Chelsea's defensive problems were laid bare in a comprehensive 3-0 defeat away to Brentford on Friday. The loss leaves the Blues seventh in the Premier League standings with seven points from five games, having now conceded 12 goals this season. This poor run of form has seen them win just one of their last four matches.
Manager Xabi Alonso, who has now seen his team concede two or more goals in each of his first five league matches in charge, offered no excuses. "We need to look at each other and know that we have to work and improve because there is still a long way to go," Alonso said after the match. He added that the performance was "not about looking for excuses." The team's immediate focus will be on their next fixtures, a home match against Wolverhampton Wanderers after the international break.
Set-piece struggles continue
The opening goal came from a familiar source of trouble. Brentford's Jaidon Anthony headed home from a corner in the 61st minute, a goal that means Chelsea have now conceded 23 times from set-pieces since the start of last season. Stand-in captain Levi Colwill was blunt in his assessment when speaking to reporters "Not good enough," Colwill said. "At times we have been bullied in the box and we definitely need to improve."
The issue is particularly pointed given the club's recent coaching changes. Bernardo Cueva was appointed as a specialist set-piece coach from Brentford two years ago, but he was replaced this summer by Austin MacPhee. The new defensive structure is yet to gel, with Alonso still experimenting with different systems in search of tactical coherence. The full extent of the team's defensive stats makes for grim reading.
Absences felt
Chelsea were also hampered by the absence of key players listed on the club's injuries page. Top scorer João Pedro, who has three goals and three assists in four league appearances this season, was ruled out with a knee injury. His replacement, the 35-year-old Danny Welbeck signed from Brighton for a second successive summer, managed only 17 touches before being substituted in the 71st minute.
Record signing Morgan Rogers, a £117m arrival from Aston Villa, had arguably his quietest game since joining, while another new forward, Emmanuel Emegha, remains sidelined waiting for his debut. The team fielded its oldest starting XI since May 2023, which included a debut for 36-year-old Jordan Henderson against his former club and a Premier League bow for 16-year-old Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli.
With the international break now providing a three-week pause, Alonso has time to reflect on a challenging start. He has handed out 11 debuts already this season in an attempt to instil a stronger competitive edge, but a consistent pattern of play has not yet emerged. Chelsea will hope to have João Pedro back to bolster an attack that has scored 10 goals, and to fix a defence that continues to leak them at an alarming rate. The Blues are currently five points behind leaders Arsenal, a gap they cannot afford to let grow wider.
This story first appeared at BBC Sport Football
