I do think Lascelles being out has played a huge part in that. Would we have looked so tragic at the back against Watford if he was playing? Against Leicester? Against Man Utd and Chelsea? (we probably would've done against those 2 teams, they're miles ahead of us) Would we have conceded that late header against Bournemouth if Lascelles was on the pitch? The answer is probably not, we'd probably be 2-4 points better off.
Who would've foreseen him being so important prior to the season starting.