Scolari under fire – it’s not all his fault surely?

Chelsea head to League One Southend tonight for their FA Cup replay knowing that defeat would lead to a media frenzy about their club.

Winning form

Just three wins in the last eleven games in all competitions is a long way from Premier League winning form it is true, but Chelsea have qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, sit second in the Premiership and in all likelihood, after this evening, will be in the next round of the FA Cup.

I suppose it is no surprise that their manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is coming under increasing pressure considering his predecessor was sacked after finishing two points and a penalty away from winning the Premier League and Champions League double, but I still find it a little hard to believe.

Play badly

Scolari has taken the blame for Sunday’s defeat at Old Trafford squarely on his shoulders. He seems not to have noticed the abject performance that some of his so called star players put in and has taken the blame himself. Whilst there may have been tactical errors, I don’t suppose he instructed the likes of Deco, Ballack, Lampard, Carvalho and Drogba to play so badly!

The Chelsea boss told yesterday’s press conference,

“It’s more my error than the players. Now I need to change systems and start from new. We need more to work together and when it is wrong we need more togetherness.”

In relation to the dire second half performance in which they went from 1-0 down to lose 3-0 without much of a fight, Scolari said,

“I say this to the press – I opened the midfield and I am responsible for us conceding the goals because I tried to change the result. Losing 1-0, 3-0 or 5-0 is the same to me. Other coaches try to say ‘no’. I say ‘yes, I am wrong’ – this is my style. But after one victory, or two or three, we will relax and win more. We just need more attention and more togetherness.”

There are more and more press reports that Scolari has ‘lost the dressing room’. It is clear that there are some very strong characters in the Chelsea side and many commentators are suggesting that Scolari has given these players too much leeway and hasn’t exerted his authority enough.

In particular, the reports refer to a major fall out between Scolari and Nicolas Anelka after he was not selected for the Manchester United game. This is another claim that Scolari refutes completely.

“There has been no row with me. It is my choice sometimes – this or that player. I have twenty-four good players but only two centre-forwards. One is playing and not the other. Everybody thinks it is easy to play two strikers because they are good, but I try to prove to the people and for me and Chelsea, that is difficult. When one player is outside, as was Didier Drogba, he needs to play two, three or four games, and in that time I need to look at what’s happened. Afterwards I have to decide. It is my option.”

Scolari is a world cup winning coach. There are very few people in the game who can say that. He has proved himself to be a great coach, admittedly at international level and never in European club football, but a great coach none the less.

Skilfully

He has come across as an open and honest guy, possibly too open and honest, and has handled difficult press conferences very skilfully in English.

He inherited an ageing team who may possibly have had their best chance of achieving great success last season. He has been unfortunate to be without Michael Essien and he certainly hasn’t had the same Didier Drogba at his disposal that previous managers have had. Even totally reliable performers like Lampard, Carvalho, Terry and Cech have looked less assured than they have done before.

Success

This could all be down to the manager but I just can’t see it. If Scolari is given time, and the current indications are that one season might be as long as he gets, I am sure he will be a success. I hope he turns things around from the current doom and gloom that seemingly engulfs Stamford Bridge. He is a very likeable character and one who enhances the Premier League. I hope he doesn’t get driven out by the press.

A comfortable victory at Southend tonight would be a good start. Defeat at Southend is unthinkable. The knives really will be out if that happens.