Liam Rosenior believes Chelsea's packed schedule is the reason for their recent poor form, though he refuses to make excuses for his players.

Chelsea have lost their last four matches in all competitions, going down 8-2 on aggregate to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16, while also suffering Premier League defeats to Newcastle United and Everton.

And the Blues have failed to score in three consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since September 2023, attempting a total of 52 shots (16 on target) across those three matches.

In the top-flight, Chelsea have lost three of their last four Premier League games (W1), as many defeats as in their previous 18 matches in the competition (W8 D7 L3).

It is form that has seen Chelsea slip to sixth in the table, six points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, though they remain just one behind Liverpool above them.

Having gone all the way to the final to win the Club World Cup in July, Chelsea’s preparation for the new season was cut short, and Rosenior believes it is starting to catch up to his players.

"I don't want to be seen to make excuses because that was not good enough," Rosenior said. "The last week hasn't been good enough.

"I think if you're a logical-thinking person, and you look at the workload and the amount of games that the players have played, it's a pretty simple conclusion to come to.

"Why I think the international break has come at a good time for us is because, hopefully, those players get a change.

"Most of them have to fly across the world and play for their countries, but maybe a reset, maybe some time away to regather and have a different environment may refresh the group."