Areas Where Chelsea Are Stronger Than Last Season

From Premier League champions to 16th in the table within six months—it's clear Chelsea aren't the same team as last season.

Their struggles have been well-documented. From a leaky defence that's conceded 23 goals in the league this season—the third-worst record in the Premier League—to misfiring attackers who have lacked inspiration, the fall from grace has been spectacular.

Chelsea have lost seven of their opening 12 league matches and are currently 13 points off the pace in the hunt for a top-four place.

Added to that, the champions trail league leaders Manchester City by 15 points, meaning any chance of a successful defence of their title is looking slim.

Cesc Fabregas summed it up perfectly in a recent interview with Spanish newspaper Marca (per BBC Sport).

"[Chelsea's] season is f--ked," he said.

For all the negativity surrounding the club, there have been some areas where Chelsea have looked stronger this season, though.

So let's take a look.

Harmony

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It says much about Chelsea this season that we have to look to the terraces for a sign of where the club has appeared stronger this year.

We're not talking football here but more the harmony that exists between the fans, players, manager and owner.

When a team is struggling like Chelsea are now, it's not uncommon for supporters to turn on the players and demand more; it's not uncommon for sections of the crowd to call for the manager's head.

That's not been the case this season.

There seems to be a genuine desire at Stamford Bridge for this run of bad form to end soon, and everyone is pulling in the same direction to make that happen.

From criticising the fans last season for a lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho has turned to thanking them for the way they have got behind him and the team.

"To have the whole stadium supporting me in a difficult time is an unforgettable moment in my career,” he said after Chelsea's recent win against Dynamo Kiev.

"When I came back to the club and we played the first match at home against Hull City, the way the stadium welcomed me was amazing but not comparable to today.

"[...] The fans read newspapers. They watch television. They listen to pundits, commentators, opinions, read blogs, and this was quite unbelievable what they tried to say today."

It's been led by the fans as Chelsea show a united front, and the club is all the better for it.

Squad Depth

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A poor summer in the transfer market has meant Chelsea still have areas of their squad that require drastic attention, namely defence.

That doesn't mean Mourinho's team is bereft of talented replacements, however.

Take attacking midfield, where the addition of Pedro Rodriguez has given Chelsea a whole new dynamic. That hasn't seen an immediate return in terms of result, but Chelsea are certainly stronger in that area.

Pedro is still getting to grips with the Premier League. Playing in a struggling team hasn't helped his introduction. Nor has injury.

We know Pedro's quality, though. He produced consistently for Barcelona over a period of seasons, and as the season progresses, we can expect him to only get better.

The big mistake last term was signing Juan Cuadrado. Chelsea were severely hindered by his presence, restricting Mourinho to stick with the same players and formation every game.

Pedro provides something different, allowing Mourinho to adapt when need be.

Given the struggles at Chelsea this season, Mourinho has tried to stick with his tried-and-tested system. But he has the options to change, which have been hinted at.

Willian, Cesc Fabregas, Oscar and Eden Hazard have all played as the No. 10, for instance. Not only that, Pedro's arrival has meant more rotation among that attacking trio in midfield.

Chelsea need to produce more in attack, but there's no doubting they have more firepower than at any stage last year with which to do so.

The New Generation

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Again, it's something that's been hinted at rather than a solid sign of progress, but Chelsea's next generation are making ever louder noises.

Kurt Zouma is becoming more established in defence, being preferred over John Terry and Gary Cahill at times.

Only signed this summer, Kenedy has looked the part in midfield whenever he has featured. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Bertrand Traore have had game time, regardless of how limited it's been.

The next phase of Mourinho's rebuilding project is gradually kicking into gear. The big challenge now is for those players to be given a real chance at establishing themselves as regulars.

Terry will be 35 in December, so Chelsea can't be looking at him to be an automatic first choice beyond this season. It's a similar situation with 31-year-old Branislav Ivanovic, whose contract is up at the end of the campaign.

Looking at the many players out on loan, the likes of Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown and Lewis Baker are impressing with Vitesse Arnhem.

Solanke is barely 18 but has four goals to his name in Holland and has forced his way into England under-21 contention.

Baker has been among the goals himself, and Brown has looked influential.

Chelsea haven't made big strides in this area, but the green shoots are showing signs of sprouting, which can only be a good thing.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes