A Chelsea fan's reaction to the Blues' dismal start to the Premier League season

A dejected Chelsea fan after the Blues lost to the Saints at Stamford Bridge

Ah, where do I start? Chelsea have played eight games this season and lost four times already – twice at Stamford Bridge. Records have been broken everywhere.

Neither has Branislav Ivanovic been dropped to the bench nor have good decisions been made on Willian and Ramires. Pedro is firing wide, Eden Hazard is lost, Cesc Fabregas looks foolish, Nemanja Matic cuts a forlorn figure while Kurt Zouma, John Terry and Gary Cahill have been such wastrels at the back.

Also with a striker like Diego Costa, who instigates a quarrel only to be banned at such a crucial time and with such a ‘great’ striker like Radamel Falcao, what can you expect from Chelsea?

Each game brings in a new hope. Yes, Newcastle United and Southampton would be tough and here we are – winless in both. The lead between the leaders and the Blues is a whopping 10 points. Seriously, I now know how Piers Morgan feels when he criticizes Arsene Wenger for his ‘annual 4th place’ finish every season. Forget Brendan Rodgers, it is Jose Mourinho who needs to worry about his second stint coming to such a disgusting end.

What is going on at Chelsea? A doctor’s issue (where she was right and Mourinho was wrong) has taken centre stage and there are no talks of ‘winning the next game’ or ‘going to the top of the league’.

What a position! 16th? Seriously? Gouge your eyes out, Blues fans. This has happened and it is not good. A fight for survival looks imminent. Hah! Champions of the previous season fighting for survival in the top flight? Football is truly strange.

Chelsea have had their worst start to a season in 37 years since they were relegated

No desire whatsoever, lethargic pace, and lack of bite has seen Chelsea suffer their worst start in 40 years. Yes, Manchester United, your 7th place finish in that wretched 2013/14 season does not beat ours’.

It would not be wrong to say that out of all the players, Cesar Azpilicueta has been the best. He has at least shown the desire to play, much like Willian and Ramires in midfield or on the wing. The others are, to simply put it, bad, barring Pedro, who is actually showing something of a Barcelona kind but yet to deliver on the £21m transfer fee.

Mourinho needs to shoulder the blame

Enough of moaning, Sir Mourinho. The team is losing and is becoming a troll. The haters will love to hate the club even more now. First, you sack your innocent doctor for childish reasons and then call your striker’s disgusting acts in the Arsenal game as a ‘Man of the Match’ performance.

Well, Sir, with all due respect, the ‘Specialist in failure’ jibe is now upon you. Competitions are coming thick and fast. At this stage, all the fans want now is qualification for the Champions League at least. No, we don’t want the Europa League. The Champions League. That is a long shot, but as an optimist and with the firm belief that ‘anything can happen in football’, I say this.

Patience is the key to success. Good things come to those who wait. Not in football, though, and more so when you are the defending champions and after eight games of shocking results. They say the season settles down after 10 games, and with this a title challenge looks in serious jeopardy.

Jose Mourinho waits for the final whistle as Southampton defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

The manager’s substitutions are appalling, the players are stale and look completely lost. No one has the tenacity of a Didier Drogba or an uplifter in the form of Frank Lampard. If you look at the successful seasons, these players have been key to the club’s progress through them. Terry looks jaded right now after being benched for a couple of games.

Now Aston Villa and West Ham are next. Don’t be surprised if you see Rudy Gestede and Jack Grealish score, or even for the West Ham game where the in-form Dimitri Payet could blast one in past Asmir Begovic.

It remains to be seen whether wins in these two games will shape up for the visit of Liverpool and that tough trip to windy Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke City. Go on and win some games, Chelsea! Alas, the optimist and fan in me wakes up again.