• Home defeat to Aston Villa puts Chelsea out of race
• ‘Fans have the right to boo,’ says Chelsea manager

André Villas-Boas admits he has fallen short of the minimum requirement expected at Chelsea and dismissed the team’s chances of challenging for the title as fantasy, with the manager left to target the more humble objective of finishing in the top four.

Villas-Boas saw his team stumble into the new year in fifth place after suffering a third home league defeat of the season, 3-1 to Aston Villa, with his players departing to a chorus of boos. He does not fear for his own future at the club six months into his three-year contract, though the 34-year-old appears resigned to a frustrating first season in charge.

“The minimum requirement for a club like this is first place,” said Villas-Boas after Villa had secured a first victory at Stamford Bridge in nine years. “But I don’t think the title is realistic. That is fantasy. Our reality has to be a top-four finish, but even that would not be good enough. We have to continue to pursue the best possible finish for the league, and what will be a more humble finish for this club.”

Roman Abramovich set a benchmark by sacking Luiz Felipe Scolari in February 2009 when Chelsea’s position in the top four appeared to be under threat, though the owner, who is celebrating the new year in the Caribbean, has privately pledged his support for the incumbent and charged him with reinvigorating this squad. That is proving a painful process.”The fans have a right to show their disappointment,” said Villas-Boas, who hopes to add Bolton’s Gary Cahill to the ranks early next week. “Their away support has been magnificent. Their home support is improving. They know they can make a difference and we need them, but there is no running away or making excuses.

“We have lost a big opportunity in the last four games to shorten the gap to the leaders. We would have been in the running for the title if we’d had a better December. The booing is the most valuable criticism we have. It is acceptable and we take on board.”

Villas-Boas did express exasperation at the schedule demanded of his team, with Chelsea forced to play four times in 11 days while other contenders – principally Manchester United – have been granted slightly more time to recover. “Every single club should have the same programme,” he added. “It should be the same for everybody, and it’s not fair the way it’s split at the moment. I know the demands from television are high, but the players will go through physical strains that will undermine their careers and ambitions at Euro 2012, and their clubs’ objectives. This is a very difficult situation.”

André Villas-BoasChelseaPremier LeaguePremier League 2011-12Dominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk

• Ray Wilkins says both players on track for new season
• Essien and Mikel missed World Cup with knee injuries

Chelsea have been given a pre-season fitness boost after assistant coach Ray Wilkins confirmed that midfielders Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel should be ready for the start of the new season.

But while Wilkins was delighted with the rehabilitation work of both players, Carlo Ancelotti’s number two insisted the fitness of their World Cup players would require careful handling.

Essien and Mikel missed out on the World Cup finals with Ghana and Nigeria respectively because of knee injuries, but the extra fitness work carried out during the summer break has put them both in contention for a return to action in time for the 14 August kick-off.

“There should be no problem whatsoever,” said Wilkins. “Mikel is slightly in advance of Michael Essien but they are both working very well indeed. They have been working double sessions for the last week and we will get them really firing before the season starts.”

Essien’s return is much anticipated. The midfielder last played for Chelsea in December as complications following knee surgery ended his season and the chance to play in South Africa.

Wilkins is also ready to manage a fitness plan for those players who did take part in the tournament. England trio Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and John Terry will return before the end of the month along with Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Nicolas Anelka, Deco, Salomon Kalou and Branislav Ivanovic.

“Normally after a World Cup, you find with those players who come back from it, it is about December when they seem to hit a wall,” added Wilkins.

“It is very important we manage them in the correct manner and we get them to a level where they won’t be as fit as we want them to be, but as they creep into the new year their fitness will come back.

“We also have to get the players we have got here training now into the right fitness condition so that they are prepared to play, because we might not be able to use the guys coming back from the World Cup for the first couple of games. So these young men have to be primed and ready to perform.”

That could mean an early season debut for new signing Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool.

“Yossi is doing well,” added Wilkins. “He has said the pre-season training here is so different to what they did at Liverpool where they didn’t use a ball. They ran and they ran and they ran. But here we use the ball all the time and we feel we get the best out of the guys by using the ball day-in, day-out. I think Yossi is quite enjoying himself.”

Chelseaguardian.co.uk