Florent Malouda claims rival teams no longer fear Chelsea following their recent run of poor results. The Blues enjoyed a breathtaking opening to the 2010/11 campaign, winning their first six games in all competitions.
Since then the goals having dried up somewhat and Carlo Ancelotti's men have suffered three defeats in their last four Premier League fixtures.
They also made hard work of a home date with MSK Zilina in the Champions League on Tuesday, with a second-half rally required to spare their blushes in a 2-1 victory securing them top spot in their group.
Goalscorer Malouda said in the Evening Standard: "Have we lost the fear factor? Yes.
"Maybe teams have more confidence when they come here.
"Right now we have so many injuries and it's more difficult for us physically and mentally. It's a period of the season where the games are more difficult.
"You can recover better after a win, though, which is why I'm so happy we beat Zilina. This is the moment when players have to come in and show their quality."
