Eden Hazard and Diego Costa have 'not helped' Chelsea this season, says club legend Gianfranco Zola

Italian points out numerous reasons for Chelsea's troubles this year

(Getty Images)

Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has said that there is no one reason while his former club are doing badly this season, but the form of two of their star men certainly hasn't helped.

Jose Mourinho's defending champions are down in 16th place in the Premier League after a third defeat in four league matches at Stoke City over the weekend.

With just 11 points from 12 matches, the Blues already find themselves 15 points away from Manchester City and Arsenal, with Mourinho facing ever-growing pressure.

Zola, who played more than 300 matches for the Blues and was twice voted Chelsea Player of the Year, says that more should be expected of misfiring pair Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.

Hazard has played some part in every Premier League game this season, while Costa has missed just two, but whereas the pair combined for 34 goals and 12 assists across the whole of last season, they have just two goals and three assists combined with more than a third of the season in the books.

"There is no one compelling reason for the poor start to the season," Zola said to Fifa.com.

"The poor form of key offensive players Eden Hazard and Diego Costa has not helped.

"Defensively as well the team dropped the standards set last year. So the players have lost confidence as a group and this has led to poor results.

"The club has it in them to turn around their fortunes."


 Eden Hazard and Diego Costa react during the defeat at Everton
 (Getty Images)

The 49-year-old has been in charge of Qatari club Al-Arabi since July, with the team fourth in the table after eight matches so far. However, he said that he would love to have the top job at Stamford Bridge one day.

"My dream, let us say my ambition, is to be Chelsea manager someday," the Italian added.

"I realise that I need to improve as a manager if I want to get there. And I am working hard to achieve my goal."