Chelsea struggle without Joao Pedro and collapse 3-0 at Brentford

The Chelsea defence was the story again, but the problem deepened when Joao Pedro was ruled out with a knee injury. BBC Sport reports that the Brazilian’s absence left the visitors short in front of goal as well, culminating in a 3-0 defeat at Brentford.

Joao Pedro’s absence hits

Joao Pedro had been a major driver of Chelsea’s early attacking output. Before the weekend he contributed directly with three goals and three assists in four Premier League appearances. With him unavailable, the attacking unit that featured Cole Palmer and the club-record signing Morgan Rogers couldn’t generate the same constant threat.

Collapse after the first goal

The match was balanced until Jaidon Anthony put Brentford ahead in the 61st minute. From then on, Chelsea unravelled and conceded more, finishing with the heavy scoreline—exactly the kind of sequence BBC Sport points to as the team losing control after going behind.

Beyond this result, the defensive numbers are stark: Chelsea have conceded 12 goals, the most in the Premier League, even though they have played one match fewer than most teams. BBC Sport also notes that Alonso is only the sixth Premier League manager to concede two or more goals in each of his first five matches.

Up front, Danny Welbeck replaced the injured forward but couldn’t influence the game in the same way. BBC Sport says he managed just 17 touches before being substituted in the 71st minute. The article also flags Chelsea’s set-piece woes: the club has conceded 23 goals from set-pieces since the start of last season, with Anthony adding another with a simple header from a corner.