Branislav Ivanovic: Chelsea need to 'wake up' after poor start to the season

Five things we learnt from Chelsea's defeat to Everton

• 1/5 Too slow to react

  Naismith - who turns 29 next week - was introduced into the game following an early injury to Muhamed Besic and it proved the turning point in the match. The forward showed his experience after causing Chelsea's midfielders and defenders all sorts of problems and scoring a superb hat-trick that sealed all three points for Everton. However, Chelsea's older players such as Branislav Ivanovic and captain John Terry will be disappointed they failed to realise - or at least act on - the danger Naismith was creating, particularly after his first goal. Ivanovic, for example, didn't apply any pressure on him for the second goal while he should have been more closely marked in the second half to give the visitors a fighting chance of adding to Nemanja Matic's goal and at least walking away with a point.

• 2/5 Fighting Costa is losing the battle

  The striker admitted recently he needs to start scoring more goals for both Chelsea and his adopted nation Spain and, while that may be true, another concerning aspect of his game is his increasing ability to be drawn so easily into battles with opposing players. Costa is seemingly becoming an easy target for competitors and the striker is seemingly falling for it, regularly complaining about decisions to referees or going at opponents - exemplified when he appeared to strike Seamus Coleman's face which was missed by the referee. While he remains Chelsea's biggest threat up front, the Brazilian will need to focus more on trying to score and having less battles with opponents to help the champions get back to winning ways.

• 3/5 Time to shuffle the full-backs

  The Blues vice-captain has endured a torrid time this season but returned to action at Goodison Park initially looking refreshed and motivated following a good international break with his nation Serbia. But the right-back is one of the weak links in this Chelsea side and, after being given the run-around by Swansea winger Jefferson Montero and Manchester City's Raheem Sterling in recent weeks, he failed to prevent Everton's opening two goals. Mourinho has kept faith in Ivanovic - as he has done with under-performing Cesc Fabregas - but it might be time to drop the defender and replace him with Cesar Azpilcueta while utilising Abdul Baba Rahman at left-back.

• 4/5 Stones would have been a steal at £38m

  The defender superbly demonstrated just why Chelsea tabled four bids - all of which were rejected by the Toffees - for him this summer as he put in an impressive showing against the Blues. Mourinho already knows how talented Stones is but, after going head-to-head with Costa on Saturday and winning most of his battles with the striker, the Portuguese tactician may well be as keen as ever to ensure Chelsea land the 21-year-old in the January transfer window. The question is whether the champions will have to splash out even more money than their final failed £38 million bid to sign him after this display.

• 5/5 Mourinho can't continue to brush-off exit talk

  The Portuguese coach insisted there was nothing suspicious about a rare training ground visit made by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich on Friday following recent speculation by some over his long-term future at the club. The 52-year-old only signed a new contract with Chelsea last month, but said he would not walk away from the Blues regardless of results. However, the pressure on the Chelsea manager is beginning to show and indeed Mourinho looked visibly relieved after Matic scored against Everton - with the goal handing the visitors the chance of getting back into the game. Although the midfielder's strike could not ultimately do that, Mourinho will continue to face questions over his position if his side continue to lose.