Following the defeat to Liverpool at the weekend, Chelsea have very little time to wallow in their misery, as they host Dynamo Kiev tomorrow night in Champions League action, with the club sat third in the group table, it will be a game fans will look for the side to win.
Pressure has continued to grow on Jose Mourinho and his Premier League winning Chelsea squad, and with rumors now constantly circulating about potential replacements for the Special One, the midweek fixture will provide him with a chance to remove some of the pressure with a victory.
Nobody involved with club will be pleased should the Blues fail to qualify for the knockout stage of the competition that is held in such high regard by chairman, Roman Abramovich, so the importance of the game can't be overlooked.
The previous meeting between the clubs resulted in a goal less stalemate, something that both sides will be looking to avoid this time around, but the Ukrainians have impressed so far in the competition and Chelsea will be in for a tough test to gain the three points they desire.
Confidence is key
Whilst Chelsea currently don't sit in a qualifying position within their Champions League group, Mourinho remained calm when asked about Chelsea's ability to progress out of the group stages, telling the world's media that if the Blues "don't finish first", they'll "finish second", and that he was "totally convinced" they'll qualify for the round of 16.
However, regardless of Mourinho's confidence, few could be blamed for not sharing the same sentiments until results and performances are seen and the game against Kiev will be a bigger game than most ever imagined it would be for the London club.
Captain John Terry is well aware of the difficult match that faces them, and believes that togetherness is the key to a turnaround, "I’m sure we’re on the up and we will turn things around. Being together is the most important thing and we’ll stay together in that dressing room," he said.
Chelsea fans will be pleased to hear that the squad are aware they need to come together during this difficult time, and hearing it from the club captain will give some reassurances to the Blues faithful, whose respect and trust in Terry has never wavered throughout his tenure at the club.
Terry also admitted that performances haven't been good enough this so far,"We hold our hands up and in the first part of the season we weren’t good enough" but believes it's up to the players to turn things around, "That responsibility lies on us, not the manager, it lies on us as players."
Despite the pressure, Mourinho has yet to crack or give any signs of worry regarding his position as manger regardless of the constant speculation and reports and he feels the reason there has been so much coverage over their results, is due to his successes over the years.
Focusing on tomorrow's game, Mourinho doesn't believe it is a 'must win' fixture, " The match tomorrow is not a must win, it’s a must not lose. Our situation in the Champions League is not phenomenal but it’s an absolutely normal situation."
Looking at the group table and the fixtures yet to come, some may feel that to assure fans of Chelsea's ability to qualify the game is a must win, but the club can still get the job done should they not.
Squashing rumours
A rumor began to circulate earlier this week regarding an unnamed Chelsea player claiming that they stated they would 'rather lose, than win for Jose', a quote that has had no source or proof be aligned with it.
It's a bold statement to make from any member of the world's media, and surprisingly the club have taken the time to respond in a damning manner, with both manager, captain and club making statements silencing the whispers.
Mourinho believed there was a lack of respect involved, regarding the statement. "It’s a very sad accusation because you are accusing a player, or more than one player, of dishonesty. If I accuse you of being a dishonest journalist I think you would be very upset and probably take legal action," said the manager.
Terry would echo Mourinho's sentiments, and wasted little time in putting them to bed, explaining that "In my whole football career I’ve never heard a player come out with those words" before adding that the idea of him having to talk about it was "ridiculous".
Many fans met the revelation with uproar, calling for the player to be names and fired, but Terry assured fans that the dressing room would've sorted things had it been true, "That player wouldn’t get out of the dressing room. If players heard that among ourselves it wouldn’t go down too well, would it?"
Terry also responded to criticisms he has faced regarding his personal performances, which he held his hands up to admit had not been good enough, he accepted the analysis from former team mates and some peers, "I’ve come under criticism individually from certain players, individuals I’ve looked up to and played alongside, and I’ll take that on the chin 100%"
But whilst he might be happy to listen to the likes of Rio Ferdinand, other pundits, Terry will not give a second thought to certain others, saying "I don’t listen or take it on the chin from players who haven’t had a career or have played at a really bad level", whilst name checking Robbie Savage as one of these men.
Trust in Jose
The media and fans trust in Mourinho might be wavering, but Terry has assured the media that he and his team mates are fully committed to him," I can assure you now the players are 100 per cent behind the manager."
It is that kind of spirit that Mourinho will be hoping his players can provide and knowing they are fighting not just for the club, but for him will please the under fire manager.
He has revealed that striker, Falcao will miss tomorrow's game through injury, but insisted his squad have worked hard in preparation, "They are training always to the limit of quality and effort, and always with the strong desire to try to win the next match which is what we are going to try to do tomorrow."
Tomorrow will be a big opportunity for Chelsea to showcase the quality that they still have within their ranks, whilst it will certainly be a tough test the Blues will be of the belief that they can get the victory, and begin to rebuild their season from here on out.