Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho should be given time to turn his poor season around, according to former Blues boss Avram Grant.
Grant, who took charge of Chelsea between 2007-08 and led the side to second place in the Premier League and the finals of the Champions League and League Cup, insists the club have struggled under the media spotlight this season.
Chelsea won the Premier League title last season but are 14th currently -- 12 points away from the top four -- after a dreadful start, and Grant thinks that owner Roman Abramovich should keep faith with his most successful manager.
"It is not easy, but I think Jose deserves a chance," he told Sky Sports News. "I didn't like when they [the media] made him the genius, and I don't like what they are doing to Jose now, saying 'He is useless' or something.
"It is not like this, it is too extreme. He is a good coach but, like any other person, he is facing tough times.
"He needs to show he can handle pressure but don't judge him only by the quality of his interviews when he is under pressure. He is a good coach, a nice guy, and he can get out of it, for sure."
Chelsea have lost seven of their 14 games in the league so far, but Grant claims their problems may stem from complacency after last season's title success.
"They need to stop living in the past and saying last season was like this and this," he added. "Because then you could also say that two seasons ago was not so great.
"Last season was great for Chelsea, winning the league title, but now they need to see what is the problem, why are top players not performing like they need to play, why the team is not performing like they need to, and find a solution.
"The quality is there, the talent is there. There is no doubt about this."