ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:LUIZ FELIPE Scolari has offered a stark admission that his Chelsea side lack the guile and incision to undermine defensively minded opponents at Stamford Bridge, with the Brazilian recognising the need to cultivate "two or three systems of play" to ensure more points are not shed at home.
The Chelsea manager fell short of suggesting a venue that had proved a stronghold over a remarkable 86-match unbeaten league run had been transformed into his side's achilles heel. Yet the seven points his team have dropped this season were all lost at home - against Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham - with Chelsea having thrived on their travels when offered more space.
Scolari bemoaned a lack of dribblers in his set-up, having lost Joe Cole to injury too often and with Robinho having joined Manchester City rather than Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
The Brazilian expects to freshen his squad during the January window, accepting that some players may have to leave in order to bring new personnel in, but has grown concerned that his current side labour when opponents score the opening goal - as United and Liverpool did - and then sit deep in massed defence.
He expects more of the same from Sunderland this afternoon. "Teams that play at Stamford Bridge play defensively, with eight or nine at the back," said Scolari. "They come here to play for a draw, make it difficult for us, and, if it's possible, score from a corner, a free-kick or a counter-attack.
"We're not creating very good chances against them. Maybe we have four or five in a match and, if you don't score them, you won't win the game. It's certainly easier for us to play away from home because opponents open up more.
"At home, we need more quality, we need to create more chances, and we need to score the first goal. I want people to dribble more, and to stop the ball in front of the full-backs so we can win fouls there. I have players like Deco and (Frank) Lampard who can exploit free-kicks in those positions.
"We have only one style of play, but I need two or three systems, not only one. For this, I need different players because some players play all the time looking forward and trying to attack. Sometimes it's impossible to attack. You need to stop the ball in the middle, or just outside the area, to win fouls. But the characteristics of my players aren't like this."
The Chelsea chief executive, Peter Kenyon, has indicated publicly that the club will not spend lavishly in the mid-season window though Scolari, hinting at lingering disappointment that Robinho could not be secured, is prepared to balance purchases with squad trimming.
"I need one, two or three players who try something different when they are closed down," he said. "We don't need to spend money. If I let a player go, I can bring one in. If it's possible, I'll change one or two in January, and receive one or two. For now, I must work every day on the pitch here to change and improve, to make something different."
Didier Drogba's return from injury - the Ivorian will be on the bench this afternoon - will offer Scolari one little-used alternative style should Sunderland, whom he expects will employ a 4-5-1 formation, succeed in stifling.
The Brazilian remains haunted by the memory of Roy Keane the player, having seen the former Manchester United midfielder's goal defeat his Palmeiras side at the 1999 Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo.
"I don't want to think about that game again," added Scolari. "I lost that competition with Gremio as well. Roy Keane was a fantastic player and he killed me that time, scoring a goal from (Ryan) Giggs' cross at the far post. It's still in my mind. But maybe this is my chance to win a game against Keane."
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)