Brentford can perhaps feel hard done by in coming away from Stamford Bridge on the wrong end of a 2-0 defeat.
A goal in each half for Chelsea – both needing VAR confirmation (marginal offside and the penalty confirmation, respectively) – proved sufficient for Liam Rosenior’s side to take the points. Yet if we’re being honest, it was the Bees who had the better opportunities to score. Kevin Schade, in particular, although Mathias Jensen also hit the post in the opening period, with goalkeeper Robert Sánchez rooted to the spot.
It was such a shame for Keith Andrews. His team again featuring that new core trio of Jensen, Yarmoliuk, and Janelt. The German, in particular having a colossal game as he celebrated the news of that contract extension in style. Damsgaard, Schade, and Igor Thiago providing the options at the business end of the field, whilst Rico Henry retained his place on the left in a defence still missing Sepp van den Berg from the starting XI.
Early season caution on the road now replaced by positivity and determination. Chelsea, perhaps understandably, coming out of the blocks slightly faster. A new manager to impress and the opportunity to try and get their own season back on track. Despite the pressure, Caoimhín Kelleher with little to actually do. He had to be alert after Collins almost let in Garancho and was able to watch one from Palmer sail over the bar, but with the backline in front of him otherwise solid, it was all huff and puff from Chelsea but little else.
Indeed, it was the Bees with the best of the chances in the opening quarter of the game. Build-up play involving Ajer, Damsgaard, and Thiago saw Schade released in the area. Chalobah was left flat-footed as the German bamboozled him, but then, instead of going for goal, he opted to play it across the six-yard box into the path of the onrushing Damsgaard.
The Dane, all pistons pumping, charging in like a runaway freight train, but the ball never reached him. Instead, Tosin Adarabioyo turned it straight towards the back of his own net, only to breathe a huge sigh of relief as Sánchez somehow kept it out from almost point-blank range.
Credit where it is due. It was a magnificent stop, but one did have to wonder whether, perhaps, Schade might have shot. One of those where hindsight is a wonderful thing, but had the ball reached Damsgaard, I suspect the net would still be rippling now.
That’s football, as Blues legend Petr Čech sang in his 2019 hit single (feat Roger Taylor of Queen). He’ll have been more than impressed with the current Chelsea number one. Specifically, his shot-stopping ability, rather than any vocal talent he may possess.
Again, it was on display minutes into the second half as Jensen released Schade. That Keith Andrews’ staple of the precision pass through the middle again played to perfection. Schade leaving the monolithic centre-backs in his wake, but Sánchez once more able to, somehow, just divert the ball wide when a goal seemed odd-on.
One got the feeling at this point that it might not be Brentford’s afternoon. Deep into the opening period, Jensen had hit the post down the far end. Catching Damsgaard’s ball into the danger zone (and it was a delightful touch to play it through) first time, but seeing it find safety rather than the back of the net. It was the one time that Sánchez had found himself unable to move as The Bees again opened up the defence but, alas, it wasn’t to be.
Something all the more frustrating given that fact that, let’s not forget, Chelsea were 1-0 up at the stage. Minutes after Schade’s first opportunity, Joao Pedro lashed it high and hard into the roof of the net with only Kelleher to beat. The initial decision was one of offside, but eventually Stuart Atwell on VAR – taking what felt almost as long as during his midweek shenanigans at Newcastle United – deemed that Kayode’s sleeve had played him on.
Those are the rules. The goal stood. Kelleher had been powerless to stop a howitzer of an effort, and it proved to be the decisive moment in the opening period. Yarmo might have levelled things up in time added on, but a touch too many saw significant threat of goals come to nothing more than a late corner kick. 1-0 Chelsea as the teams went in.
The Bees perhaps ruing chances not taken and more so after the aforementioned second opportunity for Schade. The game then slipping into a more settled approach. Chelsea keeping their lead but unable to make significant threat to double it. Janelt bossing the middle. Brentford sniffing but seeing the approach of the coaching-obsessed Rosenior, perhaps paying early dividends. If only his dad could have done the same thing back in the day.
Then, with the final fifteen minutes on top of us, two opportunities that confirmed Brentford’s fate. Jensen’s corner played back into the box by Damsgaard, and hearts in mouth. Was this it? With Schade having been grounded (Mr Attwell eventually deciding there had been no transgression), there was Igor Thiago in a still crowded box. He met it, connected, but couldn’t find the target. Oooh. Close but no cigar.
Instead, two minutes later, the lead had been doubled. Nathan Collins ’ ball across the box to Kelleher was risky, albeit one we’ve seen played before. A slightly heavy touch from the ‘keeper saw him adjudged to have taken out Liam Delap as he tried to win it back. No complaints from me. Sadly. Even Attwell had no need to dwell on it.
Cole Palmer’s strike, hard and low into the corner, as effective as the previous spot-kick Kelleher faced, had been hilariously inept. Whatever else happens this season, we’ll always have Enzo Le Fee’s “Worst. Panenka. Ever”.
That was it. Game over in all but the final confirmation. The only other real moments of note seeing Thiago create a chance, but the ball falling in-between Schade and Ouatarra. Hickey firing one just past the post in the last knockings of time added on. Romelle Donovan with an impressive cameo off the bench. He’s only going to give Keith Andrews even more midfield problems in future. Of the nicest sort.
2-0 Chelsea, the final score. The Bees with the lion’s share of possession and dominating the attacking stats. Three times as many touches in the opposition box as our hosts. Fifteen shots compared to their six. Five on target against Chelsea with just two. The frustrating fact being that they both went in. The old adage about balls in the back of the net rather than opportunity as the determining factor in winning games never truer than in this instance. No matter how much Bees’ fans may feel we deserved something, it’s one that has to be taken on the chin and boxed off for the visit of Nottingham Forest.
It was as shame as if nothing else, Liverpool snatching a draw from the jaws of victory at home to Burnley would have seen Brentford rise above them on goal difference to an incredible fourth place in the Premier League. Had the game at Stamford Bridge gone our way.
Instead, reinvigorated Manchester United and Chelsea both overtook the Bees in the race for that final Champions League spot. It still has an awful long way to go, of course, but with three points separating Liverpool down to eighth-placed Sunderland, there’s everything to play for. No matter how improbable the prospect of Brentford being in contention for a place at European football’s top table may seem.
All that’s to come, starting at home to Nottingham Forest, but for now, we have top-five time. Our game-by-game search for Brentford’s top five players of the season. As always, five points being awarded for star player, four for second place, three for third, etc., with the totals added up game-by-game to see who ends up the eventual winner after game 38.
1st (five points) Mathias Jensen
Ok, so Chelsea won and no gripes about that. They took their chances. Yet when you see who Brentford were up against, the individual talent on display, the fact that it was such an even game speaks volumes about the Bees.
No more so than in Jensen. I’ll be honest, it was a tough call between him and Vitaly, but my vote comes down in favour of the Dane. In my opinion, he was our most consistently creative player. The one most likely to provide the spark of genius needed when facing a strong team set up to avoid (another) defeat.
His final tally of crosses was in double digits. Well clear of anybody on either team. He had a key part in both of Schade’s ‘big two’ whilst, of course, left Sánchez beyond grateful to his far post.
Mathias has been with us since the Championship. How brilliant to see him still playing a part in this team and to such a high standard.
2nd (four points) Vitaly Janelt
Vitaly is very much our man of the moment. Not just in terms of the contract news, but as much in this now being his sixth successive game in our top three.
He is the silent assassin. Gets on with his job quietly, calmly, ruthlessly. Other clichés are available, but that’s what he does. So well. Bossed it in the middle on Saturday, outpassed everybody barring Nathan Collins, kept Cole Palmer quiet, and whilst he may not have the obvious flair of a Jensen or Damsgaard, he seemed to be everywhere. Stopping play in its tracks, yet still more than capable of delivering deadly balls into the danger zone. Only Jensen was more prolific in the final tally.
Like Mathias, he’s experiencing a similar purple patch, having been alongside him in the Championship team that triumphed at Wembley what feels like it was now a lifetime ago. What an investment the pair of them have proven to be.
3rd (three points) Kevin Schade
On this sort of form, Kevin is untouchable. With Thiago seeming subdued compared to his normal illustrious standards (as a fellow North Stand observer opined to me, the quietest he’s seen him all season), the weight of responsibility was on Schade to score. He almost did it, too.
No criticism levelled at him, whatsoever. Sánchez was having one of those games where he’d have deflected a kitchen sink, whilst I think that, whilst, of course, the chance was there to have a pop at 0-0, squaring it was still a more than valid option. Anybody can perform a freeze-frame post-mortem to say a player should have done this rather than that. He was on the angle, he saw a Damsgaard coming in from a straighter position. He decided to pass.
Had he taken either of those two show-reel chances, the Bees would have been ahead or, at the very least, level. I suspect we’d have gone on to win from either position, and Kevin would be even higher up our chart after what was, let’s not forget, still a stonking performance from him.
That’s football…
4th (two points) Mikkel Damsgaard
On an afternoon where the Bees were made to work so hard, Mikkel still played a blinder.
Not quite up to Jensen levels of creativity, but not far behind him either. Still with the ability to pick out a pass through they of a needle or pull of the deftest of touches to create opportunity from nowhere.
I thought he was another strong performer on an afternoon where the Brentford midfield looked as solid as it has all season.
5th (one point) Michael Kayode
Perhaps harsh on Rico Henry, as so much of the Chelsea effort came down the flanks. There’s only one space left, though, and I think Michael just nudges clear of his partner in wing-back crime. If only for making the, to be fair, excellent Garnacho work even harder but still come away empty-handed.
Stopped Joao Pedro clean in his tracks early on, too, with the Chelsea man then playing dead for long enough to allow VAR a chance to review. Tough luck though – fair challenge all day long as Kayode showed he’s way more than just a throw-in king
All of which means that heading into the game with Forest, Michael Kayode has made up a little of the ground he lost last time out, whilst Damsgaard leapfrogs Jordan Henderson. It’s all hotting up outside the top five, though, where Yarmo now has Vitaly Janelt breathing down his neck.
Sunday’s visit of Nottingham Forest can’t come soon enough.
1st Igor Thiago. 43 points
2nd Michael Kayode. 39 points
3rd= Caoimhín Kelleher. 29 points
3rd= Mikkel Damsgaard. 29 points
5th Jordan Henderson. 28 points
