Another harsh Premier League lesson for Xabi Alonso. You just cannot coast to three points in this division.
Jaidon Anthony opened the scoring after some poor Chelsea marking from a second-half corner, before Igor Thiago doubled the advantage as the hosts swept clear on a trademark breakaway led by Kevin Schade, who was thwarted by Emi Martinez.
Former Fulham man Fabio Carvalho rubbed salt in the Chelsea wounds as he bundled home in stoppage time to secure all three points for Keith Andrews’ men, who go into the international break unbeaten after five games. Their opponents, meanwhile, are winless in three.
Chelsea’s leaky defence goes unpatched
The first 50 minutes looked promising.
Alonso has clearly settled on Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill as his go-to trio in his 3-4-2-1 shape, and they looked comfortable in how they handled the home threats of Thiago, Schade and Anthony.
But when the home crowd was whipped up, namely by the little wizard Mikkel Damsgaard, who was picking up dangerous pockets of space on the edge of the box, the cracks started to appear.
Chelsea’s defence started well against Brentford but crumbled under sustained pressure
PA
Acres of space were left by the wing-backs Pep Chavarria and Pedro Neto, who looked to push on aggressively in support of attacking moves, and ultimately, Chelsea were punished as they opened up.
It is becoming a running theme – as soon as they look to be more adventurous, their solidity dissipates.
Alonso now has three weeks to work out how to plug the gaps.
Danny Welbeck was handed a rare start up top, but the difference between him and fellow former Brighton forward Joao Pedro is night and day.
The Brazilian’s absence was massively felt. They missed his clever drop-ins to leave space for Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer to create, as well as his spins in behind to confuse opposing defences.
Danny Welbeck struggled to fill the shoes of Joao Pedro
PA
So much money has been spent on that attacking third, but Alonso was still limited in his options to change the game.
Geovany Quenda was introduced in an attempt to stretch the game with his pace down the left, with the physical presence of Rogers shifted into the central striking role as the visitors chased the game.
They may well have their two English stars in what is a frightening first-choice front three, but they were sorely missing the man that glues it all together.
Valentin Barco was overrun in midfield
PA
Midfield leaves Alonso with major headache
It takes a lot to crave a natural right-back in your engine room, but the absent captain Reece James’ experience would have been a welcome addition to the visiting engine room here.
The England international’s incisive eye for a pass through the lines was something that Chelsea were crying out for, with their front three starved of service as they awaited balls to feet.
Both Henderson and Valentin Barco looked at sea and overrun with Brentford’s extra man – Damsgaard – buzzing around them and causing chaos. No one knew who was to pick him up, with Barco asked to jump and sit on Yehor Yarmoliuk, the home side’s deep-lying orchestrator, which left Henderson isolated and outgunned.
Prayers will be sent to the heavens to have Moises Caicedo back sooner rather than later, and the misfortune on Deadline Day, failing to replace Enzo Fernandez at the death, could prove fatal.
