If Chelsea's defenders have clean sheet bonuses written into their contracts, they are not doing much to earn their extra pocket money out of their club. Rather, the dearth of determination to stop the opposition from scoring is getting silly now.
For the 21st Premier League match in succession, Chelsea failed to secure a clean sheet. Their last one came against Brentford coincidentally, and that was in January, Liam Rosenior's first game in charge. Since then, opposition attacks have considered them there for the taking.
How Chelsea surrendered their latest shot at a shutout involved a little charity. It came from a Brentford corner, the fifth set-piece goal conceded by Xabi Alonso's side this season.
Austin MacPhee was hired from Aston Villa in the summer, specifically to help solve these situations. He is making minor changes here and there. For example, Chelsea attempted a new kick-off routine here, with Cole Palmer booting the ball straight out of play for a Brentford throw-in by their corner flag, in a bid to pin them back from the get-go.
However, when it comes to defending set-pieces, little seems to have changed on MacPhee's watch as of yet. Mikkel Damsgaard sent his corner to the back of the six-yard box. Jannik Schuster headed it back across. Jaidon Anthony nodded it in, unmarked with Wesley Fofana having drifted to stand on the line and watch it all unfold.
He was not the only one at fault, but it did have at least some Fofana fingerprints on it, and rarely has the 25-year-old Frenchman looked like the defender that Chelsea – or Todd Boehly – hoped they were signing in 2022 for £75million from Leicester City.
Boehly was acting as interim sporting director when Chelsea committed to bringing in Fofana. His injury history was naturally a concern, and so Chelsea's chairman had an idea.
Boehly sent his prospective purchase to New York rather than London so he could have a more thorough medical via the team doctor of the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA team that he also co-owned. That medical lasted more than ten hours, but Fofana eventually got the green light, and Boehly his man.
Chelsea saw something special in him at that time, but he is still not standing up to the elite standards that the club want of him. Hardly any of the back line are.
Chelsea's defence is a problem which Alonso must solve if he wants to be troubling towards the top of the Premier League. They are leaking a glut of goals, and this time, they did not have the attack to save them with Joao Pedro sidelined and replaced by Danny Welbeck.
SUBSTITUTION SCRUTINY
Alonso cannot escape scrutiny for his substitutions, including his ignorance of Estevao Willian.
The Brazilian is a terrific young talent. He is still only 19, but has shown enough since arriving at Chelsea that he can have an impact if allowed the opportunity.
Indeed, it is hard not to think he is deserving of more minutes than he is receiving. Before this trip to Brentford, his Premier League season involved being an 83rd-minute substitute; unused substitute; 81st-minute substitute; 86th-minute substitute.
Here, Chelsea were already losing 2-0 when Estevao was brought on in the 87th minute.
Reports in Brazil have continued to emerge suggesting the starlet is frustrated. It is hard to blame him if so. With the very last kick of this game, Estevao swung in a corner which went straight out of play. In a way, that summed up his sorry season.
A SURPRISE STAR
The bar was set low, but Jordan Henderson was one of the few that impressed for Chelsea, especially in the first half in what was his first appearance in more than three months.
The 36-year-old added experience into the centre of the pitch, and made the visitors seem a little less soft at least. That has been an accusation levelled at this young Chelsea side. But Henderson was forever having a word with our referee, Andrew Madley, when something did not go his side's way.
A year or two ago, when Chelsea were in the thick of their focus on youth, nobody would have believed us if we said Henderson and Welbeck would soon be starting for this club. Yet here they were, contributing to a line-up that carried an average age of 27 years and 349 days – Chelsea's oldest since a 2023 league trip to Arsenal.
It helped in the first-half, but all unravelled in the second after conceding from a cheap set-piece.
Fotdlpst
0
Immediately i saw the lineup with the same Fofana and co,i said to.myself game over and i was proven right by the dullards.
K-Blow
0
To finish problem for Chelsea all players must betting on his team
Buheiknou
0
Coz Chelsea have got talented players to win every game but it's Alonso who is miss using them and destroying theire talents
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how ? explain
Ceejaykent
0
I just wish they won’t mount pressure on Alonso
Mocacimt
0
this is first Chelsea formation 👏 💙
jeebdmostu
1
I still don't get the reason why Challobha was sold.guy has been useful
Wawaeikluz
3
Chelsea should play penders as goalkeeper defence reece lacroix collwill chaveirra midfield palmer barco Morgan and attacking gittens pedro estevao that line up is good for alonso because his playing style is aggressive
sesbdeklrz
4
Coz Chelsea have got talented players to win every game but it's Alonso who is miss using them and destroying theire talents
sesbdeklrz
3
actually Alonso should change the system or style of play from 3 4 3 to 4 3 3
سردارایوب۔اکاخیل
0
the jinx is there goal keeper
سردارایوب۔اکاخیل
0
sacked 😋
Herdural
1
Alonso should please try this formation
Herdural
3
Fofana should never start for Chelsea again. And Alonso should not be stubborn with his back three system switch to four James Josh Lacrox and pep. And that midfield should be Herderson and Caicedo when he is back or Barco very promising. With Palmer spare heading them. Then Roger Estavo at both wing and Pedro attacking or welbeck as the case maybe geovany and Neto should be coming from the bench. Gusto and the new 2 can be assisting James on the left back. We are tired of conceding
Naokmptuz
1
The situation Chelsea is in is unimaginable and unbelievable. We have had stubborn, rigid and one way traffic Coaches for like 2 years now. Alonso is a one way traffic Coach. He failed to realise that La Liga & EPL are different from Bundesliga where he won the League with some players playing Back 3 and some playing Wingback. The formation he used almost all through his stay at Madrid that got him sacked is what he continued in Chelsea. Instead of playing a proper formation, he stuck to his multiple Defenders approach that has been failing since. Emi Martinez that was signed to help the Goalkeeping has conceded more goals than expected. Shame on Alonso Alonso may get sacked and I won't be surprised because he is frustrating this team. Imagine Fofana playing ahead of an inform JOSH ACHEAMPONG. And forcing wingers to be playing as Wingback. Frustrating talented players like ESTEVAO & QUENDA. These guys are very good but Alonso wants to frustrate them. I don't know if Alonso have problem with playing standard formation.
Mitchello2
0
Sanchez is the problem he should be kicked out of the club 😂 😂. Wait that is right they already did
Citbcmnpr
0
Chelsea is a fk team now they have spend a lot and the outcome is shittttt
tisiopruz
0
Chelsea have won the premier league before the season started with oberhyping from the fans. What an irony!
Tomckmtyz
0
This Alonso's back three formation failed him at Madrid and he was sacked. he's doing same here too. The same way he sidelined Rodrigo at Madrid is what he's doing to Estevao at Chelsea.we need Konte to come back since he's free agent.
Was it back 3 that made chelsea lose last season as well
Huzabimnou
0
This Alonso's back three formation failed him at Madrid and he was sacked. he's doing same here too. The same way he sidelined Rodrigo at Madrid is what he's doing to Estevao at Chelsea.we need Konte to come back since he's free agent.
JohnDuggan92
2
Chelsea and Man U in the same boat, Can’t keep a Clean sheet to save their lives Chelsea’s defence lack two midfielders for protection Man U on the other hand, we just have shit defenders
dowadimnp
0
Omo Chelsea need a solid defensive