Tuesday 3 November 2015 16:58, UK
TEN Chelsea regulars have fallen below the standards they set in the first 11 games of last season, according to a detailed statistical analysis of their performances - with striker Diego Costa the most disappointing.
The Blues have made the worst-ever start to a Premier League title defence, with Saturday's home defeat to Liverpool - their sixth of the season - leaving them 15th in the table.
While boss Jose Mourinho has deflected the blame onto match officials, the FA and his own medical team in recent weeks, a serious drop-off in performance from his players is plain from our study.
Using the WhoScored.com statistically calculated player rating system - which marks each player out of 10 for each performance - of players to feature in three matches at the start of both the 2014/15 and 2015/16 season, only Ramires has scored a higher average mark.
Here we review how Chelsea's regulars compare this season to last, and look at the vital stats which highlight their decline...
Diego Costa
After 11 games last season: 8.10 (average score out of 10)
After 11 games this season: 6.77 (-1.33 difference)
After Chelsea's first 11 matches last season, their new striker had made a sensational start to life in England, securing the highest WhoScored rating (8.10) in the Premier League. Costa had racked up 10 league goals in nine appearances, averaging 3.1 shots and two key passes per game. Fast forward a year, and he's scored just twice from 1.8 shots per game and has created just 1.1 chances per game on average.
Eden Hazard
After 11 games last season: 7.97
After 11 games this season: 6.93 (-1.04 difference)
Last season's PFA Player of the Year has failed to find the net in the Premier League so far this term, despite featuring in all 11 matches. After the same number of games in 2014/15, Hazard had scored three times and averaged 5.2 dribbles per game - he's managed an average of just 2.8 this time around.
Branislav Ivanovic
After 11 games last season: 7.46
After 11 games this season: 6.52 (-0.94 difference)
Branislav Ivanovic was one of Chelsea's most consistent performers in 2014/15. Opposition players only dribbled past the right-back 0.4 times per game in the Premier League. However, this season Ivanovic is being beaten 1.4 times per game. He also had two goals to his name by this time in 2014/15.
Oscar
After 11 games last season: 7.60
After 11 games this season: 6.67 (-0.93 difference)
At this stage last season, Oscar had made nine league appearances, scoring three times and registering two assists. This time around, he has just one goal and his creative influence has waned substantially; he's forged just two chances for team-mates in five appearances, having laid on 1.4 per game after 11 matches of the previous campaign.
Cesc Fabregas
After 11 games last season: 7.80
After 11 games this season: 6.90 (-0.90 difference)
Fabregas enjoyed a quite remarkable start to life in west London last season - but was dropped on form for the first time by Mourinho on Saturday. The Spaniard has just one assist to his name this season - from a set piece - having tallied nine after his first 11 league appearances for the Blues.
John Terry
After 11 games last season: 6.85
After 11 games this season: 6.32 (-0.53 difference)
Widely considered the best centre-back in the league last season, this year Terry's averages in terms of tackles per game (one) and aerial duels won per game (1.8) are down from last season's figures of 1.3 and 2.4 respectively.
Nemanja Matic
After 11 games last season: 7.41
After 11 games this season: 6.98 (-0.43 difference)
Matic has been dropped from the starting XI three times this season. However, he has actually scored the highest WhoScored rating of any player at the club to have featured last season. That said, his score (6.98) is still significantly worse than this time last year - an ever-present at that point - with his fouls per game up from 1.6 to 2.1. He was also sent off at West Ham just over a week ago.
Cesar Azpilicueta
After 11 games last season: 7.17
After 11 games this season: 6.88 (-0.29 difference)
Azpilicueta is the only Chelsea player to start all 11 league games this season. The Spaniard has, however, offered little in attack, creating just four chances compared to seven after the same number of games last season. He had an assist to his name by that point too.
Gary Cahill
After 11 games last season: 6.95
After 11 games this season: 6.73 (-0.22 difference)
Gary Cahill's WhoScored.com rating after 11 games was just 6.95 last season - but he has still suffered a drop-off of 0.22 this term. The centre-back is actually averaging more interceptions and aerial duels won per game this season, but he has produced just eight tackles in nine appearances.
Willian
After 11 games last season: 6.94
After 11 games this season: 6.93 (-0.01 difference)
Willian is performing at a similar level to this stage in 2014/15. Of those at the club last season, only Matic has a higher rating this season. The Brazilian has two goals so far this year - he only had one after Chelsea's first 11 Premier League matches last season.
Ramires
After 11 games last season: 6.79
After 11 games this season: 6.83 (+0.04 difference)
Ramires is the only player to have featured five or more times in the first 11 games of this season and last season and seen his rating increase. The Brazilian has impressed where his midfield team-mates have faltered and was rewarded with a new contract last week. Ramires has now scored twice in just seven appearances this season and seen his averages for tackles (2.7) and interceptions (1.4) per game rise significantly.
Players with fewer than three appearances in first 11 games of 2014/15 or 2015/16:
Loic Remy - rating decrease of 0.60
Thibaut Courtois - rating decrease of 0.22
John Obi Mikel - rating decrease of 0.06
Kurt Zouma - rating increase of 0.76
