Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has put any thoughts of becoming Italy coach to bed – as he is enjoying his Stamford Bridge adventure so much.

Ancelotti – who helped the Blues to a domestic Double in his first season in charge – says he feels at home in the English game, although the top job back home would be sure to interest the former AC Milan manager later in his career.

For now, the Azzurri are rebuilding under Cesare Prandelli after a poor World Cup and Ancelotti hopes he is a successful long-term appointment.

He told RaiUno: “I want to spend a long time with Chelsea, and then we will see.”

Ancelotti added: “I like being in England. Italy is always close and I still feel 100 per cent Italian but I am living a wonderful adventure.

“I love English football, the environment and the atmosphere.”

Andrey Arshavin believes he has become “more effective” since joining Arsenal – even if the Russian playmaker feels he is now “less sparkling”.

The 29-year-old has been something of an enigma for the Gunners since his £15million arrival from Zenit St Petersburg during January 2009.

Capable of moments of sheer genius – including a memorable four-goal salvo at Liverpool – Arshavin has also been a great source of frustration for Gunners fans as he often drifts in and out of matches.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels much of that malaise was down to a combination of bitter disappointment at Russia missing out on qualification for the World Cup as well as a string of niggling injuries.

Arshavin has impressed during the opening three matches of the new Premier League season, netting two goals – including the winner at Blackburn last weekend.

The Russian admits he is puzzled by his inconsistencies.

“The year and a half in England has significantly changed me,” Arshavin told Russian newspaper Sport-Express.

“I became calmer, more professional and spend more time with my family.

“As for football I can say that my style has also altered – it is more effective, but less sparkling. I don’t remember when was the last time I scored a really beautiful goal.

“It is frustrating. I tried to analyse this, but can find no answers.

“It is likely that my injuries last year had an effect, because on three occasions I was out for a month, but it is feeble to talk about injuries.”

The Gunners currently sit second in the table, two points behind champions Chelsea who have opened with an impressive three straight victories.

Much was made of the way Arsenal came through a test of character up at Ewood Park before the international break. With the Champions League campaign kicking off later this month, there will be plenty more challenges ahead before Wenger takes his men to Stamford Bridge on October 3 in the showdown with their title rivals.

The Gunners have never been short on attacking firepower, with rejuvenated England forward Theo Walcott having scored four goals already.

However, the defence has been less than watertight in recent seasons, with new arrivals Sebastien Squillaci and Laurent Koscielny looking to make sure there is no repeat of the 41 league goals conceded last term.

Centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is in no doubt where Arsenal’s championship challenge must begin.

“It sounds silly, but as a defender you are happier after a 6-0 win with the clean sheet than if you have scored one goal but you concede two,” the Belgian international told Arsenal TV Online.

“Maybe for some people they are not happy to hear that, but for me the most important thing is to defend and to defend as a team as well, and then we will get further as a team.

“If we defend first then we can win games. After that we will see.”

Arsenal lost striker Robin van Persie to an ankle problem at Ewood Park, but hope the Holland striker – who missed six months of the last campaign through injury – will only be sidelined for a couple of weeks.

Winger Samir Nasri could make a quicker-than-expected return from his minor knee operation, perhaps even in time to face Bolton on September 11.

However, it remains to be seen when Denmark forward Nicklas Bendtner will fully recover from his niggling groin problem, which has sidelined him since the World Cup.

Wigan earned a shock 1-0 Premier League win at Tottenham on Saturday, while Chelsea beat Stoke 2-0 to maintain their 100% start to the season.

Arsenal won 2-1 at Blackburn in the early kick-off, while it was honours even at Bloomfield Road and Molineux – Blackpool and Fulham drew 2-2, and it was 1-1 between Wolves and Newcastle.

At White Hart Lane, Spurs suffered from a Champions League hangover as they went down to a surprise loss to Roberto Martinez’s Latics.

Visiting centre-half Steve Gohouri smashed the ball against the crossbar early on from Mauro Boselli’s knockdown but Jermain Defoe forced a wonderful save from Ali Al Habsi in a rare attack from lacklustre Spurs.

Wigan squandered two clear chances, Antolin Alcaraz somehow firing over from two yards and Jordi Gomez also too high with an effort while stretching.

But Hugo Rodallega (80) finally found the net, controlling Mohamed Diame’s raking long ball before his cross-shot bobbled beneath Carlo Cudicini’s dive. Tom Huddlestone was then narrowly off target before Younes Kaboul missed a glorious late chance for Spurs, heading wide of an open goal.

At Stamford Bridge, Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen saved Frank Lampard’s feeble penalty after Ryan Shawcross had crudely brought down Didier Drogba, but Florent Malouda raced onto John Terry’s nicely weighted through-ball to sweep his side into the lead with a fine first-time finish past the Dane (35), and Ashley Cole hit the crossbar shortly afterwards.

Stoke almost levelled when Glenn Whelan’s long-range rocket also rebounded off the bar but Drogba converted a second penalty (77) after being tripped by Sorensen.

At a rain-lashed Ewood Park, Andrey Arshavin’s 51st-minute strike ensured Arsene Wenger emerged unscathed from another all-action battle with Blackburn.

Arshavin stroked the ball home after a Cesc Fabregas effort was blocked in the box and the visitors went on to prove themselves full value for their victory.

Theo Walcott had rammed home the Gunners’ opener after cutting in from the right flank in the 19th minute before Mame Diouf equalised seven minutes later.

Walcott had another strike disallowed for offside and substitute Jack Wilshere missed an injury-time sitter as the Gunners sought to extend their lead.

Blackpool and Fulham shared the spoils as top-flight football made a thrilling return to Bloomfield Road.

Bobby Zamora took his chance to impress watching England manager Fabio Capello when he benefited from a marginal onside call to head in Moussa Dembele’s cross (35).

Blackpool, though, were gifted a leveller when Stockdale could only parry Luke Varney’s cross-shot and John Pantsil swiped the loose ball wildly into his own goal (71) and Varney put the Tangerines ahead five minutes later with a well-taken goal, racing onto Brett Ormerod’s defence-splitting through-ball and finishing first time.

But Dembele was again the provider as the visitors levelled three minutes from time, Dickson Etuhu galloping onto his pass to clip a superb finish over the head of Matt Gilks.

Blackpool’s fellow Premier League newcomers Newcastle also earned a draw after coming from a goal down at Wolves.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake earned Wolves the lead two minutes before the interval when he brought down Jelle van Damme’s cross and lashed a low finish inside Steve Harper’s near post.

But in-form Andy Carroll levelled when he rose above team-mate Kevin Nolan to head Barton’s free-kick against the inside of the post and into the net (62).

Former Italy defender Christian Panucci has decided to hang up his boots after twice winning the UEFA Champions League

The 37-year-old, who spent time on loan at Chelsea during a sparkling career, made his first Azzurri appearance in 1994 and notched up 57 caps before retiring from the international arena two years ago.

The versatile stopper established himself at AC Milan, winning Serie A titles in 1993-94, when he also enjoyed Champions League success, and 1995-96.

Panucci also achieved European glory with Real Madrid in 1997-98, a triumph he rates as the highest point of his career.

“The biggest achievement in my career was winning the Champions League with Real Madrid as no other Italian player had ever done it,” Panucci told UEFA’s official website.

Panucci played 88 league games for Real over his three-year stay at the Bernabeu, helping them to the Primera Liga title on his debut season with the club.

The Italian began his career at Genoa, and also spent time with Inter Milan and AS Monaco, as well as a loan stint at Stamford Bridge in 2000.

A successful eight-season spell with Roma saw the stopper win the Coppa Italia twice, before concluding his club career at Parma last term having made 17 appearances for the Ducali.

On the international stage, Panucci featured in the Italy squads that won the European Under-21 title in 1994 and 1996, and also appeared at the 2002 World Cup and the 2004 and 2008 European Championships.

Roberto Martinez will not waste any energy on wondering if he has a future at Wigan despite his side’s 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea.

The Latics suffered the heaviest home defeat in their history in being thumped by a Chelsea side who have started the defence of their Premier League title with successive 6-0 victories.

In their last five league games overall they have scored 29 goals, which also includes an 8-0 romp over Wigan at Stamford Bridge on the final day of last season.

After last Saturday’s humiliating 4-0 home loss to Blackpool, these are dark days for Martinez, and it is now a question of how much patience owner Dave Whelan has in the Spaniard.

“The chairman is a passionate man, he loves football and he wants the best for Wigan Athletic,” said Martinez.

“He knows the situation we’re in, and he couldn’t be any more supportive.”

Asked specifically if he feared for his job, Martinez added: “I can’t waste any energy or time worrying about that.

“I need to worry about how to get the team to perform for 90 minutes because it’s a young side that is capable of the best, and we have to build on that, and that is my focus and concentration.

“I’ve huge belief in this group of players. I know we’re going to get the results from the potential we showed in the first half.

“We’re working towards the aim of staying in the Premier League and that’s the focus.”

Wigan’s first-half performance was in stark contrast to the display against Blackpool as there was energy, enthusiasm and endeavour.

But they still went into the break a goal down courtesy of a tap in from Florent Malouda after Chris Kirkland had superbly saved a Frank Lampard effort.

After the break, two quick goals from Nicolas Anelka sealed a win that was underlined in the final 11 minutes with a brace from Salomon Kalou and one for Yossi Benayoun.

“I’m feeling low for the players because they didn’t deserve that,” said Martinez.

“Today was a big day for us because we needed a response after what happened on Saturday, and we had that in the first half.

“I was as proud as I can be of the efforts of the players and the way we played.

“But in the second half we need to learn not to be that naive and when the third goal went in, in a way we accepted the game was finished.

“The result was very hurtful, and we have to stop allowing them to happen.

“We have to build on the first half because when you are better than Chelsea in every single department, it shows you the quality and potential of the squad.”

After opening the season with their thrashing of West Brom, and on the back of this rout, there is currently no stopping Chelsea.

“We have started well this season, scoring a lot of goals, playing good football,” said Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.

“But the first half was tough. Wigan played good football, put pressure on us, and we were not able to play our football as there was no space.

“But we defended well, didn’t give them opportunities and we waited to score, which is important because in football you have to defend and attack.

“It’s impossible to have total control of the game with possession, sometimes you have to defend, and in the first half we defended very well.

“Maybe they spent a lot of energy in the first half because in the second it was easier for us as we had more opportunities to score.”

Explaining why he feels teams fold against his side, Ancelotti added: “We have a lot of skills.

“Our best quality is we are able to counter attack fantastically well, strike fast and with ability.

“When we have space it is difficult for the opponent to control us.

“But it is impossible to think we have to score six goals in a game all the time because this is not real football, this is PlayStation football.”