Southend bolstered by Chelsea's vulnerabilty - Sport - Evening Standard
       

Southend bolstered by Chelsea's vulnerabilty

Southend manager Steve Tilson is planning to pile on the misery for Chelsea by exploiting their weaknesses at set-pieces to knock them out of the FA Cup.

Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has been reassured his job is safe until the end of the season but his position will be reassessed in the summer if they fail to win a trophy and defeat tomorrow night will only up the pressure on the Brazilian.

Tilson's side take on Chelsea in the third-round replay at home having secured a shock 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge 10 days ago.

Five of the last six goals Scolari's side have conceded, including Southend's equaliser, have come from a failure to defend dead-ball situations and Tilson said: "At whatever level you play, confidence plays a big part and I think they will be concerned at how many goals they're letting in from set plays - that's not going to change until they stop it.

"Obviously, with John Terry back in the side that will certainly help them but they conceded some goals from set plays against Manchester United on Sunday. They'll probably have a little bit of concern about that, I just hope we get some set plays up at their end.

"I think the longer it goes on the more they will think about it and the more edgy they will be. Hopefully, we can score from another set play on Wednesday."

Tilson is also looking to take advantage of a lack of harmony in Chelsea's dressing room compared to the good atmosphere in his squad.

He added: "We haven't had a fantastic season, but we've always got a good spirit. There might be behind my back a bit of bitchiness, but in front of me everyone gets on and we've got a fantastic team spirit. Maybe at Chelsea, with high-profile players, there may be a little bit of indifference."

Meanwhile, Blues defender Ricardo Carvalho has repeated captain John Terry's plea from last week for more togetherness in the Stamford Bridge dressing room, while voicing his own concerns about set pieces.

The Portuguese said: "We are conceding too many goals from set-pieces. We have to mark our men and this time we didn't mark our men, and goal after goal it is getting worse for us.

"So we have to work for this, think about it and stick together for the next games. We have to be together and play as a team, now we have to look at ourselves and we have to improve."

Comments

Don't Miss
Dog save the Queen: Corgis surge in popularity

Dog save the Queen

Corgis surge in popularity
London gets ready for the Diamond Jubilee - in pictures

Diamond Jubilee

London gets ready - in pictures
'He’s a better ex than he was a husband', says Boris Johnson's ex wife

A better ex than husband

We talk to Boris Johnson's ex wife
TV Baftas - in pictures

Best of the Baftas

Stars on the red, white and blue carpet
You big softie: Has Giles Coren put down his poison pen?

You big softie

Has Giles Coren put down his poison pen?
Pop star Paloma Faith, former Labour minister and Tory blogger back gay marriage video

Gay marriage

Pop star, former Labour minister and Tory blogger back gay marriage video
Promethipedia: the lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus

Promethipedia

The lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus
Prints charming: patterned trousers for summer

Prints charming

Patterned trousers for summer
Bob Geldof on grandchildren, activism and the state of music

Grandpa Bob

Bob Geldof on grandchildren, activism and the state of music
The Middletan: Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London

The Middletan

Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London