Chelsea have endured a stuttering start to the season and many fans have been pointing the finger at one player they believe is to blame for their struggles.
Frank Lampard continues to wait for his first win as a manager at Stamford Bridge, having seen his side pegged back by Sheffield United on Saturday.
The Blues led 2-0 through a Tammy Abraham brace, but the Blades never gave up and scored a well-deserved equaliser in the dying stages to share the spoils in west London.
The stalemate means Chelsea have recorded just a single league win this season, a record which keeps the Blues in the lower half of the table after four matches.
While Lampard's side have looked excellent in attack over the opening weeks of the campaign, questions have been raised about their defensive qualities given they've conceded nine goals already this season - more than every other Premier League side bar Norwich.
One player in particular has taken the brunt of the blame for Chelsea's issues - Cesar Azpilicueta.
He's been such a reliable figure for the Blues during his lengthy spell at Stamford Bridge, but Azpilicueta has not been up to the required quality this season.
There are fears the 30-year-old may be regressing, and former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino believes Azpilicueta may be going the same way as one of his predecessors at Stamford Bridge.
In his Times column, Cascarino writes: "I remember watching Chelsea a few years ago and realising that Branislav Ivanovic - who had been such a key player - had lost his pace and was now a liability.
"I'm starting to wonder if this season will see the same thing happen to Cesar Azpilicueta.
"All of Sheffield United's threat came down the right flank and he looks tired - he has played a lot of football in the past two years.
"It's understandable that Frank Lampard wants an experienced man in his young team but it may be time for a rest."
Chelsea opted to loan out Davide Zappacosta last month which means Azpilicueta is the only fit right-back Lampard can call upon.
However, it is widely expected talented youngster Reece James will replace the Spain international once he has fully recovered from an ankle injury suffered over the summer.
Comments