• Premier League

I still have Abramovich's backing - Villas-Boas

Andre Villas-Boas insisted during Friday's press conference that he still has the confidence of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, despite the Blues' recent run of poor form.

Villas-Boas has led his side to just one win in their last five games in all competitions, leaving them 12 points off the pace in the Premier League title race, and facing a Champions League play-off with Valencia to reach the last 16.

Having conceded 17 goals in the league this season, the worst defensive record in the top six, Chelsea have already shipped more goals than in the entire first season of Jose Mourinho's reign.

However, asked if he still has the owner's confidence, Villas-Boas replied: "Yes. Everybody wants to get out of a situation like this, it's nothing new. When you're in a period of bad results at least we're in a spell of a game every three days, so you get a chance to get back on track.

"We've had a lot of meetings [with the players]. It won't be the decisive key; the decisive key will be to transfer what we do in training onto the pitch."

Chelsea host Wolves on Saturday before entertaining Liverpool in the Carling Cup. An away trip to Newcastle is next on the agenda before that European showdown with Valencia, where defeat would spell the end of Chelsea's Champions League aspirations.

"It's a situation of life-and-death in that group. It's one team or the other. We expect Leverkusen to do their job against Genk and qualify first. It's either Chelsea or Valencia in the last 16," Villas Boas said.

A reporter then asked, 'If results don't pick up and Roman Abramovich did suggest bringing in somebody like Guus Hiddink, what would your reaction be?' Villas-Boas sternly replied: "I'm not answering that question."

The Chelsea boss needs to inject a similar fighting spirit into his players, after Jose Bosingwa revealed on Friday that dressing room morale is low. The right-back, who featured against Leverkusen in midweek, confessed nobody in the Chelsea camp believes they can win the league with their current form.

"Everyone was down after the defeat in Leverkusen, because no-one expected it and we need to change the direction of our season," Bosingwa told the Daily Mirror. "The dressing room has been affected by the defeats and now we have to re-launch our season.

"Andre Villas-Boas is a big coach. Nobody doubts that he can do the right job for Chelsea. But we are conceding late goals, dropping points, and it's impossible to fight for big titles if we keep doing that."

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