Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
It was the worst possible way to end Premier League football before the extended international break for Chelsea. Having lost to Arsenal and drawn at Hull in the two prior games, the Blues were then beaten 3-0 by Brentford.
Xabi Alonso's men looked solid enough in the first half, but couldn't find the breakthrough. The Bees were happy to soak up any pressure and took their chances well, with Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvallo all netting after the hour mark to give the home side a comfortable win.
Coming up against the club he left this summer, it was a tough debut for Jordan Henderson. Footage has since emerged online of him berating fellow summer signing Emiliano Martinez, and the reason for it has also been given.
Jordan Henderson Berates Emiliano Martinez
When Anthony scored in the 61st minute, it meant that Chelsea had now gone 21 games without keeping a clean sheet in the Premier League. Martinez was signed from Aston Villa with the aim of shoring up the defence, but the Argentine has conceded 10 times in his first four games for the Blues – add the two let in by Robert Sanchez vs Fulham, and no team has conceded more (12) this term in the English top flight.
Former Liverpool captain Henderson is known for his leadership qualities, and that is a key part of why he has been signed for Chelsea. Despite it being his debut, the Englishman wasted no time in making his feelings known to Martinez after conceding the goal.
Trying to raise defensive standards at his new club, it appears as though he was unhappy with the goalkeeper's positioning from the corner. The 34-year-old was drawn to the far post from Brentford's corner, leaving the middle of his goal empty when the ball was then knocked across the six-yard box, allowing Anthony to head home from a yard out.
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Alonso Unhappy With Conceding From Set Pieces
Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Speaking after the game, manager Alonso did not directly address the first goal, but instead stated that 'everything' he saw from his players was poor on the night. He told BBC Sport:
"Everything was disappointing especially the result but we can do better. We must do better. 45 minutes we were competing well, but in the second half we dropped, and conceded the three goals.
"You need to be very focused, and once you concede from set pieces, it gives them an advantage and control because once you concede the second goal it becomes much harder and we lost a little bit of our discipline when we were close to the box. We have to correct, it was our mistakes."
When quizzed about his team's leaky defence, and if defensive improvements are needed after the international break, he added: "It's everything but for sure individual and collective details will have to be better, but it's not only defensively, with the ball there are parts where we need to do better."
Chelsea next face Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on 10 October. At least Alonso now has plenty of time to work on his defence in training.