Chelsea’s troubled start to the season hit a new low on Friday as they collapsed to a 3-0 defeat at Brentford, with injuries and defensive frailty compounding new manager Xabi Alonso’s problems.
The Blues were already missing striker Joao Pedro, ruled out with a knee injury, and his absence blunted an attack that had previously been free-scoring under Alonso featuring Cole Palmer and club-record £117m signing Morgan Rogers. Danny Welbeck came in but failed to make an impact.
For much of the contest, the sides were evenly matched. That changed in the 61st minute when Jaidon Anthony fired Brentford ahead and Chelsea fell apart, conceding twice more as the game slipped away.
The defeat leaves Chelsea with 12 goals conceded, more than any other Premier League side, albeit having played a game more than their rivals.
The statistics make grim reading for Alonso. He is only the sixth manager in Premier League history to concede two or more goals in each of his first five matches in charge.
While some of Chelsea’s problems are inherited, the new manager has yet to establish any tactical coherence. Alonso has experimented with multiple systems and handed out 11 debuts, including two on Friday 16-year-old midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, the youngest player ever to feature for Chelsea in the Premier League, and 36-year-old Jordan Henderson, who faced his former club.
