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Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas.

ANDRE Villas-Boas was criticised by his Chelsea players over the tactics he used at Everton during Sunday’s stormy training-ground meeting.

Details of the showdown at the club’s headquarters in Cobham, Surrey, have emerged after the Portuguese coach cancelled a scheduled day off following the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

Villas-Boas demanded the meeting with his squad after their sixth defeat in the Barclays Premier League this season saw them slip to fifth place.

However, Chelsea’s stars were furious with the 34-year-old after he dragged them into the training ground, following which he put them through a punishing full session.

The problems are piling up for the under-pressure coach after captain John Terry was forced to finish training early on Monday, requiring further treatment on his injured knee.

The former England skipper flew to Europe last week for a short break after being given five days off by Villas-Boas. He resumed training with the first-team squad on Monday morning, only to leave the group before the end of the session.

Terry had been advised to rest his knee last week but was told he could start training again as Chelsea started their preparations for the visit of Birmingham. Despite the injury he expects to be fit for Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Chris Hughton’s side.

Certainly Villas-Boas knows he needs all his senior players at their best as Chelsea attempt to bounce back from their disappointing defeat at Goodison Park, and look ahead to the Champions League last-16 first leg against Napoli next week.

The Portuguese ordered the full and frank discussion of the problems between management and players following a performance he described as “the worst this season”.

In the meeting, Villas-Boas’s tactics were challenged by players, while goalkeeper Petr Cech was criticised by colleagues for his distribution.

Villas-Boas was also given a grilling by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in a separate meeting.

Abramovich was present at the training ground throughout last week as he assessed his options ahead of next Tuesday’s trip to Italy.

The Russian billionaire met Villas-Boas on Sunday to discuss the defeat at Everton, but he was not at the training ground on Monday

Villas-Boas maintains that he has the full support of the club’s owner, but he is running out of time to turn his side’s season around.

Some travelling Chelsea supporters sang, “You don’t know what you’re doing”, and “Sacked in the morning”, towards the end of the game at Everton.

Abramovich is already considering alternatives to his Portuguese coach and is well aware of Guus Hiddink’s availability.

Hiddink, who is out of work and was playing golf in his native Holland yesterday, refused to discuss a potential return to Chelsea.

The Dutchman was parachuted into Stamford Bridge to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2008 and ended the season by winning the FA Cup.

Hiddink has made it his policy not to talk about managerial vacancies while a club has a manager, but he remains Chelsea’s fall-back option. ashton@dailymail.co.uk – Daily Mail