The games come thick and fast as Ferraris fight for space with ambulances in the players’ car park at Cobham.

We saw it last season, and we appear to be witnessing it again this one. When it’s backs-to-the-wall time, the Blues suddenly rouse themselves.

At 3-2 down to Roma at the Bridge, board members wrapped in their west stand blankets were mentally penning news of a managerial change. Then Eden Hazard salvaged a point.

At 2-1 down to Watford, three days later, the blankets rustled again as Tony Conte’s future was once more on the line.

But a goal from Cesar Azpilicueta and a brace from Michy Batshuayi saved the day, and Conte went crowd-surfing rather than job-hunting.

Chelsea travel to Bournemouth this weekend. That Watford win propelled the Blues to fourth – although there are nine points between them and sure-to-be champions City.

Playing the Cherries is always odd. For a start, the stadium is so diddy it’s almost non-league, with a capacity under 11,500.

Contrast that with the 80,000+ who packed into Wembley to watch Spurs defeat Liverpool at the weekend.

This time last year the Blues went on a run of form which effectively gave them the title.

But the pressure of playing three games a week has already produced more casualties in the squad than the whole of last season.

Pray the men from St John have bandages at the ready.