Given the rapidly increasing number of questions he has to answer at present it was a particularly unfortunate evening for Luiz Felipe Scolari to disappear. Perhaps that was the idea.

In no particularly order, doubts are being placed alongside Scolari’s name on a number of important issues, from a seemingly inflexible game plan, a failure to alter the direction of a match that is slipping away to his slavish support for Deco, while last night an old problem regarding Chelsea’s lack of discipline appeared to resurface.

The biggest issue facing Scolari right now is the sudden disappearance of his side’s winning mentality. Under José Mourinho and even Avram Grant Chelsea developed the happy knack of picking up wins while playing badly, but they have dropped nine points in their last five matches.

Chelsea remain well placed for a tilt at the title, although something needs to change if they are to regain the Barclays Premier League crown. They require greater variety going forward, which can be achieved either through a change of thinking by the management or the purchase of players in the transfer window. The latter option has been declared off limits by Roman Abramovich, leaving it down to Scolari to show he is capable of the former.

In his defence, Scolari is hardly being helped by the performances of his senior players, with Michael Ballack and Deco anonymous last night and even Frank Lampard having a quiet night. Didier Drogba appeared disinterested, with his only contribution being an embarrassing dive near the halfway line.

If they cannot beat West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day then Scolari really will have some questions to answer.

John Terry was the only Chelsea player to see red, but he was not the only one to lose his head. Frank Lampard was booked for dissent, Ashley Cole earned a caution for not retreating ten yards at a free kick and Michael Ballack was shown a yellow card for arguing after Phil Dowd, the referee, proved to him that an Everton defensive wall was ten yards away. And it could have been worse for Chelsea had Dowd seen what looked like a stamp by Alex on Tim Cahill. Not one Everton player was cautioned.