Brentford batter Chelsea to undo Alonso’s promising start

London: Brentford's three-goal performance against Chelsea has laid bare the Premier League side's defensive vulnerabilities and dealt a significant blow to their title aspirations. Despite a promising start to the season under former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, Chelsea have failed to capitalize on their early progress, picking up only one point from their last three matches.

Antoni Milambo's strike, Jaidon Anthony's headed goal, and Igor Thiago's 25th Premier League goal of last season ensured Brentford moved above their West London rivals and into third place. Chelsea's recent form has suffered since the loss of Joao Pedro to a knee injury, as their scoring threat has been subdued. In a flat first half, neither team's goalkeepers were seriously challenged, but the Bees dominated in the second half.

Chelsea, who had hoped for a "boring" game following their 2-2 draw with Hull, were outmanoeuvred by a more threatening Brentford side, who exploited their set-piece weakness. The loss of the Argentine goalkeeper's composure was evident when he failed to prevent Thiago's goal. Chelsea's defense has conceded at least twice in all five league games since Alonso took charge, leaving the Spaniard with a daunting challenge ahead as he tries to bridge the gap between his team and the top two teams in the table.