Chelsea at a crossroads, admits Cahill

Chelsea captain Gary Cahill admits the Premier League champions are at a crossroads and must recapture their form as soon as possible.

Back-to-back league defeats to Bournemouth and Watford, in which they conceded seven goals, have led to questions over the future of Blues boss Antonio Conte.

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Cahill concedes the speculation over the Italian's position is starting to be felt by those inside the club but insists the squad are united in their desire to turn their season around.

Left or right turn

"We are at that road where you can either turn left or right. We are on a road where the sooner we have the opportunity to go down the right path the better, because drawing on past experiences you have that feeling it's bubbling outside the club," he told Sky Sports.

"In the club we are fine in terms of a tight group and everyone is together; there are no falling-outs or clashes with the manager. We are fine, but we need to get back on that good path as soon as we possibly can."

Chelsea's 4-1 loss to Watford has left them 19 points behind leaders Manchester City and just a point above fifth-place Tottenham, as the race for the Champions League places begins to intensify.

Cahill concedes it was one of his worst displays for the club but says Chelsea have shown in the past that there is no reason to panic after two bad results.

"I didn't recognise us, I didn't recognise myself in that performance - I am sure on reflection the lads would say the same," he said. "That was one of my worst performances of my career. But you are talking about one game, so as well as being harsh on ourselves, and rightly so, it's one game.

"We have had two bad results, which has caused a bit of atmosphere outside of the club, but it is only two results.

"It's very hard to ever criticise our squad in terms of work-rate or commitment. Is it a confidence thing? I don't know. For whatever reason, that happened. But that's football as well. It's not like it's the first time it's ever happened in my career.

"It does my head in sometimes that if you back at the record of this football club over the last 10 years, certainly the time I have been here, it's been very successful. You have results that are good, good, good and it's normal and then it's like 'BANG', everyone is on it.

"That's life and the way this club has been since I first walked through the door. From the past, I can say you come through the other side and you go on to win things. I would urge the fans to be patient and nine times out of 10 we turn things around and the club is successful again."

Chelsea host bottom-of-the-table West Brom on Monday.