Chelsea's failure to address their weaknesses in the January transfer window has come back to haunt them as they slumped to a dismal defeat at Villa Park, a result that has left the Blues staring into the abyss of a crisis of form that shows no signs of abating.
The London club's inability to strengthen their squad during the January transfer window was a gamble that has ultimately backfired, leaving Thomas Tuchel's side woefully short of the quality and depth needed to compete with the Premier League's elite.
The defeat at Villa Park was a stark illustration of the problems that have been plaguing Chelsea all season, from a lack of creativity in midfield to a defense that has been breached all too easily by opponents.
Despite the arrival of new owner Todd Boehly, who has pledged to invest heavily in the squad, the January transfer window passed with minimal activity, a decision that has been widely questioned by fans and pundits alike.
The lack of transfer activity has put a significant strain on Tuchel's squad, with key players such as Mason Mount and Kai Havertz shouldering the bulk of the creative burden, while the defense has been forced to rely on a makeshift backline that has been constantly chopped and changed.
The consequences of Chelsea's inaction in the transfer market are now being felt in stark fashion, with the team's form plummeting to new depths and the Blues facing a real fight to salvage their season.
As the Premier League campaign enters its final stretch, Chelsea find themselves in a desperate scrap to secure a top-four finish, a scenario that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago when the team was riding high and looking like genuine title contenders.
With the team's confidence at an all-time low and the pressure mounting on Tuchel and his players, the question on everyone's lips is: can Chelsea turn their season around and avoid a disastrous collapse, or will their risky transfer policy ultimately prove to be their undoing?