Petr Cech has pinpointed the busy festive programme as crucial to Chelsea's hopes of getting back on track at Stamford Bridge. The Chelsea goalkeeper admitted the players are at a loss as to why their home form has suddenly deserted them with the club having won just three out of nine home league games this season.
Big-four rivals Arsenal and Liverpool have both recorded victories at Stamford Bridge, and Newcastle, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham have also done enough to come away with a point from a stadium that had come to be regarded as a fortress under previous managers Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant.
Liverpool's victory ended an 86-match unbeaten run in the league but since then Chelsea have won just one home league game — a 5–0 thrashing of struggling Sunderland. Chelsea host the bottom club West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day and two days later visit west London neighbours Fulham. They will be crucial games for Luiz Felipe Scolari's side if they are to shake off a downturn in form that is threatening to undermine their title ambitions.
Another difficult match awaits them in the FA Cup third round when they entertain Southend but Cech says the festive and new year programme is now vital for them to get back to winning ways at home. "It is disappointing because we have already had two chances to go top," said Cech. "We are not able to win at home at the moment. We will try to work it out and now the important Christmas period is coming. We know we have two home games and I hope we are going to get it right.
Scolari appears to be running out of patience with the current system which has his side struggle to unlock defences, largely due to the inability of the full-backs and wide players to get behind opposing defences. The attractive football served up in the early part of the season has disappeared, especially at home, and it seems unlikely that the owner Roman Abramovich will give his manager the funds he desires in January.
Instead Scolari may have to find the answer within his current squad as he seeks to locate a potential linkman between midfield and attack. "This is my squad, my players and I need to work harder and find a solution for this situation. I need to look at one player and put him in a different position, a special position in games," he said. "I need to find one player who gives me what I want. If I put a player in attack only, the ball doesn't reach him, so I need some better connection."
