Michael Ballack: Chelsea Looking To Finish Second In Premier League

[Kajo 176]

http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/04/...n-premier-leagu

Michael Ballack: Chelsea Looking To Finish Second In Premier League

The German international insists that the Blues are committed to ending the season in the highest league position possible...

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack says the club have not ruled out putting a run together between now and the end of the season which could see them finishing second in the Premier League.

The Blues are third in the table at present, four points behind Liverpool and Manchester United.

While a win over Everton would take them to within a point of the Reds, the Red Devils will still have a game in hand after Wednesday evening.

The German international seems to discarded the possibility of the west London outfit winning the league this season, but he has not given up hope of catching at least one of the clubs ahead of them.

"We will try everything, we have to win our games and second place is what we're trying for," Ballack told The London Evening Standard.

"We have showed that we are focused on the League until the end. We know it's important to get on top. The other two teams have been a little lucky but that's what you need."

Meanwhile, Chelsea have secured their place in the 2009 FA Cup final and face Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, and Ballack is optimistic they can take at least one of the two trophies back to Stamford Bridge.

"Maybe we can win one or two trophies. If you look at the last few games, we've played good and come back from difficult situations, which has given us a lot of confidence."

Edited April 22, 2009 by Kajo

[EskWeston 696]

At this stage of the season we are playing very well, especially considering what we have come back from. All we can do is take each game at a time and go out to win each one, and where we end up we end up. We could get very lucky and finish top, and if we go stride for stride with pool and Manure we will come third, no matter what we will have done well this season to end as strongly as we have.

[Fulham Broadway 16,977]

Definitely feel we can win all our games atm, flying under Guss.

Find it hard to believe he said second and effectively concede. Second is a probably a distinct reality, but I suspect Goal.com are spouting their usual windups/shit stories

[Elliott 7]

I rather question just what the point in aiming for second is. It will make no difference as far as Champions League qualification is concerned whether we finish 2nd or 3rd, and 3rd is practically assured to us, so lets aim for first.

As Esk said, we just have to take each game at a time, and see how we end up.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Should be looking to finish 1st even if it looks unlikely. Having the mentality of being a runner-up is a negative one, IMO. Although saying that, it is realistic for us to finish 2nd.

[Ollie 4,400]

Well finishing 2nd means we wont have to play a CL Qualifier against some polish team or whatever lol. It'll be hard winning the league but finishing second is far more doable. We could do without a 2 legged qualifier tbh in some maybe hostile european country.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

1st, 2nd and 3rd is automatic Champions League qualification as of this season.

[SystemBlueBob 0]

Why would someone look to finish in 2nd?

Don't get me wrong, I understand our chances of finishing 1st are slim to absolutely none but I am not sure I see the point in aiming for 2nd...or well, publicly saying it

[chelseapaul 0]

Why would someone look to finish in 2nd?

Don't get me wrong, I understand our chances of finishing 1st are slim to absolutely none but I am not sure I see the point in aiming for 2nd...or well, publicly saying it

If we cant make 1st, 2nd is the next best thing as we wont have to go through the qualification shit & cut short our summer break to do so.

[Elliott 7]

If we cant make 1st, 2nd is the next best thing as we wont have to go through the qualification shit & cut short our summer break to do so.

Again, 3rd is automatic qualification for the Champions League next season too.

[Kez 2,727]

I don't like Ballack publicly saying this, he should be saying we are aiming for 1st. Everyone knows that is not going to happen but we should still be aiming for that