The Blues captain is eager to point out that an expensively-assembled squad remains a work in progress, but lofty targets are still being set
Cesar Azpilicueta has sounded a rousing rallying cry at Stamford Bridge, with the Spanish defender saying: “We are Chelsea and we want to be as high as possible fighting for everything”.
Expectations in west London have had to be reined in slightly over recent weeks as Frank Lampard’s side scratch around for form.
A return to winning ways was made last time out in a derby date with neighbours Fulham, but there is still an eight-point gap to be bridged to Premier League leaders Manchester United.
Chelsea were tipped by many to come into contention for the top-flight crown this season, with Roman Abramovich having invested heavily once more in a number of fresh faces.
Value is yet to be found in all of those big-money deals, but Azpilicueta is eager to point out that the Blues remain in the hunt for silverware across multiple fronts.
The long-serving captain at Stamford Bridge has told Sky Sports: “We are Chelsea, we are very demanding of ourselves and we want to be always as high as possible fighting for everything.
“So when the results are not there we want to improve.
“Hopefully this win against Fulham can give us more confidence and grow into that game because against Leicester it's a game where we have to be at our best, we have to show confidence, we have to believe in ourselves and hopefully we can do a good game and get the win.”
Chelsea are set to take in a trip to the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, with Leicester currently sat four places and six points above them in the table.
Victory over the Foxes would help Lampard’s side to establish much-needed momentum, with progress having stalled after previously recording a 17-match unbeaten run.
“We know at the beginning of December we were top of the league, everybody could think we were there to win the title, and in a month we didn't have good results, we were in mid-table and everybody was saying we were out of everything, so we know how it works,” Azpilicueta said of the Blues’ search for consistency.
“But especially this season - where we see results nobody expects, and everybody is very close at the top of the table - we know that if we get the consistency back that we had in November and the beginning of December, when we were playing well and getting results at home and away, that's the way we want to carry on.
“We know that to be at the top of the Premier League is tough and you have to give everything in every single game - as we saw against Fulham, against 10 men for 45 minutes, it's never easy to win a game. They drew against Liverpool, they drew against Tottenham.
“Every game is very difficult and our focus has to remain on the next game, and, as a group, to keep improving, look at what we can do better, because that progression will allow us to get as high as possible.”