Xabi Alonso’s post‑match remarks after the 3-0 defeat to Brentford summed up the mood at Chelsea: “You need to feel it. We’re not feeling it.” The Blues are once again mired in a familiar sense of frustration. This loss marks their eleventh defeat of the calendar year – already more than they suffered in the entire 2025 season – with three months still to go. For the fifth consecutive Premier League outing under Alonso, Chelsea have let in at least two goals, and their vulnerability on set‑pieces remains glaring.
Alonso lamented the loss of consistency and the missing competitive edge in the second half, a point that will undoubtedly alarm the club’s supporters. Brentford seized the initiative after the break with little resistance, highlighting a pattern that has become all too common for Chelsea: being out‑battled throughout the match. Last season, the team were outrun in the majority of their league games, and that trend has persisted. Set‑piece deficiencies were front and centre against Brentford.
The Bees executed long throws and clever corners with precision, and Chelsea’s defence crumbled once more, conceding a goal from a dead‑ball situation – the fourth such lapse in five league fixtures. Since the start of the previous campaign, Chelsea have allowed 23 set‑piece goals, a figure that puts them joint‑worst among all Premier League clubs. The decisive moment came when a cross was floated directly onto the back post, landing on Emiliano Martínez’s shoulder.
Neither the goalkeeper nor the surrounding defenders managed to react in time, and Brentford capitalised. Vitaly Janelt later explained to Sky Sports that the team had identified the far post as a weakness at half‑time and deliberately targeted it with their first corner of the second half. Despite appointing Austin MacPhee – widely regarded as the league’s premier dead‑ball specialist – Chelsea’s set‑piece woes have not abated.
Bernardo Cueva, the former set‑piece coach now serving in a different capacity, was even poached by Brentford during the match. Levi Colwill admitted to Sky that the side had been “bullied” on the occasion and stressed the need for improvement, while also expressing confidence in the coaching staff’s ability to make the necessary adjustments. The defensive frailties extend far beyond dead‑ball situations. Chelsea have now gone 22 straight Premier League games without keeping a clean sheet, and they concede an average of 2.2 non‑penalty goals per match.
Expected‑goals (xG) data suggests that this figure is not merely a product of bad luck; the team is statistically likely to allow that many quality chances on a regular basis. Compounding the problem is Chelsea’s inability to protect their own penalty area. They rank among the top three clubs for shots conceded inside the box, with roughly ten attempts per game forcing their keepers into a perpetual state of siege. This relentless pressure makes it almost impossible to maintain composure after falling behind.
The lack of defensive solidity has also eroded Chelsea’s habit of taking early leads. For the first time this season, they failed to score within the opening ten minutes, coming close only when Pedro Neto saw his effort saved. When the team does concede, they often lose shape and become “out of control,” as Alonso described, allowing opponents to dominate possession and dictate the tempo. The return of Moisés Caicedo could provide a much‑needed boost to the midfield’s defensive cover, but his absence this weekend highlighted how dependent the side is on his presence.
New signings Jordan Henderson and Valentín Barco started the match, yet Brentford’s midfield appeared more cohesive and better organised. Brentford manager Keith Andrews, who also boasts greater depth in that area, secured a 3-0 victory with record signing Mamadou Sangaré watching from the bench. Offensively, João Pedro has emerged as Chelsea’s most influential attacker in terms of goal contributions, but even his impact could not prevent a goalless night.
The ‘JP Morgan’ front line was dismantled for the first time this season, underscoring the broader issues of balance and creativity across the squad. Alonso’s task of reshaping the team will not be completed overnight. This was the first match in which seven of his summer acquisitions featured in the starting XI, and he is only the fourth manager to take charge of the club in nine months.
Former captain Gary Cahill reminded Sky Sports that Alonso will be judged over the next five to seven weeks, a period that should allow him to instil his tactical philosophy during training. Beyond set‑pieces, Alonso identified four key areas for improvement: defensive duels, build‑up play, game control, and overall tactical discipline. These elements are interlinked; strengthening one will inevitably benefit the others.
The club’s backroom staff, including the new dead‑ball coach, must work closely with the players to address these shortcomings during the international break, as Colwill emphasised. In summary, Chelsea’s recent performance against Brentford laid bare a cascade of defensive problems: a porous back line, ineffective set‑piece defending, poor protection of the penalty area, and an inability to retain structure after conceding. While the squad possesses individual talent and a promising coaching team, turning those assets into a cohesive, resilient unit will require focused training, strategic signings, and perhaps a return to the disciplined mentality that once defined the Blues.
The upcoming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Alonso can reverse the trend and restore Chelsea’s competitive edge before the season’s final stretch.