Branislav Ivanovic accepts stuttering Premier League champions Chelsea need to raise their game, but is convinced one win can provide the spark to kickstart their campaign.
Chelsea's dismal start to their league title defence continued as a Steven Naismith hat trick sent them crashing to a 3-1 defeat at Everton on Saturday.
The result left Jose Mourinho's men with just four points from five games and reflecting on a third defeat in their last four outings.
They lost only three games in the league during the whole of last season and their sequence constitutes the club's worst start to a top-flight season since 1988.
Defender Ivanovic told Chelsea TV: "We need one big win to come back to our way. We are not playing as badly as the results are showing but we have to wake up.
"I think at the moment we are being punished for all our mistakes. The only way we can change is to work hard and be ready for the next game, so it is like a final and we have to play like a final."
Chelsea will hope to spring into life as they launch their latest Champions League campaign against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Ivanovic said: "The next game is very important for us. It is a new competition and it is time to change all this situation. I hope we will start winning the games soon."
Chelsea were overrun in the first 25 minutes at Goodison Park, with Naismith -- a ninth-minute replacement for the injured Muhamed Besic -- starting and finishing the move that led to the opener after 17 minutes.
The 28-year-old quickly followed up with a long-range strike while Arouna Kone and James McCarthy also brought fine saves out of Asmir Begovic.
Nemanja Matic pulled one back with a brilliant effort before the break but Naismith -- completing a classic treble of headed, left-foot and right-foot finishes -- settled the contest after 82 minutes.
Mourinho said his team were unlucky to lose on Saturday, and added he feels under no pressure despite the disappointing start to the season.