The final scoreline didn't necessarily reflect Chelsea's performance at the Gtech Community Stadium. We controlled much of the opening period, limiting Brentford to just one shot on target despite a barrage of long throw-ins.

We had created a couple of opportunities of our own, with Caoimhin Kelleher denying Pedro Neto and Morgan Rogers, who also had a late first-half attempt blocked on its way to goal. As the players emerged for the second half, the game was delicately poised.

Unfortunately, it tipped the way of the hosts. Jaidon Anthony headed home just after the hour mark, Igor Thiago then netted, and Fabio Carvalho put gloss on Brentford's victory in stoppage time. It was a disappointing evening for the Blues.

Colwill, who skippered the side in Reece James' absence due to injury, was honest in his reflection on the performance. He accepted the second-half display was not good enough, and that there must be an improvement defensively.

‘It was tough,' the 23-year-old explained. 'First of all, conceding from a set-piece isn’t the best, and then we tried to push and maybe over-exposed ourselves and played some passes we shouldn’t and forced it.

'I feel we needed to relax and not push too hard for the equaliser; we needed to believe it would come if we continued playing our football. But I think we pushed too hard to get it and they hurt us on the counter.

'They get the second goal and then the third goal really hit home and hurt. The second half we weren’t good enough, obviously, and we’ve got a lot to work on during the international break.'

For the first time under Xabi Alonso – and the first time this season in all competitions – the Blues failed to find the net. Joao Pedro was also absent due to injury, with the Brazilian replaced by Danny Welbeck, who netted in our previous two Carabao Cup fixtures, in the side.

Yet Colwill insisted that, no matter who is deployed in attack, a solid defence is required to give us a platform to win games.

He said: 'We can’t rely on the front three to pull us out of danger; the rest of us have to try to help as much as possible. The defence, the midfield and the attackers, we all need to help each other much more.

'We’ve definitely got a lot of room to improve.'