Chelsea’s kick in the Ballacks

Posted Friday, November 25, 2011 by The Sun

CHELSEA'S chokers have received a kick in the Ballacks following their late capitulation in Leverkusen.

Former Blues favourite Michael Ballack says he is shocked by how quickly the team have lost their mental strength in the 18 months since he left Stamford Bridge.

And he fears the writing could already be on the wall for Andre Villas-Boas unless the young Portuguese coach can stop the rot immediately.

The 35-year-old German international was head and shoulders above his former team-mates as Chelsea's Champions League hopes suffered another crushing blow in the Bay Arena on Wednesday night.

And he admits: "I knew before the game that Chelsea were going through a difficult moment.

"But it was only when we were on the pitch that I could understand what was really happening. We could sense in every minute of the match that they were not as strong as they usually are.

"Even when they were 1-0 up we felt they didn't have the mental strength they normally have.

"We might have been lucky to score our winning goal in the last minute but we always believed we had a chance of doing that.

"I am really surprised at what is happening at Chelsea and, even though it was a big victory for us, I'm not as happy as I would normally be because it was against many of my friends."

Ballack spent four years at Chelsea and played for five different managers before his contract expired in the summer of 2010.

And he can already see comparisons between Villas-Boas, 34, and former Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, who lasted just eight months at Stamford Bridge before getting the boot.

The German added: "I know how quickly it can go against them at Chelsea. It is always difficult for any coach there but Villas-Boas had success at his last team, he is an ambitious young boss and I know he is a good guy.

"At the moment it is not easy for Chelsea but it's not just about the coach. It's also about the players. They are the ones who have to get out of this situation.

"I can only say what I see and clearly their results are not the best. With every defeat they are losing confidence.

"In situations like this, you have to go back to your roots and return to square one. But it's harder for Chelsea to do that because of the ambitions they have and they are not matching them.

"There are still enough big, experienced international players in that dressing room and now is the time for them to do it. You can't just look at the young players and criticise them. This recovery has to come from the older, experienced guys.

"It is still in their own hands. If they beat Valencia at home they will go through and I think they are strong enough to do that.

"But clearly it is not the best moment for them."

Chelsea have yet to win away in the Champions League this season despite leading in all three group games against Valencia, Genk and now Leverkusen.

They have also conceded late winners in their last two home games in the Premier League against Arsenal and Liverpool.

And with Newcastle, Manchester City and Spurs all on the horizon next month as well as that final Champions League group game against Valencia, Chelsea's season could effectively be over by Christmas unless they get their act together.

Keeper Petr Cech admitted: "We lost on Wednesday because we didn't kill the game off and repeated the same old mistakes. We have been talking a lot recently about the same errors — concentration and little details when we don't clear the ball properly.

"I think we need to be much more aggressive in terms of defending because we are getting punished all the time. There are no excuses for what is happening, we need to look at ourselves."

Cech acknowledges the pressure is already mounting on Villas-Boas and knows that anything less than three points at home to struggling Wolves tomorrow could be disastrous.

The Czech stopper added: "The manager is not on the pitch, we are on the pitch and we are the ones who are making the mistakes.

"So the players are to blame and we know it. It is not easy but we must keep going.

"We are one of the top teams in Europe and this is not a position we want to be in."