Chelsea's
3-1 defeat to Everton at the weekend means they have made the worst start by
any Premier League champions - and their own poorest start since 1988.
Chelsea currently lie 17th, 11 points off leaders Manchester City. Their
miserly total of four points is the joint-fewest of any defending champions
after five games, and marks a stark contrast to this time last season, when
Jose Mourinho's side had a 100 per cent winning record.
No team has gone on to win the Premier League with Chelsea's record after
five games.
The defence has come under pressure this season, conceding 2.4 goals per
game on average in comparison with 0.8 goals per game last year. Chelsea
have conceded two or more goals in all five Premier League matches this
season, the same amount as in the whole of last year.
Chelsea's goalkeepers have also faced more shots per game this term, rising
from 10.9 per game in 2014/15 to 15.4 per game so far this season.
The average number of shots hitting the target has more than doubled, too,
increasing from 3.2 per game last season to 7.6 per game in this year. The
12 goals already conceded is the most by any defending champion in the first
five games.
On
the Sunday Supplement, Daily Mail sports writer Martin Samuel pointed to
Chelsea's lack of notable additions during the summer transfer window as a
key contributor to their poor start.
Chelsea were in hot pursuit of Everton centre-back John Stones for much of
the window but their bids for the England international were unsuccessful.
After his side's 3-1 defeat of Chelsea at the weekend Everton manager
Roberto Martinez called Stones 'irreplaceable', and 'a future England
captain'.
Mourinho was quick dismiss any notion of feeling the pressure and is
confident that he is the man to rectify the poor start.
He said: "I am the man for the job. I have done so many good things for
Chelsea. Now I am the man with the bad results but give me the
responsibility and I will sort this out.
"I do not think there is a better manager than me to come to Chelsea and do
my job."
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