Xabi Alonso lamented after Chelsea's 3-0 defeat at 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 what they will achieve in the entire 2025 season, with three months still left.
For the fifth consecutive Premier League match under Alonso, the Blues have let in at least two goals, and their vulnerability on set‑pieces remains a glaring problem. Alonso pointed out that the team "dropped our consistency, our competitive mentality needed in the second half," a shortfall that will worry supporters the most.
Brentford took advantage of the dip in intensity after the break, turning the game into a one‑sided affair. This is part of a broader pattern: Chelsea are frequently out‑battled and out‑run, echoing the defensive deficiencies that plagued them throughout last season's campaign. Set‑piece chaos was the first issue that came to mind when facing Brentford.
The Bees executed long throws and clever corners with precision, and, much like the previous encounter with Hull, Chelsea surrendered another goal from a dead‑ball situation. This was the fourth set‑piece goal they have allowed in five league games, raising 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 placed directly at the back post, landing on Emiliano Martínez's shoulder.
Neither the keeper nor the surrounding defenders reacted in time, and Brentford capitalised on the mistake. Vitaly Janelt later explained to Sky Sports that the team had identified the far post as a weak spot at halftime and deliberately targeted it with their first corner of the second half. Despite employing Austin MacPhee, who is widely regarded as the league's top dead‑ball specialist, Chelsea's set‑piece frailties persist.
Bernardo Cueva, the former set‑piece coach who now holds a different role at the club, was even poached by Brentford, underscoring the competitive edge the Bees have found in this area. Levi Colwill admitted to Sky Sports, "We have not been good enough, at times we have been bullied and we need to improve at that," while also expressing confidence in the coaching staff, saying, "We trust in our set‑piece coach; we are still adjusting to new things, but we do need to improve as a team." Defensive shortcomings extend beyond dead‑ball situations. Chelsea's ability to shield their defensive third ranks among the poorest in the division; they have gone 22 straight Premier League fixtures without a clean sheet. On average, they concede 2.2 non‑penalty goals per game, a figure that aligns closely with their expected goals against (xGA) metric, indicating that the numbers are not merely a product of bad luck but reflect systemic issues.
The team also struggles to protect the penalty area. They are currently in the top three for conceding shots inside their own box, allowing roughly ten attempts per match.
This relentless pressure forces their goalkeepers into a perpetual state of being hit like battering rams, eroding confidence and composure. These defensive woes help explain why Chelsea have been unable to maintain a lead in their last three league outings. They start matches explosively – this was the first Premier League game of the season where they failed to score within the opening ten minutes, although Pedro Neto came close with a chance that was saved.
Yet once they fall behind, the pattern repeats: the squad loses shape, mental lapses surface, and the opposition capitalises. Alonso summed up the situation, stating, "It's about everything. It's about the mentality, the football and the tactical things that we need to keep improving. 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 Moises Caicedo could provide some relief, but his absence has highlighted a lack of solidity in the midfield that the Ecuadorian normally supplies. Two of the summer signings, Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco, started the Brentford match, yet the Bees appeared stronger in the middle of the park.
Brentford manager Keith Andrews arguably boasts greater depth in that area, as evidenced by a 3-0 victory despite keeping record signing Mamadou Sangare on the bench for over an hour. At present, João Pedro emerges as Chelsea's most influential attacking figure, but even his contributions could not prevent a goalless night – the first time this season the 'JP Morgan' front line has been shut out. The squad featured seven new summer arrivals in the starting XI, reflecting a period of transition under Alonso, who is only the fourth manager to take charge of the club in nine months. Former captain Gary Cahill reminded Sky Sports that transformation does not happen instantly: "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 focus beyond set‑pieces, highlighting the need for improvement in defensive duels, build‑up play, and overall game control. Those four pillars – set‑pieces, duels, build‑up, and control – encapsulate virtually every aspect of a team's defensive identity. Levi Colwill echoed this sentiment during the international break, noting, "We've got a lot to work on over the international break," a statement that will likely be echoed by the entire squad as they strive to turn their season around.