Chelsea have a problem, and it is not hard to spot. A 3-0 defeat at Brentford laid it bare again, sloppy defending, uneven intensity and a side that still looks miles away from being reliable. Xabi Alonso called it a “process”, which is fair enough after five league matches, but the Premier League does not pause for anyone trying to find themselves.

Brentford were sharper, more direct and far more coherent at the Gtech Community Stadium. Goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho sealed a convincing win, one that lifted Brentford to third and preserved their unbeaten start. Chelsea, meanwhile, head into the international break with no wins in three and more questions than answers.

The numbers are ugly. Chelsea have yet to keep a clean sheet in the league. They threw away a lead against Hull last weekend, and their earlier wins over Fulham and Brighton, 3-2 and 4-3, carried the same warning signs. They can score, that much is clear. They also give opponents far too much encouragement.

That is what makes this stretch so damaging. It is not one bad night. It is a pattern. Chelsea are seventh, and for a club with ambitions at the top end of the table, that is already reason enough for scrutiny.

Alonso did not hide behind excuses afterwards. “We knew that it’s a process,” the Spaniard said. “It’s only five games and each game in a competitive Premier League is really hard. We knew that it was going to be hard, it’s nothing new.”

He was even more direct when discussing what went wrong. “This is not enough to compete in the Premier League,” he said. “We were not able to maintain our level for the full 90 minutes and that’s why we were punished today. It’s about everything. It’s about the mentality, the football and the tactical things that we need to keep improving. We can do much better.”

That is the truth of it. Chelsea are still searching for structure, consistency and resilience. Brentford already look like they know exactly who they are.