Brentford 3–0 Chelsea, and the second half fell apart
Your team lost 3–0 at Brentford on Friday and conceded all three after the break (1) (2). That is a fifth league game without a win streak: two wins, a draw, two losses. Chelsea sit 9th on 7 points from five matches, goal difference -2.
Xabi Alonso did not hide from it. "[We] dropped our consistency, our competitive mentality needed in the second half," he said. "We know that the small details can be decisive. We don't have to give advantage in this kind of games" (2).
No Caicedo, no Reece James
Chelsea went into Brentford without Moises Caicedo and Reece James, both injured (1). That is the backbone of the midfield and the captain gone at once, and it showed in the second half.
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Joe Cole: Alonso is talking to the board
Alonso threw on 16-year-old Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli while Chelsea were chasing the game at Brentford, and Joe Cole read it as a signal. "Xabi Alonso, that's a message to the board saying we've not got enough," Cole said. "I'm putting a 16-year-old kid in to midfield when we're chasing the game away at our rivals" (1).
Cole also pointed at Alonso's walk off at full time. "That was clear as day for me, and the way he walked off at the end, I think he'd be furious with that" (1).
The break comes at the right time
Alonso has the international window to fix the mentality he says broke against Brentford (2). Levi Colwill stays with him through it. No date is set for Caicedo or James to return (1).
Fan reactions
The mood is split between fury at the result and love for the academy. One thread is all Joe Cole's message-to-the-board line doing the rounds, with the Enzo Fernandez replacement question at the centre of it. The other is a bit of light in the gloom: Cobham Next Gen beat Fulham U21 3–1 with a lovely team goal.
