Xabi Alonso lamented after Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford, "You need to feel it. We're not feeling it," highlighting a familiar sense of frustration that has settled over the club. The loss marked Chelsea’s eleventh defeat of the calendar year – a tally that already exceeds the total they had managed in the entire 2025 season, and there are still three months left to play. For the fifth consecutive Premier League match under Alonso, the Blues have surrendered at least two goals, and their vulnerability on set‑pieces has become a recurring theme.
Alonso pinpointed a loss of consistency and a missing competitive edge in the second half, noting that the team’s drop in intensity would be the biggest worry for supporters. Brentford capitalised on that dip, taking control of the game after the interval with ease.
This pattern of being out‑battled is not new; last season Chelsea were outrun in the majority of their league fixtures, and that trend appears to be persisting. Set‑piece deficiencies were front and centre against Brentford. The Bees executed long throws and clever corners that left Chelsea scrambling. Just as they had against Hull in the previous match, the Blues allowed a goal from a dead‑ball situation, marking the fourth set‑piece concession in five league games.
Since the start of last season, Chelsea have now allowed 23 goals from set‑pieces – the joint‑worst record among all Premier League clubs. The latest goal unfolded when a cross was delivered directly onto the back post where Emiliano Martínez stood, and neither the keeper nor the surrounding defenders could react in time. Brentford’s players anticipated the delivery well in advance, exposing a lack of organization in Chelsea’s defensive unit.
Vitaly Janelt later told Sky Sports that they had specifically targeted the back post at halftime, pointing out a noticeable gap at the far post that they exploited early in the second half. Even with Austin MacPhee, widely regarded as the league’s top dead‑ball coach, overseeing set‑piece routines, Chelsea continue to struggle.
Bernardo Cueva, the club’s former set‑piece specialist who now occupies a different role, was even poached by Brentford during the match. Defender Levi Colwill admitted to Sky that the team had been “bullied” at times and needed to improve, while also expressing confidence in the coaching staff’s ability to rectify the issue. Beyond dead‑ball scenarios, Chelsea’s defensive frailties extend to open play. The team has now gone 22 straight Premier League fixtures without keeping a clean sheet, and they concede an average of 2.2 non‑penalty goals per game.
Expected goals (xG) metrics suggest that this figure is realistic, as the opposition typically generate a comparable number of quality shots on target against them. A particularly worrying statistic is Chelsea’s rank among the top three clubs for allowing shots inside their own penalty area – roughly ten per match – effectively turning their own goalkeeper into a target for relentless pressure. This lack of protection in the box contributes to the inability to preserve leads; the Blues have failed to hold onto a advantage in their last three league outings. The opening stages of the Brentford game also highlighted a change in pattern.
For the first time this season, Chelsea did not seize the lead within the first ten minutes, although they came close when Pedro Neto saw a promising chance saved. When the team does fall behind, they often become disorganised, losing shape and allowing the opposition to dominate.
Alonso summed it up: "We concede the first goal, you're still in the game but then we lose the shape. We were out of control." The return of Moisés Caicedo could provide some much‑needed stability in midfield, but his absence has underscored the squad’s lack of solidity. Two of the summer signings, Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco, started the match, yet Brentford’s midfield appeared more cohesive.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews arguably has deeper quality in that area, as evidenced by their 3‑0 victory despite record signing Mamadou Sangaré spending over an hour on the bench. Offensively, João Pedro has emerged as Chelsea’s most influential scorer this season, but the forward line – nicknamed the "JP Morgan" trio – was dismantled for the first time, and the Blues failed to find the net at all. This was also the first match in which the team did not score, breaking a run of goals that had persisted throughout the campaign.
Alonso’s task of imprinting his philosophy on Stamford Bridge will inevitably take time. The current starting eleven featured seven new signings, and the Spanish manager is only the fourth to take charge of the club in nine months. Former captain Gary Cahill reminded Sky Sports that transformation does not happen overnight, adding that Alonso will be judged over the next five to seven weeks as his ideas are refined on the training ground. Alonso identified four key areas for improvement: set‑pieces, defensive duels, build‑up play, and overall game control.
While these may sound broad, they encompass virtually every facet of the team’s performance. Levi Colwill echoed this sentiment after the international break, acknowledging the extensive work that lies ahead. In summary, Chelsea’s defensive crisis is multi‑layered.
Set‑piece vulnerability, an inability to protect the penalty area, frequent loss of shape after conceding, and a lack of midfield cohesion have combined to produce a worrying run of results. The club’s recent signings and coaching appointments suggest a willingness to invest in solutions, but the on‑field execution remains inconsistent.
As the season progresses, the pressure will mount on Alonso and his staff to translate their tactical concepts into a resilient defensive structure capable of competing at the highest level.