By dixon9
November 25 2008

Teams parking the bus or playing very defensively at Stamford Bridge is a reality that we must get used to given the new attacking MK 2 version of Chelsea that Scolari has crafted. Frustrating, turgid draws against Spurs and Newcastle and finally losing our historic home league record to Liverpool, has only served to highlight what Scolari has been saying since the Summer – we need a Plan B.

There are two sides to the Plan B envisaged by our Brazilian manager; the first is the use of different systems and formations, the second, a player that offers “something different”.   

We have been plagued by injuries to key players since the beginning of the season so that has restricted Scolari to the 4-3-3 (with the accent on wing backs) and we were spectacularly gazumped in the summer by Man City during the final hours of the transfer window for Robinho. 

“We have a style of play and we need to change sometimes. We will change that style when we have a player with a different style.  

“When I came to Chelsea, I said I wanted one player who is different — someone who’ll try something different when we play against teams who close us down.

“But now we have a style of play and we need to stick with it. It’s easier for us to play away because opponents open up more and give us more chances.  

“We have more opportunities to open up the play, with more space.”  

“I want what I said when I arrived here. I need two or three systems of play, not just one” Scolari added.

“I don’t know if the player I need is Robinho. I have good players for one system, but I need sometimes to change my system.”  

Even playing 4-4-2 with Drogba and Anelka has been almost impossible: 

'Yes, when I have time in training and when they are both in good condition,' he said.  

'It's fantastic and easy for me when I have all of the players and I have more choice, many times I have 14,15, 16 players. When I have Drogba, Anelka, Di Santo and maybe one more player in the future it is very good for me. When I have only one it is difficult.'

Certainly losing Drogba through injury and now suspension has been a major factor in not being able to break ultra-defensive teams down.  The Ivorian striker was not present during any of the point dropping fixtures at home and when he did feature against Burnley, he was substituted whilst we were a goal up – a goal that he had scored.

"You can start to feel a small problem emerging at Stamford Bridge when teams set up to defend deep," said Jason Cundy.

"And once they get that goal, like Liverpool did, it's not easy. They allow the ball to go wide and then defend the cross. I do think Chelsea have missed Drogba, they have missed that route-one option, and you can only imagine the impact Robinho would have had if he had signed."

So, with players back from injury and Drogba returning from league suspension soon, there should be opportunity for Scolari to profile new “Plan B” systems – but what about “that special player” that is capable of turning a game? 

Joe Cole, when fit and on form would help a lot (Ranieri used to call him “my key to open a lock”) but it’s clear that Scolari wants an additional player in the armoury.

Robinho´s signature is impossible for January (because of Article 5.2 of the FIFA rules on player registration which limits a player to one transfer per season) and extremely difficult at best for the summer.  Nevertheless, Scolari still keeps a candle burning for the young Brazilian:

"I am sure that Robinho would be the best player in the world if he came to play at Chelsea.

"The Chelsea doors are always open to him."

I’ve no doubt that Scolari and Chelsea scouts are scouring the globe for a January solution.  It would have to be an attacking wide player who would possibly replace Kalou.

Kenyon hasn't shut the door on major signings being made in January but he is either pessimistic or playing a sly poker hand for any observing selling clubs: 

"I'm not sure there are major players available in January, that's the reality. 

"What is the point in bringing players in - and Felipe (Scolari) is completely on board with this - if the only ones available are not good enough to improve what we've got? 

"January is the wrong time to bring players in for the long term. Anything we do will be against the backdrop of a need to, rather than a desire to, like we reacted by bringing in Mineiro after Michael Essien's injury. 

So who then?

Elano is very unsettled at Man City after an excellent first season he’s been off form and dropped by Hughes – not quite Robinho maybe but he is quality –and Scolari knows him.

23 year-old Napoli forward Lavezzi claims that we are interested – but that he doesn’t want to leave the Italian club: 

“I want to stay. I know Chelsea are interested in me but my agent and the club are dealing with all that.

“I don’t think there is any intention of letting me go and I’m glad about that, I’m really happy in Napoli.”

German international striker Lukas Podolski is definitely looking for a January move but is he the type of forward Scolari is looking for?

"I have made my mind up that I would like to leave the club in the winter. I have already told the management."

The media have linked us with Giovanni Dos Santos but before his injury he wasn’t exactly lighting up White Hart Lane.  Could Scolari get more out of him?  At 19 he has years ahead of him and would probably cost the same as what Spurs paid for him, £4million.

Then there is the “Russian Ronaldinho”, Yuriy Valentinovich Zhirkov who plays as an attacking left winger whom Grant leaked to Israeli radio that we were looking at just after his exit from Chelsea .

Next up is a certain Reimond Manco, an attacking midfielder/forward from Peru who plays for PSV Eindhoven. Full of skill and promise apparently and we have excellent relations with PSV, but at just 18 he is unlikely to be the last piece in the jigsaw for this season - Ditto Bayern Munich’s promising young winger Toni Kroos who Klinnsman has stated he would only be interested in a loan deal anyway.

Who knows who Big Phil has in mind?  One of the above possibly or a hidden gem currently playing in Brazil or Argentina….or of course, NOBODY at all, and with everyone back from injury and fingers crossed we have enough to achieve major honours?