Offside News

Sports

AVB unfazed despite another Blues home loss

Comment: 0 November 21st, 2011 by: admin

CHELSEA slumped to their second straight loss at home on Sunday and it looks like the pressure is starting to pile up on manager Andre Villas-Boas.

The 1-2 loss at the hands of Liverpool sent speculations swirling that the Portuguese could be the next victim of billionaire owner Roman Abramovich’s impatience over under-achieving managers.

But Villas-Boas put up a brave stance, saying he won’t be in the firing line despite describing the latest debacle as a ‘bad blow.’

The loss was the third in four Premier League matches for the Blues who are now 12 points off leaders Manchester City.

Former Chelsea player Glen Johnson lifted the Reds to the win following a superb late brace that extended the visitors’ unbeaten run in the league to seven games and vaulted them past Arsenal into sixth spot.

After controlling Charlie Adam’s assist in the 87^th minute, Johnson danced past Ashley Cole and broke into the area before curling home a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.

Villas-Boas said the current situation is not good for them but added it is not impossible to make a turn around. He vowed to move on and emphasized his job is not under threat even if they continue to falter.

‘It is not a question of the owner having patience,’ he said, stressing that ‘the owner didn’t pay £15 million to get me here from Porto only to pay another fortune to get me out.’

Villas-Boas said their commitment is towards the club and what they are doing in the future. ‘We have enough talent to compete in all competitions, and that’s the perspective we have at the moment.’

Admitting it is not the brightest of starts for Chelsea in the league in the last 10 years, the Portuguese mentor added: ‘With the dimension of our club, you cannot forget that your fans expect you to win titles. Our responsibility is to win trophies. We’re in four still, and we still have the possibility to win them.’

Villas-Boas said he is not running away from responsibilities. ‘There is no calling this a transitional period. We’re not calling for time to work.’

The Blues boss also hit back at former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, now an analyst for Sky Sports, for commenting that defender David Luiz seemed like he was being controlled by a 10-year-old playing on his Playstation.

Villas said it was a stupid approach to an opinion ‘but if that’s the way he wants to take the game, that’s ridiculous.’

More