when they take on Watford at Vicarage Road in the FA Cup third round this weekend. Claudio Ranieri: Pitch problems (BenRadford/GettyImages) Watford boss Ray Lewington has told Chelsea's expensively-assembled group of internationals that it is already 'impossible to play good football' on the First Division side's pitch.
'It really is bad at the moment but it certainly isn't the groundstaff's fault, they do the best they can. 'It's a real bog and not going to get any better by Saturday, although I wouldn't think it would worry Chelsea too much. 'I am sure they are used to playing on good surfaces in the Premiership, but quality players react to any conditions - and they certainly possess plenty of quality.'

Real Mallorca striker Sammy Eto'o has again hinted this will be his last season with the club. A target for Arsenal and Chelsea, Cameroon ace Eto'o said yesterday: "I want to be in a team with the possibility of winning titles, it is not only a money subject although this year I have learned that if you can earn a billion then you should stick around. "When you leave football nobody remembers you, I have a contract here until 2007, I am calm and very happy in Mallorca." '