At times, this season, Chelsea have looked like one of the most dangerous teams in the Premier League, headlined by their attack of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Morgan, but when those three don't click or if they're broken up, then they just don't look like the same side.

Sunday was an opportunity to solidify their place in the top four going into the international break against a struggling Sunderland side, who haven't won a Premier League game since August, but Xabi Alonso's side failed to impress, offering a whimpering display at the Stadium of Light.

Alonso could see the game as two penalties, both against his side. The first decision was Cole Palmer being denied a penalty after being sandwiched between two Sunderland defenders, but the challenge was deemed to be outside the penalty area.

An outlying weakness of Chelsea's defence was exposed again by Sunderland's Brian Brobbey, outmuscling and outdueling both Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill throughout the 67 minutes the Dutchman was on the pitch and was awarded a penalty after Colwill and Brobbey tussled with each other, with Enzo le Fee converting the spot kick, sending Mike Penders the wrong way.

However, the decision of referee Jarred Gillet and his VAR team was highly scrutinised during and after the match, and can take some part of the blame for those decisions, but that wasn't the only reason why Chelsea failed to pick up any points on Tyne-Side.

In the five Premier League games that Chelsea has dropped points in, there seems to be a glaring theme throughout; you would think that in the six months Alonso has been in charge of Chelsea for, he would have found an identity for his side but that still seems to be up in the air.

Although it hasn't been the easiest at times for the Spaniard, regarding missing key players through injury like Reece James, Moises Caicedo, and Joao Pedro, Alonso has experimented heavily with his team, trying different formations and personnel every week, it seems, but the 11 players that he puts out still have to perform.

The biggest hole in Chelsea's side over the past month has been the absence of Joao Pedro through injury, yet Alonso still seems unsure how best to cope without the Brazilian. He has chopped and changed between using Danny Welbeck as a recognised striker and deploying players such as Morgan Rogers as a false nine. Today, it was Pedro Neto's turn to lead the line, but the Portuguese winger, who has been influential on the right this season, was largely ineffective in the role, producing a disappointing display

In games against Arsenal, Hull, Brentford, and Tottenham, Alonso has made some head-scratching selections.

With the absence of Caicedo in the early part of the season, the Chelsea boss had to play different players in the midfield, like Reece James against Arsenal, a midfield pivot of Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco, and even today, with Caicedo back, he played the trio of Caicedo, Henderson, and Romeo Lavia.

What brought Alonso success when he was in charge of Bayer Leverkusen was predominantly playing a three-at-the-back formation, and when he was brought in to Stamford Bridge, many expected that to be the case.

Whilst Alonso played that in his first few games, when the Blues dropped their first points of the season against Arsenal, Alonso then started channelling his inner Claudio Ranieri and tweaking with his formation, switching between playing a four or five at the back.

Just like the previous international break, Xabi Alonso and his players had a lot to ponder and this time around is no different. This two-week break will give the missing players a chance to regain fitness, as well as some rest for those who haven't been called up for international duty.