Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has shifted the emphasis from attack to defence this week in a bid to keep the club's faltering title challenge on track.
The Blues' indifferent form in recent weeks has seen them slip three points behind leaders Liverpool at the Barclays Premier League summit.
Scolari's side have paid the price for poor defending from dead-ball situations a number of times in recent months and the Brazilian is determined to put a stop to it.
Defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday could leave them six points adrift of the Reds, who face struggling Stoke.
Chelsea have conceded costly goals against Liverpool, Roma, Arsenal, Bordeaux and West Ham during the past three months.
Late goals in their last two games against Fulham and Southend have increased Scolari's concerns.
Chelsea squandered 15 chances to kill of plucky Southend in their FA Cup third-round tie last weekend and Scolari initially focused on their below-par finishing.
However, the former Portugal coach has now turned his attentions to the opposite end of the pitch and midfielder Frank Lampard reveals work on defending free-kicks, throw-ins and corners has been stepped up.
"We have been working on set-pieces this week," said Lampard. "The errors have been very frustrating for everyone involved because we do work on them in training anyway.
"Sometimes it has been an individual error or a collective one, but it has been very important because we have dominated the last two games and we lost out on a set-piece in the final minute each time.
"We can't afford to let that happen against a team of Manchester United's calibre."
Clint Dempsey was unmarked when he headed an unlikely last-gasp equaliser for Fulham and Ricardo Carvalho's poor header allowed Peter Clarke to earn Southend a third-round replay at Roots Hall next week.
Scolari has now added England Under-21 defender Michael Mancienne to his squad after a two-month loan spell with Wolves.
Mancienne, 21 today, has not ruled out a further loan period in the build-up to the Under-21 European Championships this summer.
Scolari insists the player is now part of his first-team squad but Mancienne said: "I need match fitness coming up to the championships.
"But I am now where I wanted to be at 21 - around the Chelsea first team but also playing first-team football as well by going on loan and getting experience.
"I have the experience now of playing pressure football, football with lots of fans and the expectation to win games, so that has matured my game."
Scolari's side have paid the price for poor defending from dead-ball situations a number of times in recent months and the Brazilian is determined to put a stop to it.
Defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday could leave them six points adrift of the Reds, who face struggling Stoke.
Chelsea have conceded costly goals against Liverpool, Roma, Arsenal, Bordeaux and West Ham during the past three months.
Late goals in their last two games against Fulham and Southend have increased Scolari's concerns.
Chelsea squandered 15 chances to kill of plucky Southend in their FA Cup third-round tie last weekend and Scolari initially focused on their below-par finishing.
However, the former Portugal coach has now turned his attentions to the opposite end of the pitch and midfielder Frank Lampard reveals work on defending free-kicks, throw-ins and corners has been stepped up.
"We have been working on set-pieces this week," said Lampard. "The errors have been very frustrating for everyone involved because we do work on them in training anyway.
"Sometimes it has been an individual error or a collective one, but it has been very important because we have dominated the last two games and we lost out on a set-piece in the final minute each time.
"We can't afford to let that happen against a team of Manchester United's calibre."
Clint Dempsey was unmarked when he headed an unlikely last-gasp equaliser for Fulham and Ricardo Carvalho's poor header allowed Peter Clarke to earn Southend a third-round replay at Roots Hall next week.
Scolari has now added England Under-21 defender Michael Mancienne to his squad after a two-month loan spell with Wolves.
Mancienne, 21 today, has not ruled out a further loan period in the build-up to the Under-21 European Championships this summer.
Scolari insists the player is now part of his first-team squad but Mancienne said: "I need match fitness coming up to the championships.
"But I am now where I wanted to be at 21 - around the Chelsea first team but also playing first-team football as well by going on loan and getting experience.
"I have the experience now of playing pressure football, football with lots of fans and the expectation to win games, so that has matured my game."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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