Xabi Alonso lamented after Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat at Brentford, "You need to feel it. We're not feeling it." The Blues find themselves trapped 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 play. For the fifth consecutive Premier League match under Alonso, they have allowed at least two goals, and their vulnerability on set‑pieces remains glaring.
Alonso admitted, "We dropped our consistency, our competitive mentality needed in the second half." That admission will sting Chelsea supporters the most, as Brentford seized control after the break with little resistance. The pattern is unmistakable: Chelsea are being out‑battled across the pitch. Last season, they were outrun in the majority of their league games, and that trend shows no sign of reversing.
When you face Brentford, the first thing that comes to mind is the threat from dead‑ball situations – long throws, clever corners, and the like. Just as they did against Hull in the previous fixture, Chelsea surrendered another goal from a set‑piece. This was the fourth time in five league games that they have been punished from a dead‑ball, pushing their total since the start of last season to 23 – the joint‑worst figure among all Premier League clubs. The decisive moment came when a cross was lofted directly onto the back post where Emiliano Martínez was positioned.
Neither the keeper nor the surrounding defenders managed to react in time, and Brentford anticipated the delivery a mile away. Vitaly Janelt explained to Sky Sports, "We targeted the back post at half‑time. There was a big gap at the far post. We aimed at that with our first corner of the second half." Chelsea’s set‑piece woes persist despite the appointment of Austin MacPhee, widely regarded as the league’s best dead‑ball specialist.
Bernardo Cueva, who previously oversaw Chelsea’s set‑piece routines before moving into a different role, was even poached by Brentford during the match. Defender Levi Colwill told Sky Sports, "We have not been good enough, at times we have been bullied and we need to improve at that. But we trust in our set‑piece coach; we are still adjusting to new things, but we do need to improve as a team." The defensive deficiencies extend far beyond dead‑ball situations. Chelsea’s ability to prevent opponents from infiltrating the defensive third ranks among the poorest in the division.
They have now gone 22 straight Premier League fixtures without keeping a clean sheet. On average, they concede 2.2 non‑penalty goals per game, a figure that aligns closely with their expected goals against (xG) – indicating that the quality of chances they allow matches statistical expectations.
Compounding the issue is an alarming frequency of shots taken inside their own penalty area. Chelsea sit in the top three this season for conceding the most attempts from within the box, averaging around ten per match. Their goalkeepers are repeatedly forced into the role of a last‑ditch barrier, a situation that erodes confidence and invites further pressure.
These defensive frailties explain why Chelsea have struggled to protect leads in their last three league outings. They often burst out of the blocks with intensity – this was the first Premier League game in which they failed to take the lead in the opening ten minutes, though they came close when Pedro Neto saw a good chance saved. Yet, once they fall behind, they quickly lose shape, allowing opponents to dictate the tempo.
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 a measure of stability, but his absence has highlighted how thin the squad feels without his presence in midfield. Two summer signings, Jordan Henderson and Valentín Barco, started the Brentford match, yet the Bees appeared stronger in the middle of the park. Brentford manager Keith Andrews arguably boasts deeper quality in that area, as evidenced by a 3‑0 victory while record signing Mamadou Sangaré remained on the bench for over an hour.
At present, João Pedro stands out as Chelsea’s most influential attacking player. The ‘JP Morgan’ front line was dismantled for the first time this season, and the Blues failed to find the net – a first for them this campaign.
Patience is essential as Alonso continues to embed his philosophy at Stamford Bridge. This side featured seven of his summer acquisitions in the starting eleven, and he is only the fourth manager to helm the club in nine months.
Former captain Gary Cahill told Sky Sports, "It doesn't happen overnight. I think with what you're saying he will be judged in the next five, six, seven weeks to get this right because you will have that time on the training ground and then we should start to see his methods coming through because we've seen him in an attacking sense." Alonso broadened the scope of required improvements beyond set‑pieces, stating, "In defensive duels, build‑up and controlling games." Those four pillars – set‑pieces, defensive duels, build‑up play, and game control – encapsulate the areas where Chelsea must evolve. Levi Colwill echoed the sentiment during the international break, emphasizing that there is “a lot to work on over the international break.” The upcoming weeks will be crucial for the Blues to address their defensive frailties, restore confidence, and translate Alonso’s vision into tangible results on the pitch.