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6 days ago
18
Even if Enzo Maresca is blessed with one of the deepest squads in the Premier League, heavy rotation presented a risk factor for Chelsea. The Italian rolled the dice, and Chelsea duly dropped two points from a game they thought they had rescued.
Brentford, despite a change of personnel and manager, were motivated and highly dangerous. Keith Andrews’ team closely resembled the Thomas Frank era in their dedication and spirit. Despite Moisés Caicedo’s pile-driving goal, Chelsea’s second, they maintained a heavy threat. Robert Sánchez was asked to make a scrabbling save from Dango Ouattara’s snap shot but that would not be the last of it; in the 95th minute, Fábio Carvalho bundled home, Chelsea’s defenders allowing the substitute to tap in unmarked at the back post from a long throw.
This was stuttering, rusty from Chelsea. With Cole Palmer short of sharpness, and Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and Old Trafford to come in the next week, loanee Facundo Buonanotte had been handed the No 10 role, after a hat-trick in a behind-closed-doors fixture at Cobham. Brighton, his parent club, have never got to the bottom of the Argentinian’s talent, and he lasted just 45 minutes at the Gtech, Within five minutes of his second-half arrival, Palmer had volleyed in to level out Kevin Schade’s opener but would later rue a miss of a similar chance coming after Carvalho’s equaliser.
Buananotte and João Pedro at first seemed to have a residual understanding from being together at Brighton but that would not be sustained. Meanwhile, Wesley Fofana at right-back when Reece James and Malo Gusto were both on the bench was a ploy to avert Brentford’s strength at set pieces. Marc Cucurella sub with Jarrel Hato at left-back was another experiment with disappointing results and the requirement of a half-time overhaul.
If Brentford are to preserve their Premier League status they will need Igor Thiago to maintain fitness and form. An early booking was unhelpful for a player who has led the division in what statistical wonks term high-intensity pressures in the final third. Chelsea still found him a wholly awkward customer. Schade, after missing a penalty at Sunderland, had dithered over an early chance Thiago created for him but made no mistake when sent away by Henderson to slot home.
The lack of Mikkel Damsgaard, Brentford’s creator, appeared problematic though Jordan Henderson and Yehor Yarmoliuk took up much of the midfield slack. Thomas Tuchel was watching from the stands, with otherwise slim pickings, just English two starters on either team, Keane Lewis-Potter and Jamie Gittens uncapped with Trevoh Chalobah on a single cap.
Gittens and Pedro Neto had been selected from Chelsea’s pool of tricky wingers, Alejandro Garnacho watching from the sidelines until his moment came to play part in Caicedo’s goal. Neto proved by far the more effective, Gittens struggling against the power of Michael Kayode, Brentford’’s crazy horse of a wing-back
Chelsea’s bright beginnings to the first half faded. Brentford had found rhythm. Henderson now gets through plenty of pointing, in lieu of the engine that once carried him through many kilometres of long-distance chasing. The passing radar is retained, judging by Schade’s goal.
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Maresca made half-time changes, Cucurella, James and Tyrique George replacing Hato, Fofana and Buonanotte. The immediate effect was some confused defending, requiring a last-ditch tackle on Thiago from Chalobah to save blushes.
If Brentford began the half as by far the snappier team, Chelsea eventually found zip to their attacks, Caoimhín Kelleher asked to deal with shots from both George and Cucurella. Palmer’s restful evening lasted until the 55th minute, replacing Gittens. His goal, his first non-penalty Premier League goal since January, was struck with studied cool for someone on such a drought, the chance arriving after João Pedro laid Enzo Fernández’s ball in his path. His second, in only his second game back after the Club World Cup, ought to have come in the 75th minute, but his side-footed slap from Neto’s pass did not deceive Kelleher. Further rustiness was shown by that late scuff, too.
Maresca’s gamble appeared to be coming in. Sánchez saved after another Schade escape. Garnacho, within six minutes of coming on, would supply the bullet from which Caicedo scored. Game over? Brentford were not done and are not to be written off any time yet.
