Nicolas Anelka maintains Chelsea's season is very much still alive despite falling further behind in the Premier League title race.Blues manager Luiz Felipe Scolari accepted following the comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Manchester United - watched by former boss Jose Mourinho - that his side were not playing well enough to secure silverware of any description come May.
The Brazilian, though, has vowed to improve the performances and insists the remedy does not lie with simply bringing in new faces during the January transfer window.
Chelsea head to Southend on Wednesday night for their FA Cup third-round replay in search of a first win since Boxing Day - where defeat would provide both a massive upset and heap more pressure on Scolari.
However, Anelka, who came on as a second-half substitute at Old Trafford, insists all is not yet lost.
"The fans have been frustrated by our recent results, which is logical," he said.
"As far as the players are concerned, we have not been happy with some of our games.
"The positive point is that we are still on course for the treble.
"We understand it's going to be massively tough, but everything is possible."
United took the lead in first-half stoppage time through a far-post header from Nemanja Vidic, with goals from Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov ensuring there was no way back for Chelsea, now four points adrift of table-toppers Liverpool and only one in front of Sir Alex Ferguson's men, who have two games in hand.
Scolari accepts Chelsea - with captain John Terry available again yesterday following a three-match suspension - must recapture their defensive unity.
"Losing goals at set plays is not something we accept. We train very hard to try and stop it happening," he said.
"Set-pieces have been a problem. In the first 15 or 20 games we were fantastic. I don't know why it has changed.
"Maybe I need to change the system because something is going wrong. It is my responsibility."
Defender Ricardo Carvalho feels the players must stand up and be counted.
"We have to mark our men and this time we didn't mark our men, and goal after goal it is getting worse for us," Carvalho told Chelsea TV.
"Our mistake was the corner and we conceded a goal in the last minute of the first half.
"After that it was difficult to react, we tried but the second goal killed us."
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Comment 1 - 12 of 12
chelsea should sell drogba for luis fabiano of sevilla
Something from Anelka's mouth? He is the one who did not even trace ball when he was in that game. His altitude in that game was, you did not start me, it was your mistake and you deserved to lose. Remember what he said after he missed the pk in the champion leagues final? If every player in Chelsea with Anelka's altitude, Chelsea will be in Championship, not Champion Leagues.
believe me... Chelsea will back on track after scolari out
tell mr kenyon to bring modern tactican manager to bridge and bring steve clerk back!!
just stand on the bloody goal line defend defend defend dont leave the goal so open its school boy stuff thats all
PSSSSSSSSSSSSH they just lost against manchester united. This proves that chelsea aint the best. Man utd with 2 games in hand and chelsea are only 1 point ahead.
tried...i dont think we define try the same way...to TRY is to have 70 % of the ball,to have at least 5 shots at goal,and line at least 4 correct passes...what we did on that man.utd game was not even to be considered as trying...world-class players with world-class and higher wages play like second league Qatar club against their fierce rivals...its on your pride...
Chelsea will win all of the upcoming games because they are the best
Why d hell will drogba be kept on the bench in the first instance?
both upcoming games are going to be hard for chelsea against liverpool and ashton villa
lol.. well said!
Chelsea defintly still in the title race, I think they will hit back.
HOW'S HE GOING TO DO THAT, TEACH THEM MORE DIRTY TACTICS.
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