Scolari insists squad are behind him
Scolari is also to switch from man-to-man to a zonal marking system
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Tuesday, 13, Jan 2009 10:53
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari insists he has the full support of his squad as they prepare to take on Southend in the FA Cup third round replay.
There had newspaper reports that some Chelsea players were unhappy with their Brazilian coach following a poor run of form which has seen them fall four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and draw at home with League One side Southend in the FA Cup.
Scolari insists, however, that the players are united and are concentrating on improving their form, starting on Wednesday night at Roots Hall.
"I think I have the squad behind me," he said. "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. It is the game of the year for Southend and it is the same for us. We need to think the same as them.
"But if our spirit is not the same as Southend's, it will be difficult to win. If we have the same spirit and are thinking about the FA Cup, we have more chance than them.
"We have very good players who are technically better, but we need to prove it on the pitch."
Scolari also revealed that he is to abandon the man-to-man marking system he has been using in favour of a zonal system after Chelsea conceded three goals from crosses at Old Trafford on Sunday.
"In the last three or four games we lost many points by set plays, by mistakes and now is the time to talk with the players, what happened, and tomorrow not make the same mistakes," he said.
"What's happened is a lesson for us. If we are thinking and talking all the time about the mistakes, maybe we have more.
"We need to think mistakes did not happen in 25 games before, in four games now it is a reality.
"We need to change a system in set plays and tomorrow I start a new system, and maybe for another 25 games we play better.
"It is a problem because we give chances for other teams to score a goal by set plays. We are training this every day, maybe 20, 30 times, now in this moment we are wrong and we need to change. Only this."