Chelsea Football Club

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Jose Mourinho

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42440

Scolari: Spirit not a problem

13 Jan 2009 - 16:19:58

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Chelsea head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has dismissed rumours of a dressing room split at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues having won only one of their last six games.

Scolari has come under fire for his recent team selections and tactics, with morning press reports suggesting that Nicolas Anelka refused to play on the left side of midfield in the 3-0 loss at Manchester United.

However, Scolari told reporters: "I think I have the squad behind me. We are all in the same boat. If Chelsea lose a game it is not only Scolari, it is the Chelsea team.

"There is not a problem with the spirit. It is a problem of mistakes not spirit.

"What has happened is a lesson for us. It is a problem because we give chances for all teams to score goals from set-plays.

"What has happened in the last three or four games has not been good.

"We have done well in 25 games and not well in five. I need to change something. I have changed the system to zonal and not man-to-man.

"The responsibility now is for the group and not one man, but if we talk about the mistakes all the time, maybe we make more mistakes.

"Mentally it is a problem. We lost many points from set-plays and mistakes. Now is the time to talk with the players about what is happening.

"All the players know what I want from set-plays. Sometimes mistakes happen, but my team, in the last four games, we have conceded five goals. It is more my mistake than the players' because it is my system.

"I tried to do zonal marking, but changed it back to man-to-man sometimes, now we change the system again.

"I am responsible for us conceding the last two goals against Manchester United because I tried to change the result in the second half.

"I opened the midfield. I was wrong but this is my style."