Xabi Alonso Explains Why Chelsea Collapsed After 45 Minutes Against Brentford
Xabi Alonso‘s Chelsea suffered a 3-0 defeat to Brentford, and when Alonso was asked directly about Levi Colwill’s post-match admission that Chelsea had been “bullied” at set pieces, he broadened the diagnosis considerably rather than simply agreeing. The frustrating part for Chelsea was that the first half had been competitive enough to suggest the game […] The post Xabi Alonso Explains Why…
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso explained why his team collapsed after 45 minutes against Brentford in a 3-0 defeat. While acknowledging the issue of set pieces, Alonso broadened the diagnosis beyond that issue. He stated, "It was not just set-pieces where we weren't good enough. It was also in defensive duels, in the build-up, in controlling games."
The first half had been competitive, but Chelsea's performance deteriorated rapidly after the break. Alonso emphasized that consistency and a strong competitive mentality were lost in the second half. The goals were a result of a chain reaction: the set-piece failure led to a loss of shape, which in turn allowed Brentford to score the second goal via a counterattack.
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