Hiddink wary of top four talk at Chelsea

Posted Tuesday, January 26, 2016 by foxsportsasia.com

Hiddink wary of top four talk at Chelsea
Guus Hiddink won't be getting excited about Chelsea's chances of finishing in the top four of the Premier League just yet.

The Blues won 1-0 at Arsenal on Sunday to stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches since Hiddink replaced Jose Mourinho in December.

Chelsea are still 14 points behind fourth-place Tottenham but performances have significantly improved since the departure of Mourinho.

"If we stay unbeaten it's a positive step but it's a big gap," Hiddink told Sky Sports.

"The team knows it's a big gap but I always want to see the ambition of the team.

"Whether or not you can make fourth place the ambition must be there every game. Even when there is nothing a stake, I want to see ambition."

One of Hiddink's best achievements since returning to Stamford Bridge has been revitalising Spanish duo Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas.

Both were widely criticised by fans during the side's struggles at the start of the campaign, but Costa scored the winner at the Emirates while Fabregas was named man of the match against his former club, earning special praise from the interim boss.

"He is strategically very strong," said Hiddink.

"When you have him you can start playing football and that's important.

"Of course he knows his best and I'm happy when he says he is growing in confidence."

Victory at the Emirates means Chelsea have now gone nine league matches without being beaten by their London rivals.

And Hiddink insists the scoreline could have been heavier.

"I'm proud of the guys who performed as they did," said the Dutchman. "We had a good first half. We played well. Second half we played okay, although I think it could have been more than 1-0.

"We played for a big part of the game. We tried to defend forward and again it could have been better but when you come here you wait for them and they are so skilful. You have to take the initiative."