EPL: Brentford batter Chelsea 3-0 to dent Alonso’s promising start

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Brentford exposed Chelsea’s defensive problems to inflict a damaging 3-0 defeat on Friday that gives Xabi Alonso plenty to ponder over a three-week international break.

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After a promising start to life under the former Real Madrid coach, Chelsea have picked up just one point from their last three league games.

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Goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho took unbeaten Brentford above their west London neighbours and up to third in the table.

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Chelsea had quickly earned the reputation as the Premier League’s great entertainers under Alonso with their opening four games containing 19 goals.

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But the loss of Joao Pedro to a knee injury subdued the Blues’ free-flowing attack as Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers were comfortably kept in check by the Bees.

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Alonso said after last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Hull he was hoping for more “boring” games going forward.

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The Spaniard sought control as he made four changes in all, handing Jordan Henderson his first Chelsea start against the 36-year-old’s former club.

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Alonso got his wish during a flat first half in which neither goalkeeper was seriously tested, but Brentford were the more threatening side in the second period.

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The visitors’ frailty from set-pieces led to the opening goal when Jannick Schuster rose highest to meet Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner and Anthony was left with a simple task to head into an unguarded net just after the hour mark.

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Chelsea’s response was muted and as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, Alonso’s men were picked off on the counter-attack.

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Kevin Schade should have scored the second goal himself when played clean through on Emi Martinez.

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But even after the Argentine goalkeeper spread himself to save, the rebound fell kindly for Thiago to end his goal drought.

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The Brazilian netted 25 times last season, earning a shock call-up to Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad as a result.

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Thiago has looked shorn in the early weeks of the campaign and tore off his shirt in celebration after netting for the first time in the Premier League this season.

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Chelsea have conceded at least twice in all five league games under Alonso and there was further punishment to come in stoppage time.

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Schade’s low cross was deflected into the path of Carvalho who fired high past Martinez to leave Brentford boss Keith Andrews yelling into the night sky in delight.

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Brentford, who also beat Tottenham 3-0 on the opening weekend of the season, sit behind only defending champions Arsenal and Manchester City at the top of the table.

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By contrast, Chelsea were handed another reminder of the gap Alonso must bridge to make them title contenders once more.

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AFP

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