Mauricio Pochettino’s bravado has been replaced by realism.
The Argentine spent the summer saying Chelsea are about winning and talking up what could be achieved this season.
Four months into the job and the messaging coming out of Stamford Bridge has changed.
After Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Brentford left Chelsea in the bottom half of the table and 11 points outside the top four, Pochettino again expressed his frustration at more missed chances, bad luck, the youthfulness of his squad and injuries.
He said their latest setback was “difficult to accept”. Chelsea created enough chances in the first half to beat Brentford but they failed to capitalise, fell behind, ran out of ideas and then conceded an injury-time breakaway goal as they went in desperate search of an equaliser.
The Blues have now failed to score in 14 Premier League matches this year and Luton are the only team they have managed to beat in their past 13 top-flight games at Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino cannot take the blame for all of those runs, and the failure to sign a top-class centre-forward has clearly cost them, but pressure on him is beginning to build.
He is still struggling to win over Chelsea fans, who booed the team off.
Pochettino exchanged words with a supporter who criticised Nicolas Jackson during the Brentford defeat and his return to Tottenham next Monday feels huge.
Spurs are top of the table and flying under Ange Postecoglou but, unlike the Australian, Pochettino has been unable to make an immediate impact.
Going back to Spurs was always going to be awkward for Pochettino but, the way things are going, his handling of it will be under the spotlight even more.
"Pochettino cannot take all the blame, but he is struggling to win over fans and his return to Spurs feels huge"
Another defeat could increase the heat on him, with a tough run coming up.
After playing Blackburn in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, Chelsea’s next five Premier League games are against Spurs, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brighton and Manchester United.
Should that run go badly then there is a danger their season could be in tatters going into a busy December.
Chelsea hope £52million signing Christopher Nkunku will be fit to return from a knee injury after next month’s international break, and he could help spark their season into life.
Cole Palmer was another positive on Saturday but there are other issues in the team — their lax defending against Brentford being one. On the poor home form, Pochettino said: “It’s something we need to fix.
"I don’t think I’m worried but we feel the responsibility and we will try to find the solution. The key is to create a good atmosphere.
“You need the right way between the fans and the team. The team need to translate the idea of the fans so they can trust them. It works both ways. That is time.
"We have talented players but we are a new team. We are competing but we are missing things. You sense the mood changes when we concede. We need to build trust.”
Chelsea fans do not blame Pochettino fully for the club underachieving. But defeat at Tottenham would leave him open to more scrutiny.
