Alonso says Brobbey was stoppable! - Source: Getty
Alonso says Brobbey was stoppable! - Source: Getty
Xabi Alonso refused to call Brian Brobbey unstoppable after Chelsea's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday, pointing fingers at his own defenders instead. The Dutch striker won the penalty that settled the game at the Stadium of Light, and the Chelsea boss made clear his players could have dealt with him in a better way.
Enzo Le Fee converted from 12 yards in the 36th minute after Brobbey rolled Levi Colwill inside the area and went to ground. Referee Jarred Gillett pointed to the spot, VAR upheld the decision and Colwill was booked.
Colwill did not reappear for the second half, with Moises Caicedo dropping into centre-back. Brobbey had already caused problems, volleying Chemsdine Talbi's cross over the bar from close range and then shooting off target once Wesley Fofana had forced him wide.
Asked whether Brobbey was unstoppable, and whether his defenders had been bullied, Alonso refused to agree. The Spanish coach admitted that Brobbey was stoppable and called out the poor defending that allowed the striker to dominate the game.
"Out of almost nothing, he got a couple of chances. He got the penalty as well, but we have been preparing for that.
"No, [he’s] not unstoppable. He’s stoppable, but only when you defend better than we did today.
"No, not bullied. I would say that it was a situation that we could have defended better."
Notably, Brobbey had also set up an injury-time winner at Stamford Bridge last season.
Going forward, Chelsea were just as flat. With João Pedro, their leading scorer, missing a fourth Premier League game of the season, Pedro Neto again led the line and did not take a single touch inside the Sunderland box in his hour on the pitch.
The defeat left Chelsea fifth, having lost their place in the top four, while Sunderland climbed off the bottom of the table to 19th place with only their second win of the campaign.
Xabi Alonso delivers verdict on Cole Palmer's penalty shout for Chelsea vs Sunderland
Cole Palmer's appeal for a penalty came 12 minutes before Le Fee's goal. He went down under a double challenge from Luke O'Nien and Jules Ahoka right on the edge of the area, and referee Gillett waved play on.
The Premier League match centre then confirmed the on-field call, saying VAR had ruled that any contact with Palmer occurred outside the penalty area.
Alonso, though, had not reviewed it. He said as per Sky Sports:
"I haven't seen Cole's one but I've been told there's a chance it could have been a penalty and it could have been given."
He was just as measured on the Sunderland spot-kick, telling BBC's Match of the Day:
"Nothing to comment on the referee. It is something that is our fault. We could have done better."
Chelsea host Leeds United in the Premier League after the international break.