Maurizio Sarri Dismisses Style Critics; Expects to Be at Chelsea for 'Long Time'

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has denied the system being played by the team is contributing to their poor form and said he thinks he will be at the club "for a long time." 

The Blues have endured a torrid start to the year, with a 2-0 loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup on Monday the latest in a poor run of results for the team.

The manner of that performance and the reaction from certain sections of the Stamford Bridge crowd has heaped further pressure on Sarri ahead of the team's meeting with Malmo in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, as well as Sunday's showdown with Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

However, when asked about the stylistic issues on Wednesday at his press conference, Sarri said he doesn't think the system is necessarily the issue, per Liam Twomey of ESPN FC:

It would appear there are plenty who disagree with that assessment, and there's little basis that suggests this Chelsea side is making improvements.

The Blues not only struggled in defence against United—they were also beaten 6-0 by Manchester City earlier this month—they also failed to make an impact in the final third.

It means the heat is really on Sarri. Nizaar Kinsella of Goal reported he has three games in which to save his job—Malmo on Thursday, City on Sunday and the home Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

However, when asked about his position at Stamford Bridge in the press conference, Sarri said he doesn't think it is under immediate threat:

The Italian also said he has not held any talks with senior figures at the club regarding his future:

"We need to win three, four matches in a row. It's the only solution," Sarri said regarding the speculation around his job, per BBC Sport.

If he is going to be in the Blues dugout next season, Sarri may have to make some changes to the way he plays, as the current formula is not yielding positive results.

One bugbear for many is the manner in which N'Golo Kante has been used, as he's been moved from his defensive midfield position into a more advanced role, with Jorginho tasked with distributing the ball in front of the back four.

Sarri explained again on Wednesday the reasoning behind having Kante further forward:

For Chelsea, the coming days represent the most important spell of the season. While they are expected to qualify against Malmo after a 2-1 first-leg win away from home, they are underdogs going into the matches with City and Spurs based on their recent form.

If Sarri can emerge with a trophy on Sunday and a positive result on Wednesday, he will get some credit in the bank and faith will be renewed in the long-term strategy he is seeking to implement at the Bridge. However, if he comes away empty-handed, it's difficult to see a way back.