Villas-Boas promises to stick to his principles

02 December 2011 01:16

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has launched a staunch defence of his footballing philosophy, insisting it is no "cancer" and that he will stay at Stamford Bridge even if the season ends in failure.

The Blues have won just one of their last seven games in all competitions and lost a League Cup quarter-final against Liverpool on Tuesday.

They also need to beat Valencia in their final Champions League group game next week if they are to be assured of a place in the last 16.

But Villas-Boas, whose side face fourth-placed Newcastle at St James' Park on Saturday, insists the season is still going according to plan.

The Portuguese boss has been criticised for his tactics, most notably his insistence on keeping a high defensive line despite a lack of mobility and pace in Chelsea's back four.

But he said: "The philosophy is not a cancer. We are not speaking about something that is wrong. We are speaking about something we like to do and we do it with pride, which is good football.

"I don't think it is at crisis point. We just have to pull ourselves together again. We can only apply ourselves to hard work and continue to believe we are going to get out of this situation.

"When does it become a crisis? At the end of the season when you are able to reflect on whether you have won trophies or not."

And on whether he believed he would stay on as manager even if Chelsea fail to win anything, he added: "Sure, sure. Because I was brought in for a three-year project."

Villas-Boas, who last season guided Porto to a trophy treble, can take solace from Chelsea playing Newcastle away from home, as their form on the road has been far better than that at Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile Alan Pardew laughed-off suggestions his Newcastle side are favourites to beat the struggling Blues.

Newcastle lead the London club by a point as they defend an eight-month unbeaten home record.

But Pardew, whose team will be without the injured Cheik Tiote and suspended Jonas Gutierrez, added: "Chelsea are a side filled with icons of the Premier League. They've had a tough spell, but they've had them before and come through.

"Their new manager is trying to put in his changes and I'm sure he'll succeed.

"Our form is very strong, and it's a game Chelsea need to win, but to make us favourites for the match isn't right."

A sell-out 52,000 crowd will pay tribute before kick-off to former Newcastle midfielder Gary Speed, the ex-Wales manager and international who took his own life last weekend, aged 42.

"We'll pay tribute to Gary in the right manner because he was a player and an individual well loved by everyone connected with the club," Pardew said.

Source: AFP