LONDON: Luiz Felipe Scolari's position has been strengthened after back-to-back wins but the Chelsea manager knows his future will once again be under the spotlight if his side falter against Ipswich this weekend.
On paper, the visit of the mid-ranking Championship team to Stamford Bridge should guarantee Scolari's side easy passage into the FA Cup fifth round. But Chelsea's season has so far been anything but routine and having lost their air of impregnability at home, the game suddenly carries far more significance than it would have done just a few weeks ago.
Scolari approached last weekend's league clash with struggling Stoke apparently battling to save his job after Chelsea had been humiliated by Manchester United and then required a replay to scrape past League One Southend United in the last round of the cup.
And with growing reports of player unrest - particularly in the case of Didier Drogba who was omitted from the squad and has this week been linked with a 15-million-pound move to Manchester City - the manager appeared to be losing his grip.
With Chelsea trailing against Tony Pulis' Stoke side with just three minutes to go, the odds on the Brazilian still being in charge for the visit of Ipswich had lengthened dramatically. A stirring finale, however, capped by a superb goal in added time from Frank Lampard transformed the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and suddenly the talk at the club has been all about spirit and pulling together.
The reaction of the Chelsea players in mobbing the manager after Lampard's strike was an attempt to downplay reports of disunity in the camp. That upbeat mood will be shattered if Chelsea falter again and Scolari will take no chances in a clash that could consolidate his standing - for now, at least.
Nicolas Anelka, though, believes the Stoke win is a turning point in the club's season and could relaunch their bid for league and cup glory. "Against Stoke, we scored two goals in a short space of time to claim the victory," said the striker. "Winning after adversity is always positive. It proves that what goes around comes back around. This game can boost our confidence regarding our title chances. Manchester United are top. The Reds are hard to beat, they are really brilliant. But it's still possible."
Anelka's goals have been crucial to Chelsea's fortunes this season and the Frenchman insists he is ready to end his recent barren spell. "Okay, I haven't scored in the Premier League lately," he added. "But I scored in the FA Cup. Besides, I was played on the right wing in some games. I scored goals in the past. What I want to do is win titles. Happy days if I can finish top scorer, but it's secondary."
Drogba has been included in the squad for the match but could start on the bench, leaving Anelka to lead the attack. Scolari's hope that John Terry would be fit to return after a back problem were dashed with the centreback requiring more time to recover from an injury he suffered in the warm-up before last weekend's match against Stoke.
Ipswich's hopes of springing an upset won't been helped by the absence of German defender Moritz Volz who has a pelvic problem. But manager Jim Magilton has been lifted by a run of four unbeaten games culminating in last weekend's thrashing of Crystal Palace and is confident of springing a surprise.
Magilton said: "Saturday gives my players a chance to challenge themselves against some of the best players in the world."
Source; http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Didier_Drogba_returns_for_Chelsea/articleshow/4025178.cms
On paper, the visit of the mid-ranking Championship team to Stamford Bridge should guarantee Scolari's side easy passage into the FA Cup fifth round. But Chelsea's season has so far been anything but routine and having lost their air of impregnability at home, the game suddenly carries far more significance than it would have done just a few weeks ago.
Scolari approached last weekend's league clash with struggling Stoke apparently battling to save his job after Chelsea had been humiliated by Manchester United and then required a replay to scrape past League One Southend United in the last round of the cup.
And with growing reports of player unrest - particularly in the case of Didier Drogba who was omitted from the squad and has this week been linked with a 15-million-pound move to Manchester City - the manager appeared to be losing his grip.
With Chelsea trailing against Tony Pulis' Stoke side with just three minutes to go, the odds on the Brazilian still being in charge for the visit of Ipswich had lengthened dramatically. A stirring finale, however, capped by a superb goal in added time from Frank Lampard transformed the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge and suddenly the talk at the club has been all about spirit and pulling together.
The reaction of the Chelsea players in mobbing the manager after Lampard's strike was an attempt to downplay reports of disunity in the camp. That upbeat mood will be shattered if Chelsea falter again and Scolari will take no chances in a clash that could consolidate his standing - for now, at least.
Nicolas Anelka, though, believes the Stoke win is a turning point in the club's season and could relaunch their bid for league and cup glory. "Against Stoke, we scored two goals in a short space of time to claim the victory," said the striker. "Winning after adversity is always positive. It proves that what goes around comes back around. This game can boost our confidence regarding our title chances. Manchester United are top. The Reds are hard to beat, they are really brilliant. But it's still possible."
Anelka's goals have been crucial to Chelsea's fortunes this season and the Frenchman insists he is ready to end his recent barren spell. "Okay, I haven't scored in the Premier League lately," he added. "But I scored in the FA Cup. Besides, I was played on the right wing in some games. I scored goals in the past. What I want to do is win titles. Happy days if I can finish top scorer, but it's secondary."
Drogba has been included in the squad for the match but could start on the bench, leaving Anelka to lead the attack. Scolari's hope that John Terry would be fit to return after a back problem were dashed with the centreback requiring more time to recover from an injury he suffered in the warm-up before last weekend's match against Stoke.
Ipswich's hopes of springing an upset won't been helped by the absence of German defender Moritz Volz who has a pelvic problem. But manager Jim Magilton has been lifted by a run of four unbeaten games culminating in last weekend's thrashing of Crystal Palace and is confident of springing a surprise.
Magilton said: "Saturday gives my players a chance to challenge themselves against some of the best players in the world."
Source; http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Didier_Drogba_returns_for_Chelsea/articleshow/4025178.cms
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