Scolari accepts blame for Chelsea's poor form

COBHAM, England (AP) -Under-fire Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari took full responsibility for his team's poor performances on Tuesday and said he was changing tactics to get the side back on track.

The Blues have won only once in the last six games and slumped to a tame 3-0 loss to title rival Manchester United on Sunday, conceding twice from set plays.

"It's my responsibility,'' Scolari said. "If we lost by 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, it's the same.''

Speaking after training for Wednesday's FA Cup replay against lowly Southend, Scolari said his players had to think about their attitude and play together again as a unit as they had earlier in the season.

"I need to change some systems and I need to start from new,'' Scolari said, adding he would change set play marking from man-to-man to a zonal system. "It's more my mistake than the players.'''

The Brazilian said the players need to think about the first 25 games, not the last five.

"We need more to work together and when something is wrong we need more attention, more togetherness,'' he said. "After one victory or two or three we will relax and win more.''

Chelea trails league-leader Liverpool by four points and is one point ahead of Manchester United, which has two games in hand.

The slump in form has prompted speculation that Scolari's job might be at risk. His predecessors, Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant, both left the club suddenly, but Scolari said he had help from the board.

Asked whether it still had confidence in him, he replied: "You need to ask the board.''

Scolari said if his players fail to show the right spirit they might struggle even against third-tier Southend, which forced the replay after equalizing from a set play in the final moments at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.

"For Southend tomorrow it's the game of the year,'' Scolari said. "We need to think the same way. It's the FA Cup. If our spirit is not the same as Southend, then it's difficult, but if our spirit is the same then we have good chance because we are better players than Southend.

"But we need to prove it on the pitch.''

The Brazilian, who asserted he is not in the market for new players, has conceded that Chelsea is in trouble in the Premier League title race after dropping so many points.

Aston Villa and Arsenal are also right behind the London side, which won the title in 2005 and 2006 under Mourinho and finished runner-up in both the Premier League and Champions League last season under Grant.

After starting the season with a flurry of goals and a reputation for tough defending, the Blues have conceded eight Premier League goals from set pieces, twice as many as from open play, and are struggling to find the net.

"Mentally it's a problem because we have lost three or four games through set plays, by mistakes,'' Mourinho said. "Now it's the time to talk to the players and try tomorrow not to make the same mistakes.

"It's a lesson for us. We have been training for this maybe 20, 30 times every day but at this moment it is wrong and we change from tomorrow for zone not man-to-man.''

Chelsea had played well in the first half at Old Trafford, Scolari said, but he opened up the midfield after conceding on the stroke of halftime, bringing on striker Nicolas Anelka for midfielder Deco.

"If you look at the first 45 minutes was there any problem with the spirit?'' he said. "After, it's more my mistake.''

Scolari, who was hit by a spate of injury problems late last month, has almost a full squad to pick from to face Southend. He is only missing long-term knee ligament victim Michael Essien and France winger Florent Malouda, who has a hamstring strain.