Salomon Kalou claims Chelsea's players have not been adversely affected by events off the field.
The Blues have seen their flying start to the season slow to walking pace, with standards having dipped considerably since the heady days of late summer.
Various reasons have been offered for the slump in form, with injuries having undoubtedly taken their toll.
The shock departure of assistant manager Ray Wilkins and speculation surrounding the future of boss Carlo Ancelotti are also said to have caused unwelcome distractions.
Kalou, though, insists the players can have no excuses for their recent showings, with life for them having altered little over recent weeks.
"It has not been weird for us," said the Ivorian forward.
"Everything has been the same. We have trained like normal.
"Chelsea is a big club. When things aren't going well we have to be focused and not concentrate on other things outside.
"This weekend against Newcastle is a big game. We are back to winning ways and we have to continue. This weekend will be a good game again for us.
"There are moments like this in the season - every team has ups and downs and at this moment everything is not going as we want. But we have to keep working hard."
John Terry is another to have called on the Chelsea squad to show their fighting spirit over the coming weeks, with the injured skipper admitting that he cannot wait to return to the heat of battle and lead the charge.
"It has been really difficult to miss our last two games and the England match between them," said the talismanic centre-half, who is currently nursing a nerve problem in his thigh.
"You want to be out there for every single minute of every game and it is not easy to have to sit any out.
"Watching from the stands, especially when we are up against it, is difficult when you are captain.
"Last season we were double winners for a reason and that is simply because we were better than everybody else. We will fight to keep it that way."
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