The ever increasing amount of injuries Chelsea have had to endure in this season start isn’t helping manager Xabi Alonso. With at least five of his first-choice players out of contention, rotation was forced upon us on what had all the indications to be a difficult time at Brentford’s home turf.
We did the best we could in the first half, holding strong and matching the home side’s intensity with the make-shift midfield duo of 22-year-old Valentín Barco and 35-year-old Jordan Henderson. Neither side found
it easy to create good quality chances in front of goal, making the goalless draw as both sides headed into the tunnels an expected result.
Second half continued the tale of two sides meeting each other’s levels until a fateful corner kick against us. Brentford centre-backs Kristoffer Ajer and Jannik Schuster rose highest in the box and in the ensuing confusion Jaidon Anthony was free to head the home side’s opener in at the far post.
We tried not to let our spirits down but with chances in front of goal not being good enough, there wasn’t much our attack could do to salvage the match. Igor Thiago’s goal with less than 10 minutes left on the clock didn’t help.
That wasn’t enough for the hosts. Another combination of shambolic defence got Fábio Carvalho to score a third goal for his team in stoppage time.
- Full debut for veteran Jordan Henderson.
- The gap between Danny Welbeck and João Pedro is enormous – unfortunately.
- This international break couldn’t have come at a better time.
- Next up: Bournemouth away in the Premier League.
- KTBFFH.
