It certainly felt as though Chelsea's players had 'downed tools' when watching them inside Amex Stadium during their 3-0 defeat by Brighton in Liam Rosenior's final match in charge.

Many in the dressing room were unconvinced by their former head coach, citing his lack of authority and communication style, with Spanish-speaking players said to have particularly struggled under him.

However, there is nuance to the debate, with individual players experiencing different issues during that period.

Some may have downed tools, others appeared short of confidence and - perhaps most damningly - there are those who simply may not be good enough to meet Chelsea's perceived ambitions, especially as injuries forced certain players into more prominent roles.

There were also comments from players such as Trevoh Chalobah, who suggested fatigue was playing a part, having featured in the Club World Cup, not being given a full holiday and enduring a shortened pre-season.

Throughout their five-game losing run, Chelsea were also failing to take chances during matches in which they enjoyed long spells of dominance, notably against Manchester United, Everton and Manchester City.

All of it contributed to the perception that players had downed tools.

But while that may have been the case in some instances, in others it may be a harsh judgement.

Now it appears Chelsea's players have issued something of a rallying cry following Rosenior's dismissal, and are attempting to unite behind interim boss Calum McFarlane after booking their place in the FA Cup final with a timely victory over Leeds United on Sunday.

Do you feel as though the players have downed tools? If so, does it frustrate you or do you think they will now unite behind McFarlane and kick on to more success?