Scolari's struggling to beat the system and the ghost of Mourinho at Chelsea

With Arjen Robben raiding down one wing and Damien Duff on the other, Jose Mourinho settled on a system that suited the star turns in the Chelsea team.

That was in 2004, when 4-3-3 was in vogue under the Portuguese manager and Chelsea were trailblazing their way across Europe.

They qualified for the second phase of the Champions League with four successive victories and plenty to spare, Didier Drogba scoring in a 3-0 victory over Paris St-Germain.

The players were hungry for success and, under their meticulous manager, driven by the irresistible lure of the club’s first top-flight title for 50 years.

Now look at the team under Luiz Felipe Scolari, a shell of the side that went to Old Trafford as Barclays Premier League champions on the penultimate week of the season in 2005 and still had the desire to beat Manchester United 3-1.

No defence: Chelsea are left in disarray as Diarra (second right) turns away in delight after heading Bordeaux's equaliser

No defence: Chelsea are left in disarray as Diarra (second right) turns away in delight after heading Bordeaux's equaliser

Taking it easy: Ballack

Taking it easy: Ballack

Scolari is working on the same system that was so successful for Gremio, Palmeiras, Brazil and, up to a point, Portugal, but so far without the same results.

Chelsea have taken qualification for the next Champions League stage to the wire after a woeful performance against Bordeaux on Wednesday and The Unthinkable is no longer The Impossible.

‘Normally we are in a better position after five games,’ admitted midfielder Michael Ballack. ‘Maybe in the past we were always favourites to qualify in the Champions League and maybe now we’ve taken it a bit too easy.

‘We drew in Cluj and lost in Rome, which means from this point on we have to fight for every minute. The problem is that we’re not playing to our real level and that’s strange. We have to improve, we have no choice.

‘Sometimes when the group is very close, it’s more nervous. We are more nervous.’

Anyone would be, with John Mikel Obi sitting in front of the back four. He will never be in the same class as Brazil’s Falcao, the original holding midfield player, or Claude Makelele.

Chasing shadows: Mikel flounders against Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez

Chasing shadows: Mikel (left) flounders against Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez

Chelsea may be top of the league, but there are rumblings of discontent at Stamford Bridge, with rumours that the Brazilian coach believes he was sold a dummy by the owner when he left the comfort zone of Portugal after Euro 2008 to sign a contract at Chelsea worth a fraction over £5million a year.

Promised unlimited transfer funds, Scolari asked for Kaka and Franck Ribery in the summer, targeting two of the best players in the world. He didn’t get either and nor did he land Robinho, trumped by Manchester City on the final day of the transfer window.

Worrying trend: Chelsea are yet to win a big game under Scolari

Worrying trend: Chelsea are yet to win a big game under Scolari

Instead, Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou were handed an unexpected reprieve by Scolari, regularly filling the berths reserved for Kaka and Ribery. And what a mistake it looks now to have sold Shaun Wright-Phillips back to Manchester City, where he is enjoying a renaissance.

He has left a team who have failed to win a big game under Scolari. Draws with north London rivals Tottenham, Manchester United, away to CFR Cluj in the Champions League, defeat at home to Liverpool, the 3-1 thumping at Roma that led to an emotional outburst by John Terry, defeat on penalties against Burnley in the Carling Cup and Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Bordeaux set a worrying trend.

Add the 0-0 home draw against hapless Newcastle to the mix and there really must be some internal issues.

Ballack claimed: ‘The team are still strong and we have a big target: to be champions in the two big competitions. There are times when we have played well, but it’s hard to compete with Manchester United and Liverpool.’

Deco’s form has faded after his momentous first few weeks of the season. He was anonymous against Newcastle last Saturday, suspended on Wednesday and, with Ballack returning to full fitness, will be fortunate to play in the centre of midfield against Arsenal on Sunday.

Joe Cole is his salvation. Cole is unlikely to be fit after his left ankle swelled during the Bordeaux game, so Deco may be asked to fill the void on the right.

Salvation: Joe Cole

Salvation: Joe Cole

Switching to 4-4-2 is out of the question for Scolari, with Drogba suspended and the manager relying on the in-form Nicolas Anelka, who scored his 14th goal of the season in Bordeaux, to spearhead the attack.

Despite Chelsea’s non-existent marking when Alou Diarra equalised for Bordeaux, their defence remains reliable.

They have conceded nine goals (three against Roma), but against the better teams often take too long to get into their stride. And team spirit remains an issue.

Drogba still plays for one person — himself — and yet Scolari is not prepared to let this troubled personality leave unless he is supplied with a replacement.

Close: Mourinho and Drogba share a joke - and The Special One is heavily rumoured to be reunited with his former charge at Internazionale

Close: Mourinho and Drogba share a joke - and The Special One is heavily rumoured to be reunited with his former charge at Internazionale

‘Everyone is hungry, you can feel it in training,’ insisted Ballack. ‘The focus is there, you can see it in the league games but in the Champions League we are not playing well.’

Not playing well is one thing. Not being able to win in Europe is another.

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