Rafa Benitez will take another step in trying to appease the growingly restless supporters when Chelsea travel to relegation-threatened Reading in the English Premier League Wednesday.
Chelsea have been far from convincing in the last few weeks, culminating in the F.A. Cup tie against League One side Brentford, where they needed a last gasp equalizer from Fernando Torres to salvage a replay.
The Blues are seven points behind second-placed Manchester City and can reduce the gap to four with a win, after the champions could only manage a goalless draw against QPR.
But the priority now will be to make sure they keep the rest of the top-four chasing pack at bay, while Roman Abramovich plots the next move.
Benitez defended his side's performances off late, saying the players were tired from the constant run of fixtures.
"We are playing one game every three days and maybe more games than anyone," Benitez said. "We have some players in the Africa Cup of Nations, we went to Japan and some people will say it is excuses, it is not excuses, it is a problem we have to manage.
"Some people will say that Chelsea have a lot of players but I will clarify that in some positions we have two or three players at the moment.
"Oriol Romeu is injured for the rest of the season and we have John Mikel Obi away so we have to manage with Ramires and Lampard in the centre at the moment.
"That is the reason why some players in some positions after two or three games in a row have some problems. Recovering players when we have three days between each game is quite easy, and if you have one week like a lot of teams, it is even easier.
"When you have just two days and you have to travel, the time is not enough. Then some players can be tired.
"That is the reason why the team was doing so well against Arsenal in the first half, and then after we were suffering a little bit because they cannot keep the high tempo all the time. So we have to manage it.
"After the Africa Cup of Nations we have players coming back, and we will have Eden Hazard coming back from suspension, so we will have more options and we can manage in a better way.
"The squad is good but in some positions, because of the problems we have at the moment, we are a little bit short. With players coming back it will be easier for me to rest some players.
"If the players come back and we don't have injuries then I am sure we can do well. We will be stronger and we will carry on winning games and fighting for being in the top four."
The Blues will be without Hazard, who serves the second of a minimum three-match suspension, while David Luiz (ankle) and Petr Cech (calf) are ruled out, meaning Ross Turnbull will again start in goal, after his unconvincing performance against Brentford.
"We were testing Cech today, he was training, but it was a light session and we decided not to take a risk," Benitez added. "David Luiz is working hard and we will see in four or five days how he feels."
Reading will have to do without forwards Jason Roberts and Noel Hunt, who are out with injuries.
Expected lineups: Reading: Federici; Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Harte; Leigertwood, McCleary; Kebe, McAnuff, Guthrie; Pogrebnyak.
Chelsea: Turnbull; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole; Lampard, Ramires; Oscar, Mata, Marin; Ba.
Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea
