Andre Villas-Boas was disappointed to see Chelsea held by Birmingham but claims a team meeting last weekend had the desired effect on his side.
Blues boss claims Abramovich support is 'unconditional'
Andre Villas-Boas was disappointed to see Chelsea held by Birmingham but claims a team meeting last weekend had the desired effect on his side.
The Blues, fresh from being beaten 2-0 by Everton at Goodison Park, were hauled in for extra training on Sunday.
Villas-Boas and club owner Roman Abramovich were present at the discussions, with the club keen to discover why results have dipped of late.
Reports of player unrest have surfaced since those talks were held, but Villas-Boas claims he was pleased with the response in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Birmingham in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
"The desire and ambition was there," he told
ESPN.
"Normally you play against a team and they have the same desire and ambition as you, they match you, and I think Birmingham matched us today in that sense. They gained motivation from the goal and that inspired them to the draw."
Asked whether the support he claims to have received from Abramovich is dependent on the club lifting a trophy this season, Villas Boas added: "No, it's unconditional."
Changes
There is, however, no getting away from the fact that Chelsea have now gone four games without a win in all competitions and were held by a Championship side in their latest outing.
"It was a poor result, of course, but it was an excellent performance in the second half," Villas-Boas said on the cup stalemate.
"The team tried to find a goal when one wasn't expected. It gives us another chance at Birmingham to try and continue in this trophy."
Villas-Boas, who saw Juan Mata miss a first-half penalty, opted to haul the misfiring Fernando Torres off at the interval and replace him with the returning Didier Drogba.
On that decision, he said: "We needed more of a target man up front, laying off those long balls in the more direct approach we had in the second half. We made the change."
Asked if Torres' form is a cause for concern, he added: "No, he is in good form. He's looking for the goals to give him added motivation and extra mental stimulus. When they happen, he will be a different player for sure."
