A 'disaster' January or time to fix it?

Chelsea's slump in form which began at the end of December has been damaging to their top four chances, but it's still a long way from being fatal.

The timing of it also meant a perfect chance to use the January window for some squad surgery. There are a number of players who want to leave because they're not playing as much as they'd like, there are injuries starting to accumulate, and there are areas where the team clearly needs a little more depth.

Then there are the hangovers from the summer - the players the club weren't able to shift before the season began who are still training with the squad but don't even get B team minutes.

Most of these situations were pretty clear in December, if not long before. The first week of January could have seen a flurry of activity - a couple of sales, a couple of loan players moved around, maybe even a new signing.

Instead, we're a little over a week away from the window closing and the only significant first team moves have been the return of Trevoh Chalobah and Aaron Anselmino from their loans.

Things could yet move rapidly in these last 10 days, but even then, one can only wonder what the hold up has been. Recent games have seen so many easy points dropped - and moving early and decisively in the market would have helped bring any new faces in early enough to potentially make a difference.

The difference between a transfer happening at the start of January and the end of January is not just 30 days - it's also multiple games, many training sessions and crucial points to be won or lost. Enzo Maresca was joking when he called his January a "disaster", but it could well be heading that way if results remain poor and no significant improvements are made.

Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News