Scolari is starting to suffer the blues as cracks widen at Chelsea

At the start of Luiz Felipe Scolari's reign at Chelsea everyone was playing with a smile on their face, yet the sight of captain John Terry storming onto the team coach without saying a word in Bordeaux last night betrayed a mood among the squad that is no longer seeing the funny side.

Scolari joked that he would pack his bags and move back to Brazil if Chelsea fail to get the win they need against Cluj in two weeks' time that will secure their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

However, the very real threat of becoming the first Chelsea manager to fail to get the club past the group phase is no laughing matter, especially to owner Roman Abramovich.

There is no doubt that the past month has provided a reality check for Scolari and the club's fans after the start to the season was full of enterprising football and praise from the critics.

The woeful display in Bordeaux, where sharing the points was almost an insult to their hosts, once again exposed the cracks underneath the surface.

They weren't helped by the furore surrounding Didier Drogba's untimely meeting with Inter Milan officials on the eve of the trip but the striker has played little part in the team's displays this season and they have been on the wane for the past few weeks.

Of course, there have been easy victories against Blackburn, Hull and Sunderland but there have also been defeats to Liverpool, Burnley and Roma.

As each game has gone by, it appears that the opposition have worked out how to stop Chelsea from playing and that Scolari doesn't know how to reverse the trend. Prevent full-backs Jose Bosingwa and Ashley Cole from marauding forward as Newcastle did in the goalless draw in the Premier League on Saturday and as Bordeaux did last night and the boys in blue begin to look mediocre.

How else can you describe a Chelsea showing against a Bordeaux side they beat 4-0 two months ago, where their first shot, which also happened to be the opening goal, took 60 minutes in coming.

Chelsea had looked toothless until then and had relied on keeper Petr Cech to make fine saves from Fernando Menegazzo and Yoann Gourcuff.

They even had to thank the home side for the chance which led to Nicolas Anelka's 14th goal of the season as they gave the ball away to Frank Lampard, who then hit a first-time through ball for the Frenchman to slot home.

Just like in Rome earlier this month, a win here would have booked Chelsea's place in the next round and allowed them to focus on competing on the domestic front, but they failed to deliver.

A simple corner by Gourcuff seven minutes from time was headed in by the unmarked Alou Diarra to spark jubilation in the home end and recrimination in the away dressing room.

Midfielder Michael Ballack certainly understands that the club, who have gone one year without an away win in the Champions League, are performing some way below their best.

He said: "We were lucky to get a point on that performance. It was not a good game from us. In the first half we had more possession but not one shot on goal. We had one draw and one defeat away from home before this match and it looks like the group stage this year is more difficult than we expected.

"But we are not thinking about going out of the competition. We are playing at home in our last game, we need a victory and we have to do it now.

"We didn't want it to go to the final game but this is the situation and we have to deal with it.

"It is still in our hands and even if we have to settle for qualifying in second place, it should be our target."

They will not be helped by the fact Lampard is suspended against Cluj after being sent off for two yellow cards against Bordeaux or that Joe Cole has picked up yet another ankle injury that has made him doubtful for the Arsenal game on Sunday.

Referee Frank De Bleeckere was overly keen to show his authority having also booked Ashley Cole, Joe Cole and Terry. But the England international's lunges on Alou Diarra and Fernando either side of half-time were simply asking to be punished by the official.

Lampard admitted: "I thought the sending off was harsh but the referee wanted to give cards out all night and I gave him the opportunity to do it again.

"Maybe I should have stayed on my feet considering he was giving so many yellow cards. It is frustrating to miss the final group match because it's going to be a big game for us."

However, the 30-year-old is adamant that it is too early to start panicking about Chelsea's performances.

He added: "I don't think teams have worked us out, it's more when you get to a certain level teams give you respect.

"They work hard to stop you playing and that's what teams are doing to us in the Premier League and in Europe.

"Bordeaux were always going to work hard against us, Newcastle just defended on the edge of their box and it's down to us to find different alternatives to break them down.

"It's hard to go through a season and keep performing at the top level and I think it's fair to say the last few weeks we haven't been.

"But that's the same for Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal as well as any top team. If we beat Cluj, getting a draw here won't be so bad."