Malaysia XI 0-2 Chelsea: Scorlai challenges underachievers
Published 00:00 30/07/08 By By Darren Lewis In Kuala Lumpur
Luiz Felipe Scolari has challenged Chelsea's underachievers to help turn the club into winners again this season.
The Blues boss wants to see the likes of Florent Malouda, Andriy Shevchenko and Salomon Kalou come to the fore at Stamford Bridge after failing to sparkle under Avram Grant.
Malouda, in particular, is a player he is desperate to get the best out of. But Scolari also admitted that he has no idea how long Frank Lampard will remain at the club.
The England midfielder has just one year left on his current deal and could leave for nothing to be reunited with former boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan next summer.
Speaking after goals from Nicolas Anelka and Ashley Cole earned the club a 2-0 win over a Malaysian Select XI, Scolari said: "I'm happy that Lampard is staying here and playing for Chelsea, training with us and happy here. I don't want to answer about Inter Milan.
"Speculation now is in Milan, in Barcelona, in Chelsea, in Manchester. I know one thing for certain. Lampard is here with us, now and tomorrow.
"After tomorrow, after one year, after two years, 10 years, I don't know. But today, he is Chelsea."
Scolari's most pressing concern is getting the best out of the fringe players that appeared to lack heart and motivation last season.
Shevchenko and Malouda both got a run-out against the Malaysians and he wants to see the French winger raise his game to the level that encouraged Chelsea to buy him from Lyon last summer.
The Brazilian added: "I need to give more chances to Malouda because I don't know what his best position is. He didn't play in the same role as he had done at Lyon.
"I want Malouda the same as he was in Lyon, flying down the wing and getting forward, shooting and scoring goals. He was wasted last season."
Chelsea travel to Moscow tomorrow for the Railways Cup and Scolari said: "In Russia, I'll select a team, keep the team and I won't make more than three or four changes. I will be thinking about Portsmouth."
The Blues boss maintains he already knows 75 per cent of the team that will face Portsmouth in their Premier League opener on August 16.
But he was cool on the warning from Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon that he has to win with flair.
He added: "Yes, I have the players for exciting football and I have the players for winning the championship."
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