Departing Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has shed light on the manner in which former manager Andre Villas-Boas was dismissed in March, reaffirming that senior players had no involvement in the matter.

Villas-Boas was relieved of his responsibilities merely eight months into what was initially intended to be a long-term project, with the aggressive changes he made to the team selection policy identified as a key factor.

The agent of former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has publicly discussed his client's next move, indicating his caution at accepting a job that doesn't fit the Portuguese man's criteria.

Villas-Boas has been named as the favorite to accept the Liverpool job according to many sources, but agent Carlos Goncalves insists AVB is looking for a more permanent home than his short stint at Chelsea.

Frank Lampard has finally spoken at length about his benching during Chelsea's 3-1 loss at Napoli, which he believes was the lowest point of the season for him as well as his teammates.

Andre Villas-Boas, who was then in-charge of Chelsea, chose to bench veterans such as Lampard, Michael Essien, and Ashley Cole and instead started the more inexperienced Raul Meireles, Jose Bosingwa, and Ramires.

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and defender David Luiz have both had their say to clarify the confusion surrounding one of the many incidents that led to the sacking of former manager Andre Villas-Boas last month.

In the days leading to AVB's axing, Luiz slammed certain media outlets for publishing false quotes that depicted the Brazilian publicly criticizing Lampard and the club's other senior players for their alleged refusal to co-operate with the young gaffer.

As the debate surrounding the identity of the next Chelsea manager heats up, skipper John Terry has spoken out in support of former boss Andre Villas-Boas, who was sacked on Sunday.

It has been an eventful week for the Blues as they won their first game in the post-AVB era by defeating Birmingham City 2-0 in the FA Cup amidst non-stop rumors that the likes of former Liverpool gaffer Rafa Benitez, Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, and Real Madrid's former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho are all potential candidates for the Stamford Bridge hot-seat.

Birmingham City manager Chris Hughton has described Chelsea's decision to fire young manager Andre Villas-Boas as a 'shame', warning that the rapid changes in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat are detrimental to building a stable future.

Earlier today, former Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari who was also sacked midway through his first season with the Blues in 2009 referred to the position of Chelsea manager as 'hell'.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has revealed that the club's hierarchy questioned his team selection for the 3-1 defeat away to Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday as owner Roman Abramovich finally begins to lose patience.

The Blues have endured a horrible campaign on both the domestic and European fronts, with the league title well beyond their reach and the European dream on the verge of an end as they aim to climb the mountain in the second leg against their Italian conquerors.

Andre Villas-Boas has been known to repeatedly offer his public support to struggling striker Fernando Torres but the manager has now turned his focus to another forward the returning Didier Drogba.

Drogba, 33, is returning to training from heartbreak following Ivory Coast's penalty shoot-out defeat to Zambia in the African Cup of Nations.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has made headlines today after confessing that certain players of the Blues' squad are losing faith in his methods but to prepare adequately for Saturday's FA Cup clash against Birmingham City, the boss has quickly shifted focus to the return of several key members of the side.

Andre Villas-Boas admits that being leapfrogged for the fourth place by London rivals Arsenal on Saturday left a bitter taste, particularly since his Chelsea side had played out what he refers to as the club's worst match of the season.

Ahead of the Blues' 2-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, under-pressure Villas-Boas had acknowledged that his men are in the midst of a disappointing Premier League season and need significant improvement.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas admitted that as his side prepares to kick-off at Goodison Park this afternoon, damage control is the only ambition for the Blues in a Premier League campaign where they have not been 'very honorable'.

With Tottenham seven points ahead in third and Newcastle, Arsenal, and Liverpool all within striking distance of Chelsea's current fourth position in the table, Villas-Boas acknowledges that it has been a shaky ride for a side that was assembled to chase glory.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has dismissed suggestions that the club will part ways with either Didier Drogba or Fernando Torres in the near future, insisting that both will have roles to play at Stamford Bridge.

Torres has struggled for goals since his £50 million move from Liverpool a year ago and his goal return has not been improving while Drogba has been on international duty with Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has urged the Stamford Bridge crowd to seek inspiration from the club's traveling support at Loftus Road on Saturday to change the anxious vibe at the Blues' home ground.

The West Londoners were nearly unbeatable at home not too long ago but have appeared extremely vulnerable under Villas-Boas, who is hoping that the recent return to form improves the atmosphere at the Bridge.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas made headlines yesterday when he came across as extremely non-committal in discussing prospective signings such as Genk's Kevin De Bruyne and Shakhtar's Willian.

The Portuguese manager has followed up by explaining that his stance stems from the unappealing nature of the January transfer window.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas insists that he is not the right man to discuss a potential deal for Genk youngster Kevin De Bruyne and also feels that "certain issues" will prevent the club from signing Brazil international Willian from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Speaking ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup visit to cross-town rivals QPR a fixture that Villas-Boas desperately wants to win in order to get one step closer to silverware the Blues gaffer told reporters that neither De Bruyne nor Willian were in his immediate plans.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has urged the media to stop focusing the spotlight heavily on John Terry as the Blues skipper returns to QPR next Saturday for the first time since being accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand in October.

The Rangers won the ill-tempered clash 1-0 as Villas-Boas saw two of his players dismissed, leaving the visitors to fight with nine men for most of the afternoon.

Andre Villas-Boas hailed his side's patience in coming from behind to defeat previously unbeaten Premier League leaders Manchester City 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

A terribly shaky defensive start from the Blues allowed City's controversial striker Mario Balotelli to round Petr Cech and open the scoring for the visitors right after the first minute of play.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has conceded that his side must return to winning ways quickly as their title hopes are quickly vanishing with each unsuccessful outing.

The Blues have lost four of their last seven matches in all competitions and according to reports, Villas-Boas was forced to call an extended dressing room meeting to urge for unity in these difficult times.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is dumbfounded by the heavy criticism heaped at manager Andre Villas-Boas in the wake of the club's recent struggles, arguing that the manager cannot run on the pitch and prevent errors made by the players.

Cech's teammate Florent Malouda made the same assertion before the disappointing 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last night but Villas-Boas maintained that he must take the responsibility on his shoulders.

Michael Ballack greeted his former side Chelsea to BayArena by leading Bayer Leverkusen to a shock 2-1 win that heaps tremendous pressure on Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas.

In a day of reunions, Ballack went the Zlatan Ibrahimovic way (the Swede scored in Milan's 3-2 loss to his former club Barca) by getting at the end of many good chances, only to be denied by Petr Cech throughout the night.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has refused to let the increasing pressure on his team get to his head, insisting that there is reason to stay optimistic despite a heart-breaking 2-1 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League.

The Blues took the lead at BayArena through a fine Didier Drogba strike at the beginning of the second half but failed to hold on to it as substitute Erin Derdiyok punished them with a header before Manuel Friedrich delivered a last-minute knock-out punch.

In the wake of their widespread criticism in the press following their 2-1 defeat at home to Liverpool, Chelsea's visit to Germany to take on Bayer Leverkusen tonight has much more attention than their manager would like, and a result will prove crucial for a boost in morale.

The Blues have not won since their 5-0 smashing of Genk over a month ago, and though they currently lead second-placed Leverkusen by 2 points, another defeat would give the Bundesliga side and Valencia (in third spot with 5) hopes of topping the group themselves, and make the rumors about Guus Hiddink's potential arrival a bit louder.

Frank Lampard has rubbished suggestions that he is preparing for a move abroad, maintaining that he aims to be a Chelsea player for the remainder for his career.

Lampard, 33, has been in terrific form for the Blues this season but had to fight his way back into the starting line-up after being benched for a few games earlier in the campaign.

Following his match-winning header in England's 1-0 triumph over Spain, various news outlets have linked Frank Lampard with the LA Galaxy.

The American side, currently in the MLS Cup Final with help from former Premier League stars David Beckham and Robbie Keane, are looking for another star to keep their global profile high, and the England and Chelsea star fits the bill.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that despite his incredible success in charge of Barcelona, he is like any other manager in that he is highly apprehensive of getting the sack.

Guardiola, who also once wore the Barca shirt as a player, has tasted both domestic and European glory with the Catalan giants in recent years, becoming one of the most well-respected managers in the world.

Andre Villas-Boas has dismissed suggestions that Chelsea need to reconsider their aggressive playing style and insists that attack will remain the best form of defense at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have struggled defensively in recent matches and Villas-Boas was criticized for not being able to control the temper of his players during last weekend's 1-0 defeat at QPR.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas acknowledges the need to focus on the derby clash against Arsenal in the league this weekend but in his selection for tonight's Carling Cup fixture at Goodison Park, he will not compromise the club's ambitions of competing on all fronts.

The Blues will be without the suspended trio of Ashley Cole, Jose Bosingwa, and Didier Drogba, while Ramires is out with injury and skipper John Terry is just one yellow card away from suspension.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas acknowledges that referring to the unfortunate officiating against the Blues in recent matches as a conspiracy will only land the club in hot water and is aware that the media's reaction won't help.

Although Villas-Boas is only in his first season at Stamford Bridge, his current side has been criticized on many occasions for lacking sportsmanship and complaining about controversial decisions made by referees.

Petr Cech has expressed his delight at seeing summer signing Oriol Romeu make an impact during Chelsea's emphatic 5-0 win over Racing Genk last night and believes that the arrival of such quality young players will ensure that the Blues' future remains bright.

With the club's top players such as Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, and John Terry set to retire in a few years, there has been a lot of talk about the club potentially entering a rebuilding phase.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas believes that Liverpool dropping points at Anfield yesterday was just as important as reigning champions Manchester United doing the same.

United's 1-1 draw certainly helped cross-town rivals Manchester City go two points clear at the top of the table with a 4-1 destruction of Aston Villa but Villas-Boas, who saw his side move within three points of the leaders, has tipped the Reds to remain in the mix of things as well.

Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has played down the importance of featuring in England's Euro 2012 squad by insisting that he is simply happy to perform for the Blues every single week.

Sturridge, who has been in terrific form in recent matches, admits that it took some time for him to adapt to the Blues' playing style but now that he is thriving, it is only natural to stay focused on further success at the club.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas insists that despite speculation linking Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, and Salomon Kalou away from the club, he is keen on holding on to all his strikers when negotiations over their future commence in January.

The current deals of the three players will expire next summer and although there will be no shortage of suitors, Villas-Boas believes that the loyalty factor will play out in Chelsea's favor during renewal talks.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has heaped praised on his team everyone from players to the technical staff and has sent a message to the Blues' title rivals that last season's runners-up have hit top gear.

The West Londoners were dominant in last weekend's 4-1 thrashing of Swansea City but a late lapse in concentration during the midweek's Champions League clash at Valencia led to a disappointing 1-1 draw.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has praised the manner in which Frank Lampard responded to a second straight starting XI selection by scoring a brilliant hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers.

The Blues cruised to an emphatic 5-1 win at the Reebok Stadium and although their collective team effort was certainly noteworthy, the headlines belonged to Lampard, who has now scored in both his last games as a starter.

Frank Lampard has expressed his eagerness at regaining his starting role at Chelsea but acknowledges that he can only keep fighting for his place.

Manager Andre Villas-Boas bashed the media for scrutinizing his exclusion of Lampard from the team's starting XI in recent fixtures and when the veteran midfielder returned with a bang against Valencia last night, he made a strong case for featuring regularly again.

After a few days of explaining his stance to the media, Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has slammed their coverage of his tactics as pressure mounts on veteran stars Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba to fight for starting XI places.

Villas-Boas controversially substituted Lampard during the interval at Old Trafford last Sunday and although Chelsea were trailing 3-0 to Manchester United at that point, the 33-year old had been one of the better performers for the Blues.

As the English media continues to scrutinize Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas for reducing veteran Frank Lampard's role in team, all eyes will be on the Blues' team sheet when they face Valencia in the UEFA Champions League tonight.

However, regardless of who Villas-Boas prefers to choose, midfielder John Obi Mikel is convinced that the manager's arrival has sparked a healthy competition for places and for that, he must be lauded rather than criticized.

Just when it seemed Fernando Torres may be coming to the tail-end of his awful slump for Chelsea since joining from Liverpool last January, a red card against Swansea City marred an otherwise brilliant performance and again brought criticism from the press.

The subsequent three match ban will have come at the worst time for the Spaniard, just when he is starting to produce in the last few matches.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has rubbished suggestions that midfielder Frank Lampard is looking to quit the club after walking away from the Blues bench as an unused substitute during the club's 4-1 win over Swansea yesterday.

The 33-year old Lampard, who is only a few months younger than his new manager at Stamford Bridge, was substituted at half-time against Manchester United last week and came off the bench for the club's Carling Cup clash against Fulham.

Chelsea's 18-year old midfielder Josh McEachran has revealed his determination to follow in the footsteps of Arsenal duo Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey by using the Carling Cup to showcase his bright talent.

McEachran has been tipped as the long-term replacement for veteran Blues ace Frank Lampard but rather than looking too far into future, the youngster is focused on gradually making a positive impression.