Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has admitted that he feels sorry for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who he has claimed is only putting himself under pressure.
The Premier League champions have endured their worst start to a season for 38 years in a testing campaign which has yielded negative press for the Portuguese coach.
Mourinho was slapped with a £50,000 fine, and a suspended stadium ban, for publicly criticising referee Bobby Madley after the Blues' 3-1 defeat by Southampton last month.
"I think Jose Mourinho is voicing a lot of his concerns publicly because they're not being dealt with privately," Keown told the Daily Mail.
"He is almost putting himself under pressure and, dare I say it, I almost feel sorry for Mourinho.
"He looks isolated and when his team aren't doing the talking on the pitch it's like he feels he has to fill the void."
The 52-year-old's side sit 12th in the table, 10 points behind leaders Manchester City, ahead of facing in-form West Ham United at Upton Park on Saturday.