Chelsea’s defensive issues are making it “impossible” for them to hit ultimate targets, admits Rob Green, with the Blues failing to recapture the glory days of when Petr Cech and John Terry were in their pomp.
Frank Lampard has been doing his best to emulate those efforts and big money has been invested at Stamford Bridge, with Roman Abramovich once again rolling recruitment dice over the summer.
Additions at the back formed part of an elaborate spending spree, with the likes of Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy snapped up.
They are, however, still searching for form and fitness, forcing the odd tweak to be made here and there.
Kepa Arrizabalaga continues to see regular game time as a result, with the Spanish goalkeeper horribly out of form and painfully low on confidence.
Leaks continue to spring with alarming regularity for Chelsea, with clean sheets having been in short supply throughout Lampard’s tenure.
Green concedes that such faults are always going to hold ambitious teams back, with the Blues having shown in the past that success has to be built on the sturdiest of foundations.
The former Chelsea keeper told Sky Sports of the struggles being endured in west London: “They are some way off at the moment aren’t they?
“They have brought Frank in, Petr Cech in and other guys in to rekindle that environment, that atmosphere, the nature of the club and how it was.
“I think that was all built on the solid basis of consistency of players, consistency of performance and the back four and the goalkeeper, in Petr Cech, John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho.
“It’s one that they are trying to rekindle, they are trying to get the message across, but without that solid basis it’s impossible.
“At the minute Chelsea are giving teams lifelines, they are giving teams opportunities, like they did at the weekend, and you just can’t compete.”
Chelsea’s last outing saw them throw away a lead on two occasions against Southampton to end up drawing 3-3.
Lampard has refused to point fingers on the back of another questionable defensive display from his troops, but is aware of the need to start getting things right as important fixtures in Premier League and Champions League competition are taken in by the Blues.