Levi Colwill has offered a measured assessment of Chelsea’s inconsistent start to the 2026-27 campaign, urging his teammates to use the international break to correct things. The England defender spoke after Friday’s chastening 3-0 defeat at Brentford that extended the Blues’ winless Premier League run to three matches.
Chelsea have taken seven points from their first five matches and sit 10th in the table. The more worrying statistic in defence, though, with 12 goals conceded the most in the division and Xabi Alonso’s men are still waiting for their first league clean sheet. The visitors had 59% of the ball at the Gtech Community Stadium, but managed a paltry 0.82 expected goals against Brentford’s 2.65.
Reflecting on the campaign so far and the upgrades at the squad’s disposal, Colwill told Chelsea’s official website:
“[There have been] some good bits, some other not so good bits. Luckily we’ve got a while now to try and improve. Hopefully, we will come out the other side flying, pick up our play, and become a better team.”
That opinion matters, given his stature within a dressing room still coming to terms with the ways of Alonso. The centre-back was far more forthcoming about the structural weaknesses Brentford exposed when speaking immediately after the final whistle. He said:
“Not been good enough. At times we have been bullied in the box, we need to definitely improve with that. We have got all trust in our set piece coach and still adjusting to new things. We do need to improve as a team.”
Xabi Alonso has a major repair job on his hands after Chelsea’s defensive problems
The scale of the remedial work facing the Spaniard is measurable. Chelsea have conceded in all of their league games this season, and Anthony’s header was the fifth goal they have let in from a set piece this season. His switch to a back three was meant to plug the holes in a defence that leaked goals last term, but the move has failed to bring any obvious benefit.
Sofascore data also shows just how blunt the Blues were in the final third on Friday night. They tried 28 crosses, but only completed two (seven percent success rate) and 12 corner kicks yielded nothing of note. Brentford, in contrast, created four big chances to Chelsea’s one and converted three of them.
Alonso now has a lengthy wait for competitive football to return in the second week of October. Chelsea will host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on October 10. Colwill, who was omitted from the England squad for the Nations League, will remain at Cobham throughout the break.