Andre Villas-Boas insists he has the complete backing of Roman Abramovich and Chelsea's players ahead of the clash with Wolves.

Villas-Boas shrugged off the mounting pressure on him following the Blues' worst beginning to a campaign since Abramovich bought the club eight years ago.

Speculation is rife Villas-Boas could be sacked if he fails to arrest a slump that has seen Chelsea slide out of the Barclays Premier League top four and in danger of failing to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.

There have also been reports of player unrest at the tactical changes made by the 34-year-old, who was tasked by Abramovich with getting the club to play more like Barcelona.

Villas-Boas confirmed he had spoken to the Russian billionaire since Wednesday night's last gasp Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, revealing he had been given his boss' full support.Asked if Abramovich had promised to give him time to turn things around, he said simply: "Yes.''

Villas-Boas refused to go into more detail about their conversation but added: "Everybody wants to get out of a situation like this.''

The Portuguese had appeared drained after Wednesday night's defeat but looked confident and relaxed on Friday under the watchful eye of chairman Bruce Buck, who made a surprise appearance at the club's press conference to preview the match against Wolves.

Villas-Boas even joked he had not expected to see himself on the back pages of newspapers this morning, despite the mounting pressure on him.

But events took a more serious turn when he denied reports of angry exchanges during meeting of players and staff on Thursday.

"Not critical meetings, no animosity, not insults here and there, no critique whatsoever regarding what we are doing, no doubts whatsoever regarding what we are doing,'' he said.

"Self-confidence and self-belief is what we need now and everybody wants to get it.

"That thing only comes with wins.''

He added: "The philosophy will be the last thing to die at this club. It's a thing that makes technical staff and players very, very proud.''

Villas-Boas also rubbished suggestions his lack of experience necessitated the appointment of an older coach to work alongside him, such as Guus Hiddink.

"I don't agree with that,'' he said, insisting he and his current staff would solve Chelsea's problems.

"I don't solve problems on my own. I solve them with my group of people and my group of players.

"I'm not a religious person, so I just hold on to my self-belief and the belief in my players' talents.''

Chelsea's mental strength was also questioned this week by former midfielder Michael Ballack.

Villas-Boas said; "Michael is always very self-opinionated.

"I disagree with him. He doesn't live in this dressing room.

"He used to live here before and he didn't solve all the problems before.''

Ashley Cole has been passed fit after missing the defeat against Leverkusen with an inflamed ankle. Long-term knee injury victim Michael Essien is therefore Chelsea's only absentee.

Kevin Doyle has challenged Wolves to repeat the level of performance which enabled them to topple a quartet of the Barclays Premier League's leading sides last season when they visit Stamford Bridge.

Striker Doyle and his team-mates defeated the Blues and the two Manchester clubs at Molineux as well as winning against Liverpool at Anfield to help ensure top-flight survival.

Chelsea have lost three of their past four league games and hopes of Champions League qualification are in the balance.

But Doyle knows fourth-from-bottom Wolves will have to be at their best if they are to increase the pressure on Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas.

Doyle, who is expected to shake off a knock to his knee to play, said: "It will be difficult but we've got a reasonably good record against the top sides.

"It is games like this, when people least expect us to get anything, that we sometimes pick something up.

"I don't think we've ever been overawed by this sort of challenge. More often than not we've actually risen to the challenge and perhaps played better than normal.

"We've all been involved in plenty of games with the top teams. I'm sure we all feel reasonably equal against them even though we know they have got quality players.

"I think a team like us can beat one or two of the top sides in a season if we play as we can.''

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will have to make three changes with midfielders Jamie O'Hara and Stephen Hunt suspended and full-back Richard Stearman ruled out with a broken wrist.

Matt Jarvis, Adlene Guedioura and Ronald Zubar are poised to replace them with the latter returning after nine months out of actions through injury.



Match

I foresee wolves leaving the pitch a better team than chelsea. Chelsea's resilience has been watered. their midfield of recent has been disarrayed. the need to go back to the drawing board and tidy up the lose end

Chelsea's line up: Cech, Jt, Luiz, Cole, Ivanovic, Ramires, Romeu, Merieres, Mata, Sturridge and Drogba

Chelsea 1 wolves 0
John Terry nice header

1st goal.

1 nil. Game on

2 nil. Game still on

Goallllllllllllllllllll

Mata of fayaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
3-0

Common Boys make us proud

Mikel, make una go retire,

And that's 3.

Anyone with link where I can watch it?

Blues forever!

@ Olive: this is the Chelsea football thread. Abeg, take your love interests to the romance section please. Meanwhile 2nd half don start

Second half. Let's hope we can keep a clean sheet

Mikel should better watch it, Romeu is here for biz

Bring on Torres now

Torres dey hustle for goal badly

unclenna:

well played chelsea, you have made me proud by giving me the 3 goals to win my be[/b]t, is remaining man vs newcastle, and arsenal vs fulham, [b]am strictly a business man, am not a fan of any club i only make money from them

Guy, na who ask u question,

final score 3-0

chelsea. pls oooo! keepit up. bkus u always Bleep up at next

chelsea. pls oooo! keepit up. bkus u always Bleep up at next when you win one

The win against Wolves is a fluck, the real test is against the big guns. High defence line wont work in Premiership, someone please tell ABV. Up Blues!

Mikel, make una go retire,

@philipinho,
at the end of the year, i will like you to take stock of your life and compare it with that of mikel's house help and begin to re-plan ur life. wetin concern mikel concern this topic now? even if mikel retires from football now, does that put u anywhere close to him both in popularity and achievements? is there any of ur family member or lineage that can stand where mikel is? God has placed the young man very very high above ur ambitions and so shall it be. so whether u like him or not, mikel himself does not even know if things like u exists.
with ur wickedness and dark mind, u will never make progress in life. u are a witch.