Chelsea are lacking "real leadership" in the absence of captain John Terry, according to his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand.
Terry was on the bench as Chelsea lost 2-1 to Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday, and the 34-year-old's only appearance for the club since the 3-1 loss at Everton on Sept. 12 came in the 4-1 Capital One Cup victory over League One side Walsall.
Chelsea have now lost five games in all competitions this season -- more than they did in the entirety of the 2014-15 campaign, when Terry was an ever-present member of the team that won the Premier League.
Ferdinand, who had a high-profile falling-out with Terry, said the Chelsea captain's lack of first-team action was contributing to their poor start to the season.
Speaking after the Porto loss, Ferdinand said on BT Sport: "There was no composure, there was no real leadership out there.
"You look back on the Mourinho sides before, the Chelsea sides before, that were successful. You had the [Didier] Drogbas, the Terrys and the [Frank] Lampards who other players could look to, and they would turn around and say, 'Listen, I've been here before, don't worry, follow me, we'll be alright and get through this and weather the storm.'
"I didn't see that tonight. I didn't see players who would stand up and be counted in that way."
He added: "John Terry has been an integral part of this Chelsea side for over 12 years. It's not just one person who can change this team. There is an intensity that I just don't see in this Chelsea team.
"It's been part of their make-up for many years and to win big games abroad you have to come into them with the right frame of mind."
"@ChelseaFC need to stick with Mourinho." @rioferdy5 insists #CFC fans must keep their trust in Jose Mourinho. http://t.co/g83z4wV4jL
- BT Sport Football (@btsportfootball) September 30, 2015
Mourinho has said there are no "untouchables" in his team and both Terry and Eden Hazard were among the substitutes at Porto.
"I think before, the teams Mourinho had, you had certainties who were going to play week in, week out, and that drives the confidence and belief throughout the team," Ferdinand said.
"At the moment there's many players walking on eggshells around him it seems. That is really I think doing the team no good."
He added: "Seeing Hazard and Terry on the bench is destabilising for this squad. They are looking around for inspiration and are not seeing it from anyone at the moment.
"There's a lack of confidence and communication and they are going to have to really tighten up to pick up this season."
Chelsea are now third in Group G ahead of their double header against Dynamo Kiev, and Ferdinand said: "I think they have a lot of work now to get out this group."
However, Ferdinand said the English champions must keep faith with their manager.
"This is Jose Mourinho," he said. "He's won so many things over the years. This team, this club, have got to trust him, [and] these fans.
"The team's having a wobble but he's proved over the course of many years and winning many trophies that he's a man capable of success and bringing it to a club, so this time he's going through you've got to stick by him and try and let him get out of it."