Terry targeting springboard at Arsenal

With just one league win since October, the champions have slipped to fourth in the standings but they are only six points behind leaders Manchester United after 17 games before they begin their holiday fixtures at The Emirates.

The freezing weather means it is two weeks since Chelsea's 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur - a display that offered hope of better things to come for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Terry certainly hopes so as he prepares for four league games in 10 days with the trip across London being followed by the visit of Bolton Wanderers to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

"It just takes that one thing to set it off, and hopefully a goal away at Arsenal will do that, and we want to get back to keeping clean sheets," Terry told Chelsea's website.

"On a football basis I want to win games and go on a nice run again like I know we can.

"Three wins would be great, if you come away with a draw from Arsenal it's not the end of the world but we're not thinking that," he added on www.chelseafc.com.

"We think we can go there and do what we did last year, if we're not thinking that we shouldn't be playing,.

"Everyone is in the right frame of mind. It will be two weeks by the time the game comes around since we've played. We're raring to go and want to get off to a flying start."

COMFORTABLE WINS

Chelsea have come away from Arsenal with comfortable 4-1 and 3-0 wins respectively in the past two seasons but Ancelotti believes the Gunners, who will be looking to return to second spot, are a tougher proposition this term.

"I think Arsenal changed a little bit compared with last season, not just because they were able to buy (Marouane) Chamakh who is a very good striker but also because they have improved their experience," he said.

"It could be a different game compared with last season. To have a strong team who can take advantage against Arsenal you have to be able to defend well."

Ancelotti, like Terry, said he was keen to get back into action after an enforced two-week layoff, even if the hectic holiday programme presents a tough challenge.

"It is not too much," he said of the traditional Christmas fixtures in England.

"It is difficult to manage the team when you don't have time to recover. It is very difficult to manage the team when you have to play on the 27th and the 29th, obviously you have to use rotation in this period, but I am not surprised we have to play in this period.

"I think that Italian football would like to play in this Christmas period. The clubs would like to play, and if there are players that don't like to play in this period then they don't want to play football.

"It is a very good for the image of the Premier League outside of this country."