Cesar Azpilicueta: Chelsea Must Focus on 'Recovering the Respect at Home'

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has said the team must rediscover their fear factor on home soil following a disappointing run of results.

The Blues were beaten 2-0 by Southampton in their previous outing at Stamford Bridge. The loss was their fifth in seven Premier League games and their third in four without scoring a goal on home soil, with West Ham United and Bournemouth also earning wins in west London recently.

Finding a formula to win in front of their own supporters will be crucial for manager Frank Lampard if the team is to preserve their spot in the top four this season. Azpilicueta said playing at the Bridge is something the team should relish and opponents should fear, per David Hytner of the Guardian:

"It's true that when teams see we have not won games, they come here with more confidence because they see they can do it. So forget tactics. Everything is about recovering the respect at home, being solid at home, because it is not normal to lose so many games in your stadium.

"I don't think the pressure of playing at home should be negative. It should be the opposite. We have the players, we have the quality and we have to turn it around straight away. The lesson has been very harsh—losing three [recent] games and scoring zero goals."

Here are the highlights from Chelsea's shock Boxing Day loss, with goals from Michael Obafemi and Nathan Redmond the difference between the sides:

As Sky Sports Statto relayed, it's been a long time since the Blues suffered consecutive losses at Stamford Bridge:

Having beaten Tottenham Hotspur in their previous Premier League outing, Chelsea appeared primed to kick on over the festive period. However, some familiar issues reared their head for Lampard and his players, as they struggled to cut through an organised opponent.

Attacking stars like Willian, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham failed to put their stamp on the game, while at the back Chelsea didn't show the defensive resoluteness required to keep out an in-form Southampton team.

Even though they're in a rut on home soil, broadcaster Alex Goldberg stressed the need for patience at Chelsea:

Per Nizaar Kinsella of Goal, when the Blues have gone behind this season, they have struggled to find a way back:

Given their recent troubles at home, Chelsea will be pleased their next match is away from the Bridge. They visit a struggling Arsenal team at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

In a campaign wherein Lampard has sought to integrate a number of young players, it's not a shock to see the team stumble on occasion. If Chelsea are to preserve their place in the top four, then they need to get back on track in front of their own fans.