LINK

Luiz Felipe Scolari read the riot act to his under-performing Chelsea players during

a stormy meeting at the club’s training ground yesterday.

Sportsmail can reveal that a full-scale slanging match developed between some of the club’s star names during the 45-minute meeting after Scolari had asked his squad to air their grievances.

According to sources, ‘it all went off’ as players had a full and frank exchange of opinions in an attempt to rediscover the team spirit at Stamford Bridge that was so successful under Jose Mourinho.

The manager called the squad together for the impromptu session, held in the auditorium usually used for press conferences at the club’s Cobham training ground, to thrash out problems that have recently surfaced on and off the field.

Amid remarkable scenes, there was dressing-room fury with Didier Drogba as well as an inquest into tactics, morale and results.

Scolari passionately stressed the importance of team spirit and he still has the players on his side as he attempts to win the Barclays Premier League and lift the European Cup in his first season in English football.

But key players singled out Drogba after he went public with his criticism of and Scolari’s decision to keep him on the bench when the striker returned from his ban for throwing a coin at Burnley fans during the Carling Cup defeat.

Drogba, who is likely to be fined by the club for his latest outburst, claimed Chelsea did nothing for him when his grandmother died in June, but one member of the squad told him he was ‘talking ********’ because Chelsea hired a ‘private jet to fly him to the Ivory Coast’.

Many squad members believe Drogba is one of the main causes of dressing room disharmony at the club and would prefer him to be sold in the January transfer window. Scolari and his coaching staff decided to address several issues following the disappointing 2-2 draw with Fulham on Sunday.

And, when the players returned to duty after Monday’s day off, the meeting quickly turned into a heated row.

‘Before we went to training, we had a good team meeting,’ said the boss.

‘Since Sunday I have had the chance to watch again the Fulham game and today with my players, we talked about all of that game before going out for a good training session.’

Although the Brazilian as admitted it has taken time for him to adjust to living and

working in a new country, he has not been helped by the attitude of some players.

Despite second-placed Chelsea’s healthy League position, there are fears among

certain players that the Stamford Bridge success story is in danger of being undermined by dressing-room strife.

Scolari is under huge pressure to deliver silverware, given the failure on all fronts of

his predecessor Avram Grant last season, but the hierarchy insist they are ‘100 per cent’ behind him.

From the beginning, Scolari has tried to foster a fatherly relationship with his players and has maintained an open door policy.

The club confirmed last night that the team meeting took place but insisted that Scolari’s position is not under threat. Chief executive Peter Kenyon believes the manager is being destabilised by certain individuals agitating for a move, but he is not prepared to sell them next month.

Drogba would have been sold last summer but no one was prepared to match the £30million valuation.

The season began badly for him when he was sidelined with a knee injury. The first hint of problems with Scolari emerged when the striker wanted to return to France for treatment but the manager insisted that he should complete his rehabilitation under

the supervision of staff at Cobham.

Scolari now turns his attention to Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to League One Southend.

Brazilian defender Alex and winger Florent Malouda, both hamstring injury victims at Fulham, are doubtful.

There's nothing wrong with a full and honest exchange of views. Better that than simmering unrest.

What's really sickening is that there's someone in the camp who thinks it's OK to go running to the Daily Mail.

I missed the latest 'outburst' from Drogba - I'll google for it.

Here it is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...l-Football.html

Nothing too controversial TBH. Typical interview with a French journo that the press seize on. He's a pretty odd guy - definitely hard to handle - and he goes through major emotional lows, as his autobiog makes clear.

"This summer, I didn't have a head for football anymore. I had completely lost my fire," said Drogba.

"I didn't want to hear talk of objectives or ambition anymore. I felt completely extinguished.

"For the first time in my career, I lost my passion for football. I was lost.

"Last season could have been terrific and spectacular, in the end it was just a good season which left quite a few regrets."

"The hardest thing I had to endure this year wasn't football related. The death of my grandmother completely struck me down, more than anything else.

"I was very, very close to her and it really made me suffer. I had the feeling that all my childhood memories were going with her. I became old suddenly.

"This made me ask a few questions to myself. I wondered what I was running after.

"I said to myself that it was pretty useless to run after results, stats or rewards.

"It's true that I didn't feel a great support. But that didn't worry me really. For a few weeks I didn't have my head tuned into football at all.

"After my injury I wasn't really in a hurry to come back. I needed a break.

"After four full years it's normal that the body – and the mind – say stop.

"I looked at my career. I was tired. But I have the conviction now that I can come back stronger. I am really hungry.

"What opened my eyes was the way some people at the club looked at me. I really felt confidence wasn't the same.

"It wasn't great to feel and I remarked that some of them didn't really believe in my capacity to come back to the highest level. But I can't be angry at them.

Drogba added: "I felt lonely when the season started in July. Everybody was obsessed with winning their place in the team.

"And I was stuck in the fitness room when the group left for a pre-season tour. I was alone with the machines.

"I didn't really have anyone to talk to. Every year I have been losing a close friend.

"There was Geremi, then William Gallas, then Makelele. It's a lot. I went through a big moment of loneliness."

If you read his book - it's OK but pretty clumsily translated - he makes clear that he never wanted to leave Marseille and has had itchy feet from the moment he arrived. His main motivation for staying here was to repay JM's faith in him. Now he and his few mates have moved on there's not much to keep him here apart from his contract and his friendship with Malouda. It seems like people at the club - players as well as the management -know this only too well , and DD doesn't seem to pretend otherwise. If anyone comes in for him I can see us selling him, but I haven't a clue who's out there to fill his boots.

I know some people are very close to their grandparents (although with DD having grown up in France from a young age - around 7 IIRC - he can't have had that much contact with them), but I can't think of many people requiring 'support' from their employers when they lose them, apart from time off, of course. And if the club did hire private jet for him to fly out then I'd say they did pretty well, so to state publicly there wasn't much 'support' is out of order, which is why there was a slanging match.

Edited December 31, 200816 yr by Backbiter

There's nothing wrong with a full and honest exchange of views. Better that than simmering unrest.

What's really sickening is that there's someone in the camp who thinks it's OK to go running to the Daily Mail.

I missed the latest 'outburst' from Drogba - I'll google for it.

Here it is:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...l-Football.html

Nothing too controversial TBH. Typical interview with a French journo that the press seize on. He's a pretty odd guy - definitely hard to handle - and he goes through major emotional lows, as his autobiog makes clear.

If you read his book - it's OK but pretty clumsily translated - he makes clear that he never wanted to leave Marseille and has had itchy feet from the moment he arrived. His main motivation for staying here was to repay JM's faith in him. Now he and his few mates have moved on there's not much to keep him here apart from his contract and his friendship with Malouda. It seems like people at the club - players as well as the management -know this only too well , and DD doesn't seem to pretend otherwise. If anyone comes in for him I can see us selling him, but I haven't a clue who's out there to fill his boots.

I know some people are very close to their grandparents (although with DD having grown up in France from a young age - around 7 IIRC - he can't have had that much contact with them), but I can't think of many people requiring 'support' from their employers when they lose them, apart from time off, of course. And if the club did hire private jet for him to fly out then I'd say they did pretty well, so to state publicly there wasn't much 'support' is out of order, which is why there was a slanging match.

Scolari has lost the plot. He has poor support from his players and is tactically inept. He may have 27 years' of coaching experience that culminated in lifting the 2002 World Cup with Brazil but the Premiership is a different animal altogether. You have to deliver consistency, cohesion & team spirit in more than 50 games if you include Cup ties & Champion's League. Now, he is publicly criticising Cech & received an outburst from Drogs.

Scolari has no European club experience in his resume ever, with his most famous clubs barely known by us _ Jublio Iwata, Gremio, Palmeiras etc.

Unlike the No.1 who coached Porto to great success, Chelsea to its elevated heights and now Inter.

I know it is bad to keep changing the gaffer after every season because the best would not be tempted to join us as a stop-gap measure.

For my critics, know why we - octville & co - are unhappy despite being 2nd in the league, qualified for the ko stages of CL.

We have too many chances to regain the top spot n we blew it. We lost pathetically in Rome against a team not even in the top 4 of Serie A this season and we

suffered humiliation in the cup tie by a non-Premiership team. We lost our proud home record not once but twice against our greatest rivals- Arsenal & Liverpool

and we have not beaten any of the top 5 teams, Villa included. My blood boils when I look back at the 1-1 Newcastle draw, 0-0 at Goodison Park & 2-2 at Fulham. We have lost 9 points in the last 7 games.

In fact, based on last 8 games, we have dropped into 6th place, behind Villa, Manure, Wigan, Scouser & their neighbour

http://stats.football365.co.uk/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

I think I am stupid if I call for his replacement so soon. But I am No.1 Anti-Big Phil as our Gaffer & I do not think he will win us anything.

Ok...let's give him a little more time. Get Ben Harfa, Benzema or anyone else... mark my word... we will still win nothing

I'd love to work for SunSport or SportMail or any other tabloid... you can say what you like and its treated as fact.

A "full-scale slanging match" - okay, if you say so.

no problem with players and management airing there grievances at each other, it can only be good

its all aimed at drogba and he's the bad guy again, the report will hardly do him any good, and it will do him less good if there is any truth in it, drogba as been un-happy at the bridge for a long time, and has made it quite clear (allegedly) on a number of occasions

if there is an ounce of truth in the report, and scolari is dissapointed with the attitude of some players, then get rid of them in january, and bring in players that have the right attitude

the last thing we need at the moment is a dis-jointed dressing room

there maybe a little bit of truth in the report somewhere and what ever it is it need sorting out asap before it starts affecting us more on the pitch

if there is an ounce of truth in the report, and scolari is dissapointed with the attitude of some players, then get rid of them in january, and bring in players that have the right attitude

I don't think anyone can argue with that point Dad

Scolari has lost the plot. He has poor support from his players and is tactically inept. He may have 27 years' of coaching experience that culminated in lifting the 2002 World Cup with Brazil but the Premiership is a different animal altogether. You have to deliver consistency, cohesion & team spirit in more than 50 games if you include Cup ties & Champion's League. Now, he is publicly criticising Cech & received an outburst from Drogs.

Scolari has no European club experience in his resume ever, with his most famous clubs barely known by us _ Jublio Iwata, Gremio, Palmeiras etc.

Unlike the No.1 who coached Porto to great success, Chelsea to its elevated heights and now Inter.

I know it is bad to keep changing the gaffer after every season because the best would not be tempted to join us as a stop-gap measure.

For my critics, know why we - octville & co - are unhappy despite being 2nd in the league, qualified for the ko stages of CL.

We have too many chances to regain the top spot n we blew it. We lost pathetically in Rome against a team not even in the top 4 of Serie A this season and we

suffered humiliation in the cup tie by a non-Premiership team. We lost our proud home record not once but twice against our greatest rivals- Arsenal & Liverpool

and we have not beaten any of the top 5 teams, Villa included. My blood boils when I look back at the 1-1 Newcastle draw, 0-0 at Goodison Park & 2-2 at Fulham. We have lost 9 points in the last 7 games.

In fact, based on last 8 games, we have dropped into 6th place, behind Villa, Manure, Wigan, Scouser & their neighbour

http://stats.football365.co.uk/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

I think I am stupid if I call for his replacement so soon. But I am No.1 Anti-Big Phil as our Gaffer & I do not think he will win us anything.

Ok...let's give him a little more time. Get Ben Harfa, Benzema or anyone else... mark my word... we will still win nothing

agree with every word... great managers dont need time.

agree with every word... great managers dont need time.

so you think a manager whos spent the last few years of his career managing portugals national team should be able to walk straight into the top echelon of the prem and manage chelsea to every title playing fantastic football?

so you think a manager whos spent the last few years of his career managing portugals national team should be able to walk straight into the top echelon of the prem and manage chelsea to every title playing fantastic football?

I don't but it does make you wonder why one of the most success demanding clubs in the world, playing in one of the most demanding leagues in the world appointed a manager with no top level domestic experience and did so for the second time in a row.

The difference between the two jobs us massive and it is ridiculous to expect Scolari to be able to drop out of one and move into the other so seamlessly.

At international level you have your players together for maybe three days every 2-3 months. You don’t really have the chance to work on anything in terms of tactics and alternative playing styles. You just do what you can to get them playing the style that you have always adopted for the international team.

At Chelsea Scolari is doing the same thing. he us trying to get us to play exactly the same way Brazil and Portugal did when he managed them and he is investing no time at all (or at least does not appear to be) trying our alternatives or working out what best suits the players he has.

If the rumours are not true and we are going to spend some money in this transfer window it will be very interesting to see what positions Scolari tries to fill as that will provide us with some insight into what he thinks is missing. The fact that you don't often get top players in January means the positions he brings in might be more telling than the personnel he does.

so you think a manager whos spent the last few years of his career managing portugals national team should be able to walk straight into the top echelon of the prem and manage chelsea to every title playing fantastic football?

Fair enough dkw. One side of me agree's with you. And i would also go to say that you have probably seen alot more football than I have. But i dont really see him as a winner to be honest.

Someone like JM commanded respect. If a player was having a problem, he would sort them out and make them an example to the rest of the team. (eg Gallas). Now we are hearing of all this dressing room tension. Thats sad to hear.

Still, this is all speculation. I mean, footballs a funny old game, and its impossible to predict the future.

But i dont really see him as a winner to be honest.

The old Dont see him as a winner line?

He's done nothing to warrant a decent job with a top team, nothing I can remember apart from some little competition he won with some foreign team

Edited December 31, 200816 yr by Chippy

The old Dont see him as a winner line?

He's done nothing to warrant a decent job with a top team, nothing I can remember apart from some little competition he won with some foreign team

but anyone can win the world cup with brazil, apparently.....

but anyone can win the world cup with brazil, apparently.....

And when Grant got a few results anyone could win with the team Mourinho left...easy this football management I wonder if its too late to do a quick course

And when Grant got a few results anyone could win with the team Mourinho left...easy this football management I wonder if its too late to do a quick course

im sure between us we could manage it, do you wanna be good cop or bad cop?

do you wanna be good cop or bad cop?

Can I play Kevin Keegan and be the cop out?

If this actually happens and the players unloaded on Drogba, then good. He needs to know that he is acting like a twat of a teammate, and I really think, in the special world called Didi-land in his brain, he doesnt get it. Just like its said here, airing out these greivances can only be a good thing because now the players know where they stand and we exorcise the tension in one sitting. I hope that Scolari took some heat for his terrible substitutions, too.

If that is why Didier is so moody, then I am sorry for him, but dont try and paint the club like a villan when they clearly offered support for you.

so you think a manager whos spent the last few years of his career managing portugals national team should be able to walk straight into the top echelon of the prem and manage chelsea to every title playing fantastic football?

Naturally, DKW! In case you dont remember 2004 those grow on trees and are readily availabe for signing bonuses of several million pounds

Scolari has lost the plot. He has poor support from his players and is tactically inept. He may have 27 years' of coaching experience that culminated in lifting the 2002 World Cup with Brazil but the Premiership is a different animal altogether. You have to deliver consistency, cohesion & team spirit in more than 50 games if you include Cup ties & Champion's League. Now, he is publicly criticising Cech & received an outburst from Drogs.

Scolari has no European club experience in his resume ever, with his most famous clubs barely known by us _ Jublio Iwata, Gremio, Palmeiras etc.

Unlike the No.1 who coached Porto to great success, Chelsea to its elevated heights and now Inter.

I know it is bad to keep changing the gaffer after every season because the best would not be tempted to join us as a stop-gap measure.

For my critics, know why we - octville & co - are unhappy despite being 2nd in the league, qualified for the ko stages of CL.

We have too many chances to regain the top spot n we blew it. We lost pathetically in Rome against a team not even in the top 4 of Serie A this season and we

suffered humiliation in the cup tie by a non-Premiership team. We lost our proud home record not once but twice against our greatest rivals- Arsenal & Liverpool

and we have not beaten any of the top 5 teams, Villa included. My blood boils when I look back at the 1-1 Newcastle draw, 0-0 at Goodison Park & 2-2 at Fulham. We have lost 9 points in the last 7 games.

In fact, based on last 8 games, we have dropped into 6th place, behind Villa, Manure, Wigan, Scouser & their neighbour

http://stats.football365.co.uk/dom/ENG/PR/oform.html

I think I am stupid if I call for his replacement so soon. But I am No.1 Anti-Big Phil as our Gaffer & I do not think he will win us anything.

Ok...let's give him a little more time. Get Ben Harfa, Benzema or anyone else... mark my word... we will still win nothing

I really try not to rise to the occasion with you, but after the first paragraph, you talk so much garbage.

-Just because Gremio and Palmeiras are in Brazil, it DOESNT make them unfamous. Anyone familiar with football knows both of these are powehouses of the Brazilian league. Thats like saying Boca Juniors is less famous than Boavista becuase one is in Europe and one isnt. I know which one I would rather get my manager from.

-We have blown several chances to lead the prem in several weeks now, after giving up the lead a few months ago. But in case you havent noticed, Man Utd and Liverpool have done the exact same thing, dropping points at the same time. Liverpool had a chance to open up a three point lead weeks ago and they failed to take it, drawing games with lesser opposition. But they dont care becuase they have some perspective looking at where they are in the table.

-9 points dropped in 7 games and yet we are still one win from top of the league. Every team goes through a bad spot and if we have to suffer one im glad its now while we are still close in the league.

-We have dropped plenty of points to sides like Fulham under Jose, as well as been kicked out of several cups by championship sides or worse. That is on the manager and the players for not taking every opponent as a serious one. It happened under Jose, under Scolari, and will happen in future. And with a squad so small, I am glad we are out of the league cup.

-We did beat Villa. We easily crushed them as you might remember. Which is all the more impressive given that they are one of the more mentally tough teams in England now.

-If we get Ben Arfa and, by some miracle, Benzema, you really still believe we will win nothing? Quality in the final third of the pitch is what we are lacking Octville. Goal scoring. Invention. Anyone who watches a match for five minutes can see that. How else can we dominate games like Fulham, get a billion chances, and still walk away with one point from a team that had two chances and took them both? They werent wasteful, we were. The number of times Didier or Anelka sliced a ball wide, or Joe Cole shot at the keeper I cannot count. Scolari doesnt take the shots for this team, all he can do is give us the arrangement to get the most chances to win teh game. He did that on Sunday. They players didnt hold up their end of the bargain.

I want a winger who can actually beat fullbacks with skill, and another one with some pace to outrun them and a little bit of control, like an SWP with sense. Sell Malouda because he will never be a success here. After we have a team that is capabale of executing what Scolari wants to do, then I will judge him. If not, he needs to change

Edited December 31, 200816 yr by TheWestwayWonder

I.m glad you rose to the occasion this tim WW, saved me a bit of typing...

Interesting how like me you see all the teams are having a bit of trouble, I think if it was UTD out in front people wouldn't be so quick to blame the manager but being as it's the Ratmunchers it is infinately more painful.

UTD again took a long time to break down Boro the other night and 1-0 at home against a bottom four team would have been Scolaris fault if it was all we could muster,

UTD like us on a lot of occasions had chance after chance but couldn't get the ball in the net, if one of the few chances Boro had had have gone in or the early penalty shout given they could have come unstuck...like I said before the also rans are learning to grind out results against the big teams and it's only when any of the top four get an early goal to force things that a decent sized victory results.

Liverpool made it worse the other day (or Newcastle did) but they are really up for it and having something to prove is pulling the players together while things like the Drogba remarks are pushing our players apart,

I'm content to be 3 points behind them at this stage and would actually rather be chasing them than UTD as UTD have been there many times and nerves at the end will not be an issue...

I.m glad you rose to the occasion this tim WW, saved me a bit of typing...

Interesting how like me you see all the teams are having a bit of trouble, I think if it was UTD out in front people wouldn't be so quick to blame the manager but being as it's the Ratmunchers it is infinately more painful.

UTD again took a long time to break down Boro the other night and 1-0 at home against a bottom four team would have been Scolaris fault if it was all we could muster,

UTD like us on a lot of occasions had chance after chance but couldn't get the ball in the net, if one of the few chances Boro had had have gone in or the early penalty shout given they could have come unstuck...like I said before the also rans are learning to grind out results against the big teams and it's only when any of the top four get an early goal to force things that a decent sized victory results.

Liverpool made it worse the other day (or Newcastle did) but they are really up for it and having something to prove is pulling the players together while things like the Drogba remarks are pushing our players apart,

I'm content to be 3 points behind them at this stage and would actually rather be chasing them than UTD as UTD have been there many times and nerves at the end will not be an issue...

You're exactly right Chippy. Scolari clearly hasnt yet gotten the measure of the league yet. But on Sunday he did what people said he could not do: he went into the dressing room, and came out with a team that reversed the course of the game and went 1 up after being 1 down. He gave us all the chances to win and the supposed professionals out there didnt have the smarts to put a man on the back post in the 90th minute.

Its become fashionable to blame Scolari, and while he has done some things wrong, the problems run way deeper. But like you say, we are still right there. Man United can pull ahead of us with the games in hand, but hopefully by the time they make them up, we will have some kind of lead back. But right now they are having to grind out play and get the 1-0 results that we know they are capable of. Same as us since October, but since Scolari isnt a 22 year veteran of this league with a glittering trophy cabinet to back him up, somehow that is less acceptable.

We are never going to win anything if we sack managers who are still learning their way aroudn the league, just because they arent instant hits like Jose. Mourinho has really spoiled this club and ruined the chances for alot of managers to have a fair shake. Imagine Scolari coming in after Claudio. People would be overwrought with praise.

And I too think it will be United we have to face down in the end. This Ger 'National Traitor' rard situation, plus this supposed Mascherano nonsense adds up to a serious rocking of the boat at a time when they need stability and confidence. Meanwhile, Sir Red Nose and co. have just won the club world cup, and with their games in hand could be in second, a point off the pace. That after a poor start. Rafa will probably have a nervous breakdown thinking about the fact that, even with all the cheap results they nicked and three points they undeservedly walked away with, it still wasnt good enough to build a clear cut lead at the top. Im not sure Scolari will put the fear of death into them, but im sure the Scot nutter will

Edited December 31, 200816 yr by TheWestwayWonder

I'd love to work for SunSport or SportMail or any other tabloid... you can say what you like and its treated as fact.

Now now Gem I don't believe that for a minute...

At least 9 people have been killed in a shoot-out between the Chelsea first team squad and their own

management team during a routine canasta tournament at the Chelsea training ground.

ShedEndMail can reveal that the many of players belonged to a secret Premiership gang that

was planning to take the world canasta championships by storm and were angry when manager

Scolari and assistant Ray Wilkins insisted they return to circuit training.

The players, some armed with rifles adapted to hold grenade launchers, started firing

indiscriminately after Scolari kicked over the card table. Captain John Terry was leading

the assault, he is reported to have been holding all the red threes at the time and was

particularly annoyed at missing out on his 1,200 point bonus.

At least 5 team members died along with 3 members of the management team and

the man who delivered Drogba's dry cleaning.

"When they found out the game was done...they went berserk," our insider said.

"They let off thousands of rounds and deliberately aimed at a large drum of owner

Abramovich's extremely flammable oil which was being stored at the training ground before

it was transported to an oil well in central Africa where it would have saved thousands of lives."

Scolari is rumoured to be delighted at the loss of 5 of his first team as it means he will now

be provided with the necessary funds to bring in Nuno Gomes.

Police are investigating.

so you think a manager whos spent the last few years of his career managing portugals national team should be able to walk straight into the top echelon of the prem and manage chelsea to every title playing fantastic football?

That's NOT the point. The POINT is that a GOOD manager should be winning the points that MATTERS!

It is ok to lose to Arsenal, Liverpool or Manure BUT NOT AT HOME! ( A draw is forgiven).

It is bad when you cannot beat the sh*t out of Newcastle who just lost 1-5 at home to the Scouser, struggled against West Ham whom we almost lost with a last min gasp by former Chelsea boy Carlton Cole & fail to beat Fulham with a minute left on their 1st corner of the night.

Without Lamps, Chelsea looks like an about 100-ranked FIFA national team when taking corners. If ladbrokes have an odd that Chelsea will score within 8 corners, I will lay the bet.

Look at Roy Hodgson.

I quote Wikipedia,

"Hodgson is probably best known for guiding the Swiss national team to the 1994 World Cup and Euro 1996; before that Switzerland had not qualified for a major tournament since the 1960s. He has also coached many notable club sides, including Malmö FF, Internazionale, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshoppers, F.C. Copenhagen and Udinese. He was appointed to his current role at Fulham in December 2007."

This man has European club football at probably UEFA level.

But take a look at his achievement even without comparable resources.

Sat Aug 16 2008 Hull City (A) 1 - 2

Sat Aug 23 2008 Arsenal (H) 1 - 0 Yes, beat Arsenal at home !

Wed Aug 27 2008 Leicester City CC (H) 3 - 2

Sat Sep 13 2008 Bolton Wanderers (H) 2 - 1

Sat Sep 20 2008 Blackburn Rovers (A) 0 - 1

Tue Sep 23 2008 Burnley CC (A) 0 - 1

Sat Sep 27 2008 West Ham United (H) 1 - 2

Sat Oct 04 2008 West Bromwich Albion (A) 0 - 1

Sat Oct 18 2008 Sunderland (H) 0 - 0

Sun Oct 26 2008 Portsmouth (A) 1 - 1

Wed Oct 29 2008 Wigan Athletic (H) 2 - 0

Sat Nov 01 2008 Everton (A) 0 - 1

Sun Nov 09 2008 Newcastle United (H) 2 - 1

Sat Nov 15 2008 Tottenham Hotspur (H) 2 - 1

Sat Nov 22 2008 Liverpool (A) 0 - 0 Drew Scouser at Anfield !

Sat Nov 29 2008 Aston Villa (A) 0 - 0

Sat Dec 06 2008 Manchester City (H) 1 - 1

Sat Dec 13 2008 Stoke City (A) 0 - 0

Sat Dec 20 2008 Middlesbrough (H) 3 - 0

Fri Dec 26 2008 Tottenham Hotspur (A) 0 - 0

Sun Dec 28 2008 Chelsea (H) 2 - 2Drew Chelsea at home!

And they have never suffered more than a 1-goal margin defeat. Fulham has internationals like Schwarzer, Aaron Hughes,Seol Ki-Hyeon & Simon Davies.

But they are not among the most sort after players including 1.5 mil quid US international Clint Dempsey.

Scolari has resources which Wenger would envy, yet he underperformed.

It is an enigma to me why Chelsea took Scolari. It was a gamble on a man who did not even manage Portuguese SuperLiga.

We need someone who knows european club football intimately, including its nuances & playing cards that can turn around a game.

At 0-1 in Craven Cottage, if not for the heroics of Lamps, I doubt Scolari has plan B.

Speaking about ineptness, would someone tell Deco to shut up

http://www.4thegame.com/club/chelsea-fc/ne..._champions.html

He is one of the reason why we have not done well & he better up his ante if he hopes to stay at Chelsea

Now now Gem I don't believe that for a minute...

At least 9 people have been killed in a shoot-out between the Chelsea first team squad and their own

management team during a routine canasta tournament at the Chelsea training ground.

ShedEndMail can reveal that the many of players belonged to a secret Premiership gang that

was planning to take the world canasta championships by storm and were angry when manager

Scolari and assistant Ray Wilkins insisted they return to circuit training.

The players, some armed with rifles adapted to hold grenade launchers, started firing

indiscriminately after Scolari kicked over the card table. Captain John Terry was leading

the assault, he is reported to have been holding all the red threes at the time and was

particularly annoyed at missing out on his 1,200 point bonus.

At least 5 team members died along with 3 members of the management team and

the man who delivered Drogba's dry cleaning.

"When they found out the game was done...they went berserk," our insider said.

"They let off thousands of rounds and deliberately aimed at a large drum of owner

Abramovich's extremely flammable oil which was being stored at the training ground before

it was transported to an oil well in central Africa where it would have saved thousands of lives."

Scolari is rumoured to be delighted at the loss of 5 of his first team as it means he will now

be provided with the necessary funds to bring in Nuno Gomes.

Police are investigating.

How about this one.

In an astonishing act of madness, Drogba took possession of the ball in midfield, dribbled past his team-mates, Terry & Carvalho, before putting the ball in his own net to give Manchester United the lead at Old Trafford. Referee Halsey hesitated for a moment as he searched his mind for the correct application of FIFA rules on sports manipulation before brandishing the red card.

Total chaos preceded as Mikel & Deco ran forward to question Drogba, while physical skirmishes were seen between Chelsea own players as they took sides.

Scolari was immediately unavailable to mediate as he made a quick disappearance into the changing room.

Chelsea could be in further trouble as the management and players skipped the post-match conference which may warrant a fine.

Unknown sources quoted in Russia claimed that Scolari has been handsomely rewarded & fired from the managerial post. It further added that Roman is preparing a

new kitty of around 300 million pounds to change the current squad despite the financial crisis. ITAR-TASS News Agency carried a report in its headlines today claiming

that Roman was able to recoup some funds from his portfolio in emerging market bond & mortgage backed securities to the tune of US$2 billion but the source remained unconfirmed.

It appears that Drogba has seen the end of his illustrious Chelsea career with a move likely to Inter. Deco is reported to be interested in playing for Scolari who is now linked to Kuwait's league leader Al-Qadissiyah. Florent Malouda, Salmon Kalou and Mineiro have also expressed their interest in finishing their career with Scolari.

Roman has not been seen in any Chelsea match since last December. It remains a question if the billionaire's interest over the club has waned over the years after the failure to win the Champion's league final at his turf.

Wow. I have had internet access now for well over a year, and in that time I have seen a lot. But every now and then I am still surprised. This is one of those times.

We have a manager who has won the world cup, and took his first opportunity to manage a European club six months ago. In 20 games, he has us three points off the pace, with 31 more goals scored than conceded, and has got some of the players we had left for dead in the past playing better than ever.

And on the basis of two flukey bloody results, Octville would rather have Roy f**king Hodgson.

Octville, I always thought you got a lot of unfair criticism on this site, but this one really takes the cake. You point to two results that Fulham, a side most agree are inferior to Liverpool or Arsenal, to imply that he is better than Scolari. You forget to enter into evidence the fact that Roy "Brian Clough" Hodgson, for all his managerial genius, hasnt produced a win on the road. In nine outings. How is that better than the manager we have, again?

Or are you just talking nonsense and posting garbage to live up to a stereotype people already have about you?

Wow. I have had internet access now for well over a year, and in that time I have seen a lot. But every now and then I am still surprised. This is one of those times.

We have a manager who has won the world cup, and took his first opportunity to manage a European club six months ago. In 20 games, he has us three points off the pace, with 31 more goals scored than conceded, and has got some of the players we had left for dead in the past playing better than ever.

And on the basis of two flukey bloody results, Octville would rather have Roy f**king Hodgson.

Octville, I always thought you got a lot of unfair criticism on this site, but this one really takes the cake. You point to two results that Fulham, a side most agree are inferior to Liverpool or Arsenal, to imply that he is better than Scolari. You forget to enter into evidence the fact that Roy "Brian Clough" Hodgson, for all his managerial genius, hasnt produced a win on the road. In nine outings. How is that better than the manager we have, again?

Or are you just talking nonsense and posting garbage to live up to a stereotype people already have about you?

Is 3 results a fluke? If it is, then you are a fluke!

I tell you that Avram Grant could get us to 2nd. He did it already, so why did we need Scolari? Tell me who is playing better than before? Lamps, Carvalho & Drogba were there before he came. Yes, Deco.... a real fluke isn't it? Is he playing better than while at Barcelona?

You heard it about the World Cup. It's about 24 managers getting their 24 players for 2 months and play a knockout round. It is the World Cup, not the Premiership or Champion's league, which requires you to work with your players almost 24/7 for 10 months a year.

I am saying that Fulham, with less resources, got result than we didn't. Is that not a fair statement?

We didn't beat Arsenal, Liverpool, Villa and Manure, home or away. That's a fact.

Roy has an unbeaten 8-game run. I am not saying he is better than Scolari, but I am certainly saying that Chelsea should have someone who is better than Scolari.

I do not have billions nor own a club to tell you whom we should employ. But to have 2 relatively inexperienced manager at European club football at a big club like Chelsea is really unfathomable.

Grow up ! Stop your slagging. Octville has his fair share of supporters here that's why I am infamous with pple like you.

Loz who is respectably often in disagreement with me has truly earned my respect in our frequent sparring session in the past.

But I cannot claim to enjoy yours.

Is 3 results a fluke? If it is, then you are a fluke!

I tell you that Avram Grant could get us to 2nd. He did it already, so why did we need Scolari? Tell me who is playing better than before? Lamps, Carvalho & Drogba were there before he came. Yes, Deco.... a real fluke isn't it? Is he playing better than while at Barcelona?

You heard it about the World Cup. It's about 24 managers getting their 24 players for 2 months and play a knockout round. It is the World Cup, not the Premiership or Champion's league, which requires you to work with your players almost 24/7 for 10 months a year.

I am saying that Fulham, with less resources, got result than we didn't. Is that not a fair statement?

We didn't beat Arsenal, Liverpool, Villa and Manure, home or away. That's a fact.

Roy has an unbeaten 8-game run. I am not saying he is better than Scolari, but I am certainly saying that Chelsea should have someone who is better than Scolari.

I do not have billions nor own a club to tell you whom we should employ. But to have 2 relatively inexperienced manager at European club football at a big club like Chelsea is really unfathomable.

Grow up ! Stop your slagging. Octville has his fair share of supporters here that's why I am infamous with pple like you.

Loz who is respectably often in disagreement with me has truly earned my respect in our frequent sparring session in the past.

But I cannot claim to enjoy yours.

thats it, im out. anyone who starts referring to themselves in the 3rd person on an internet forum deserves nothing but ridicule. and i like the way you say we couldnt beat a newcastle that arsenal and liverpool stuffed, but totally "forgot" to mention them drawing at old trafford. i suppose that means fergusons sh*t too then.

Is 3 results a fluke? If it is, then you are a fluke!

I tell you that Avram Grant could get us to 2nd. He did it already, so why did we need Scolari? Tell me who is playing better than before? Lamps, Carvalho & Drogba were there before he came. Yes, Deco.... a real fluke isn't it? Is he playing better than while at Barcelona?

Yes, three results can be a fluke. You heard it here first. If you thought Fulham would beat those three teams you must be writing us from a gold plated computer in your house carved out of marble. Because surely you put a bet on it with your foreknowledge.

No? Oh, I guess you are just using hindsight to make your point again. Like you always are. Looking back the day after and saying "here is what we did wrong" but missing the point entirely. Thats all you do is slag this team off for why we should be better, yet where are you when things go right? Generally nowhere to be found

just like you now are with Deco. Poor Jack got banned because he slagged the guy off and wound up overstepping the rules. Here you are insinuating he is washed up, but I didnt see you lining up to slag him the first month he was here. And are you implying Lampard, Carvalho and Drogba have been inferior this year to what they were before? Two of the three HAVENT EVEN PLAYED A DOZEN GAMES YET. Good lord.

You heard it about the World Cup. It's about 24 managers getting their 24 players for 2 months and play a knockout round. It is the World Cup, not the Premiership or Champion's league, which requires you to work with your players almost 24/7 for 10 months a year.

obviously winning a domestic league requires far more time and preparation based on the number of matches. But does that mean that winning the world cup is attributable to luck or to chance now? So I guess thats why a team coached by Marcello Lippi won the last one.

Trying to trivialize that is silly. Either it was another fluke on Scolari's CV, or he actually is good at winning cup competitions. And if its the latter, I will take that for a few seasons since the CL is the trophy that is or paramount importance

Roy has an unbeaten 8-game run. I am not saying he is better than Scolari, but I am certainly saying that Chelsea should have someone who is better than Scolari

Then who is it? Dont say "Scolari isnt the best manager we could get" and then point to Roy Hodgson. Of course people are going to make that association.

Fulham are an overachieving team this year. They were barely saved from relegation last time out. Who expected them to be in the top half? Probably no one. Its not like top teams around the world were desperate to poach Daivd Moyes or Martin Jol because they were pushing for the Champions League with the likes of Everton or Spurs.

I am saying that Fulham, with less resources, got result than we didn't. Is that not a fair statement?

We didn't beat Arsenal, Liverpool, Villa and Manure, home or away. That's a fact.

Yes, that is a fact. Based on two results. Becasue they are certainly not doing better than we are overall

We have a record of 8 wins and 1 draw on the road. Are you now claiming we are going to lose at Man United, at Liverpool at the Emirates and at Villa?

And for the second time we DID BEAT ASTON VILLA. COMFORTABLY, AT HOME. Which, in my view is a bigger achievement this season than beating a listless Arsenal side who are only capable of raising their game when their opponent is a top side, and who slump to defeats against Stoke.

Grow up ! Stop your slagging. Octville has his fair share of supporters here that's why I am infamous with pple like you.

Loz who is respectably often in disagreement with me has truly earned my respect in our frequent sparring session in the past.

But I cannot claim to enjoy yours.

I have tried to be respectful to you in the past. But whenever we lose, you can be expected regularly to start a thread which blames the manager for the loss, no matter what. To be honest, I'm sick of it. I have gone from loving Scolari, to being frustrated with him, to losing my belief in him, back to defending him. But for the likes of you, one dropped point, one poor effort on the part of the team, and you want to gather a posse and hang the manager from the highest tree

Last game was clearly no exception for you. Scolari's fault, scolari's fault, scolari's fault. Its like a broken record, like Star blaming Kenyon. Except there he might actually have some traction. Because he isnt good enough or whatever. But in case you forgot, here is what happened:

-We lost the lead through poor marking

-We got a lot of chances to equalize the game, but didnt finish them, despite losing 2 players to injury in the first 20 minutes who had to replaced like for like

-We came out of the lockerroom at half time, made tactical changes, and dominated the game for the next 25 minutes with god knows how many chances

-We converted two of them and took the lead in the game

-We had a player forget to mark the back post on Fulham's first corner of the game, which they duly convert

24 shots, 8 on goal, and we got two goals. Two set pieces, and they scored both. Who is to blame for that? The manager who got here six months ago and has us second despite the injuries, or the players who havent looked the same since Jose Mourinho left. Its time people stop babying some of the millionaires on our team, and start seeing the big picture for what it is. Scolari has some blame to take. But so do alot of other people at this club. Management for not getting the creativity that is needed, the players for losing that bottle they inherited from Mourinho.