John Terry warns Xabi Alonso he MUST make major change to Chelsea side after Brentford battering

JOHN TERRY has urged Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso to get rid of zonal marking after a slow start to the season. The Blues legend watched his old side get beaten 3-0 away at Brentford to continue Alonso’s mixed fortunes since taking charge. John Terry has urged Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso to scrap zonal marking Credit: AFP Alonso has suffered a mixed start to the season after his side were beaten 3-0 by Brentford Credit: Alamy Chelsea have now gone three games without a win after their night to forget at the Gtech Community Stadium. Brentford racked up their big win thanks to goals from Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho. Sign up for the Chelsea newsletter Thank you! Two of those came from the Bees attacking the back post and Terry believes man-marking would make Chelsea more solid unit. Marking became a big issue after Jannik Schuster outjumped Valentin Barco to allow Anthony to head home the opener. And Terry – who played 717 games for the club – insists Chelsea players need to be “accountable” for who they are marking. He told his YouTube channel: “I’m a little bit old school, I like man for man. I don’t like this zonal marking, front marking. “I think Brentford came out at half-time and identified that we are exposed at the back post and our smaller men are picking up their biggest players so effectively, we were allowing Brentford to win those headers. “[Valentin] Barco is never winning those headers. You could put 100 balls into the box and he’s not beating Jannik Schuster, absolutely no chance. Most read in Sport “But when that happens, no one knows who they’re marking once it goes over those front-post players in that space. BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Chelsea were at sixes and sevens against the Bees after being outfought in the air Credit: Shutterstock Editorial “Again, I don’t like this zonal marking. I know pretty much every team is doing it but there’s just no responsibility in players. “For me, you have to be accountable. Whoever is marking Jaidon Anthony comes in at half-time or after the game, puts their hands up and says, “Sorry boys, that’s my man and I lost him!” “As soon as that ball goes over your head in that near-post space, if you’re marking Anthony then your full focus still has to be Anthony.” Chelsea are yet to keep a clean sheet this season but their dreadful run without one stretches back 21 matches. Terry called that record “unacceptable” and conceded Chelsea were going through a “difficult time”. He added: “It’s really not good enough. When you start looking at the stats and the numbers on this, it’s really unacceptable from our point and this is something we need to get better at. “It’s a difficult time for us and we’re certainly going through it at the moment.” Comment now