Brentford 3 Chelsea 0: Woeful Blues look lost as they’re ripped to shreds while Thiago ends drought to send Bees third

BRILLIANT Brentford sent Jordan Henderson and the rest of Chelsea’s Dad’s Army back home across west London with their tails between their legs. Blues boss Xabi Alonso gave Henderson his debut against his former club alongside fellow thirty-somethings Danny Welbeck and Emi Martinez. Brentford stunned Chelsea in West London to move to third in the Prem table Credit: Reuters The Blues couldn’t find a way through Brentford’s stalwart defence Credit: Reuters But the oldest Chelsea Premier League starting 11 since May 2023 produced the worst performance of the Alonso era so far. Henderson, 36, was at fault for the decisive second goal, much to the delight of the home crowd, who chanted “Jordan, Jordan, what’s the score?” Sign up for the Chelsea newsletter Thank you! And substitute Fabio Carvalho wrapped things up in stoppage time. Age is just a number, and the statistics that matter are not great so far for the new Chelsea manager. Jaidon Anthony’s first goal for Brentford, a second-half header, and Igor Thiago’s first strike of the season mean Alonso’s team have lost two and drawn one of his first five Premier League games in charge. Changes in formation and personnel blunted Chelsea’s previously potent attack and could not prevent them succumbing to a setpiece, a weakness familiar from last season. The Blues missed the injured Joao Pedro but Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, his partners in the tricky trio, were disappointing. And Alonso’s team kept up the unwanted record of conceding at least twice in every league game. Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The new back four looked solid enough in the first half. But Brentford thoroughly deserved their victory after stepping their game up following an uncharacteristically limp first half. Henderson, having recovered from the broken arm he suffered at the World Cup, had his every touch for his new club booed. With Pep Chavarria, 28, also making his first league start, Chelsea’s average age was 27 years 349 days – the best part of four years more per man than the 24 years 36 days figure from Alonso’s four previous matches. Fabio Carvalho tucked home his side’s third of the night Credit: Getty It had never taken Alonso’s side as much as eight minutes to score the opening goal in their four previous PL games. But after Caoimhin Kelleher made a good stop from Neto in the 10th minute, Chelsea did not pose much threat. From a neutral perspective, the Blues were also disappointingly less vulnerable at the back. The switch to a back four worked once the early nerves settled, while Henderson and Valentin Barco gave the defence more protection than they had enjoyed in the process of conceding at least twice in every league match so far under Alonso. Jaidon Anthony and Igor Thiago broke their respective goal droughts Credit: PA Chelsea also stood up to Brentford’s set-pieces well. The Bees struggled to create chances and Yehor Yarmoliuk wasted their best when he hit a tame shot too close to Emi Martinez following good work by Thiago. The home side increased the intensity at the start of the second half. They were curiously reluctant to shoot but Anthony hit the bar with a header, albeit having looked offside from Yarmoliuk’s cross. Chelsea were creating very little in response. Welbeck was working hard, but he, Palmer and Morgan were not gelling in the same way the pair had with Pedro. It said a lot that left back Chavarria looked like their most dangerous player. Just after the hour Chelsea fell behind. Centre half Jannik Schuster headed Mikkel Damsgaard’s corner back across goal and Anthony nodded home from close range. Brentford wasted at least two good breaks before Chelsea started to apply some pressure. Chelsea’s normally dangerous attack looked toothless Credit: Getty Palmer was having a quiet night but some fancy footwork in the box ended with the ball deflected wide for a corner. Then Henderson gave the ball away and Damsgaard sent Kevin Schade clear. Martinez saved the shot, only for Thiago to bundle the ball home and end his drought. But Alonso’s search for the right formula continues, after Carvalho converted Schade’s deflected cross to underline the job the Chelsea boss has on his hands. Comment now