SCOLARI: GOOD DEFENCE, GOOD ATTACK

Sitting inside the Stadio Olimpico this afternoon, Felipe Scolari confirmed Nicolas Anelka will begin tomorrow's game ahead of Didier Drogba.

After his hat-trick against Sunderland on Saturday, the Frenchman is high on confidence and his manager explained-

'Anelka will start the game. Drogba is not ready to start a game. Drogba can play maybe 20-25 minutes, not more. So as he is in a better condition now, I will play Anelka.'

With five goals without reply in our Champions League campaign so far, Chelsea's attacking force is matched by our formidable defence, something Scolari believes is the foundation for any side.

'It is very important for our team that they have confidence in our defence, because we have very good players in midfield and in attack and there are only one or two games where we have not made any goals.

'In this Champions League we have won two games and drawn one game 0-0, so I think that when I have very good defence I have very good attack.'

But with questions raised over whether this year's team is better than last season's, Scolari is keen to explain the reality to everybody.

'We need to arrive in the final. We play very well, but we don't arrive until now in any position.

'We need to arrive in more finals and win more finals, and maybe then, after this, it is possible to say that we are better, but not right now.

'May is a long way away, we need first to win tomorrow, or a minimum of one point tomorrow, and we need to win all the legs to arrive in the final.

'Tomorrow the show is not for May, tomorrow we are here to beat Roma.'

Roma's current form is far from reminiscent of last season's. The Italian giants currently sit 17th in Serie A, with a total of seven points from nine games.

There was a Champions League shock too with their 2-1 defeat at the hands of CFR Cluj in the Stadio Olimpico.

But Scolari has some advice for his friend Luciano Spalletti on how to get his side back to their winning ways of last year.

'I don't know what has happened in Roma. But sometimes teams try to do our best and are not the same as last season.

'And at that time, I only say for you and for Spalletti, work, work, work. Work hard and try to change.

'Maybe tomorrow for Roma is the first opportunity. I have had these problems with my teams before, so I have worked harder and I have tried to change.'

Roma are not without their injury woes, the latest of which is whether their captain Francesco Totti will be fit to play in tomorrow's Champions League clash.

'Obviously for us it is better if Totti doesn't play,' said Scolari.

'Totti is a fantastic player, and when a coach loses a player like Totti, it is good for the opposition's team.'