Chelsea's recent 3-0 defeat at Brentford has laid bare a series of defensive shortcomings that have been haunting the club all season. As Xabi Alonso lamented after the match, "You need to feel it. We're not feeling it," a sentiment that captures the growing frustration among Blues supporters. This loss marks Chelsea's eleventh defeat of the calendar year – a tally that already exceeds the total they suffered in the entire 2025 campaign, with three months still to play.
The pattern is worrying: for the fifth consecutive Premier League fixture under Alonso, the team has surrendered at least two goals, and set‑piece vulnerabilities continue to surface. Alonso himself admitted that the side lost its consistency and competitive edge in the second half, a lapse that allowed Brentford to dominate after the break.
Fans are especially concerned about the ease with which the visitors took control, highlighting a broader issue that has persisted since last season: Chelsea are frequently out‑battled and out‑run by their opponents. In the Premier League matches last term, the Blues were outrun in the majority of games, and that trend has not improved.
One of the most glaring problems in the Brentford game was the handling of set‑pieces. From long throws to well‑rehearsed corners, Brentford exploited these situations with precision. Much like the previous encounter with Hull, Chelsea ceded another goal from a dead‑ball situation, marking the fourth such concession in five league games. This brings their total set‑piece goals allowed since the start of last season to 23, which is tied for the worst record among all Premier League clubs.
The decisive goal came when a cross was delivered directly onto the back post, landing on Emiliano Martínez's head. Neither the goalkeeper nor the surrounding defenders managed to react in time, and Brentford's players anticipated the delivery a mile away.
Vitaly Janelt explained to Sky Sports that the team had identified the far post as a target at half‑time and executed that plan early in the second half. Despite having Austin MacPhee, widely regarded as the league's top dead‑ball specialist, Chelsea's set‑piece execution remains erratic. Former set‑piece coach Bernardo Cueva, who now occupies a different role within the club, was even poached by Brentford during the match. Levi Colwill echoed the sentiment that the side has been "bullied" on set‑pieces and must improve.
While he expressed confidence in the coaching staff, he admitted the players are still adapting to new routines and that collective improvement is essential. Defensive frailties extend beyond dead‑ball scenarios. Chelsea's ability to protect the defensive third ranks among the league's poorest, as evidenced by a 22‑game stretch without a clean sheet. The team concedes an average of 2.2 non‑penalty goals per match, a figure that aligns closely with expected goals (xG) data, suggesting that the quality of chances they allow is genuinely high.
Moreover, they are among the top three clubs in terms of shots permitted inside their own penalty area, with roughly ten such attempts per game, turning their goalkeeper into a frequent target of relentless pressure. These statistics help explain why Chelsea have struggled to preserve leads in their last three league outings. In the Brentford match, they failed to score within the opening ten minutes for the first time this season, only coming close when Pedro Neto saw his effort saved.
When the team does fall behind, they often lose shape and become disorganized, a problem Alonso described as being "out of control" after conceding the opening goal. The return of Moisés Caicedo could provide some stability, but his absence has highlighted the lack of defensive solidity when the Ecuadorian midfielder is unavailable. Summer signings Jordan Henderson and Valentín Barco started the game, yet Brentford's midfield appeared more cohesive and energetic.
Keith Andrews' side also seemed to possess greater depth in the middle of the park, as they secured a 3‑0 victory despite having record signing Mamadou Sangaré on the bench for most of the match. Offensively, João Pedro emerged as Chelsea's most influential attacker in terms of goal creation, but the "JP Morgan" front line was dismantled for the first time this season, and the Blues failed to find the net altogether. This underscores the broader transitional phase the club is undergoing.
With seven new signings in the starting XI and Alonso being only the fourth manager to lead the team in nine months, patience is required. Former captain Gary Cahill reminded Sky Sports that such transformations do not happen overnight. He suggested that Alonso will be judged on his progress over the next five to seven weeks, a period that should allow the coaching staff to implement their ideas on the training ground and see them reflected on match days.
Alonso identified four key areas for improvement: set‑pieces, defensive duels, build‑up play, and overall game control. While these may seem elementary, they encompass virtually every facet of modern football. Levi Colwill added that the squad has much work to do over the international break, a sentiment that will likely be echoed throughout Stamford Bridge as the team strives to tighten its defense, regain composure, and finally break the cycle of conceding goals and losing matches.