Chelsea's first three Premier League games were filled with such hope. Since then there has been an earth-shattering return to the ground, with a disappointing draw against Swansea and a sloppy defeat to Liverpool.

Calamity in defence and constipation in possession left Chelsea looking only one N'golo Kante away from the team that produced one of the worst title defences in history. The foul on Gary Cahill at Swansea offered a welcome excuse, but when slack defending reappeared against Liverpool it was an entirely different issue. Not to mention that the counter-attack for Swansea's penalty was a naive breakaway that could so easily have been a flashback to any of Chelsea's defensive howlers in the past few seasons.

Then again, Antonio Conte can opt to write off the chances conceded to both Swansea and Liverpool as bad luck or issues that can be rectified on the training ground. Offensively, however, there is a different, more challenging problem for the Blues.

The issue against Swansea, as seen below, was finishing chances. Diego Costa swept in an emphatic first and an inventive bicycle kick brought his second, but the Blues struggled other than that. A decent goalkeeping performance was responsible in part, although a key miss from Eden Hazard in the first half will be remembered as the turning point of the game.

Herein lies a timeless Chelsea problem. Hazard's finishing remains a point of discussion when considering his standing in the game and, as the nearest Chelsea player to Diego Costa, many of their greatest chances will fall to him. So often he looks uncomfortable in front of goal, rushing chances or bumbling the ball under his feet.

The burden on Diego Costa to score is heightened as a result, particularly considering the lack of goals from midfield. Oscar tends to be a reliable, calm head in front of goal, but his role this season has been as a third central midfielder rather than a second striker. Willian, on the opposite flank to Hazard, is a key cog in Chelsea's build-up play but has never been a prolific goal scorer nor a touchline hugging winger.

Against Liverpool, Chelsea had a slightly more complex issue.

Despite Jurgen Klopp's side suffering from their own defensive mishaps over the past few months, Chelsea could not create many meaningful chances, until a late second half burst. Limited to shots from distance despite a lot of possession in the opposition's half, Chelsea without Cesc Fabregas or a secondary target in the box suffered.

Michy Batshuayi, who remained on the bench against Liverpool, has been the solution on a couple of occasions already this season. Shifting to start in a 4-4-2 will give Chelsea additional options in attack, but brings with it a thinner midfield which could be exposed, particularly seeing as Chelsea have Arsenal coming up next.

Strong, leading performances from Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren made it a challenge for Chelsea to find Diego Costa throughout. Late in the game the absence of Batshuayi was puzzling, but the previous two slip ups for Conte's side raise two potential solutions.

Even if he wishes to persevere with the current midfield and attack because of the defensive protection and energy it provides, changes must be made quickly when things begin to head south. Continuing with a 4-3-3 and finding a way to accommodate Cesc Fabregas, particularly in easier home fixtures, or going to an offensive 4-4-2 with a Kante-Oscar midfield pairing and Batshuayi-Costa strike partnership seems an inevitability.

In defence, a change of full-backs will help aid the side in the build-up phase, too. Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso are due a chance to prove themselves in the right and left back spots respectively, especially after Branislav Ivanovic's lacklustre performance on Friday night. Players who naturally want to stick wide at full-back should stretch the game for Chelsea, which is the first step to free up the side offensively.

Unless Chelsea's defence is to find a lock-tight run of form, the attacking difficulties must be solved. Even an in-form Hazard and Costa pairing cannot carry a team without other sources of goals or a midfield creator.

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