Scolari forced into rethink after more home woe

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari was in philosophical mood when reflecting on Sunday's 2-1 defeat at home to Arsenal, admitted his side must improve to remain at the top of the Premier League table.

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Chelsea slipped from the top of the table after that late equaliser.

Though still furious about the Gunners' equaliser - Robin van Persie was clearly offside when played in - the Brazilian was open enough to concede there was much work to be done at Stamford Bridge.

Only a few weeks ago all seemed well with Chelsea but since then they have only won one of their last five home games in all competitions, including their first two League defeats since they lost to Arsenal in February 2004, and have won only three of their last ten games.

Chelsea have failed to beat any of their top three rivals at home. Also, they still have to win their last group game to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage - and have been knocked out of the Carling Cup by Championship side Burnley.

Scolari's side have not been playing well and their impeccable away form will face a stern test at a resurgent and confident Bolton on Saturday before the crunch showdown with CFR Cluj-Napoca at the Bridge.

"We have now lost three points - and in the last five games we have not played well. But that is my mistake and the players' mistake,'' Scolari said. "The players are very angry about the first goal - but they understand they have not played well.

"Now I have a week to work with the players and try to make it better to get in a good position. When we play away against our title rivals, we need to win. The gap will sometimes be six points, sometimes three - and in the last two or three games of the season, that will decide who is the champion.'

"I want the referee and the linesman to see they are wrong, and they say 'sorry'," Scolari added about Van Persie's first goal. "That is all I want, no more - because they were not good and made a mistake, which I understand.

"I do not want three points; all I want is them to say 'sorry, it was a mistake' - because in the first half, the same linesman made a mistake against us with (Salomon) Kalou.

"He is a man and he can make a mistake, but the offside killed my team. I just want them to say they are wrong - because I am wrong when I put some players in, or the players are wrong when they make a mistake in front of goal or are not covering. These are all wrong, but the referee is never wrong.

"We lost because one goal was not a goal, and it was a goal which changed the result. If we won, Arsenal would have been 13 points behind us - and their championship would have been finished.''

Chelsea remain top on goal difference from Liverpool, but the Reds will take over if they earn at least a point from their home game with West Ham.