Brilliant Brentford made it three on the bounce at Stamford Bridge against a Chelsea side who paid the ultimate lesson in taking chances.
Let’s be clear, whilst the hosts may have dominated the possession and creativity statistics, the Bees were magnificent.
Thomas Frank out-manoeuvring Mauricio Pochettino every step of the way. His team defending like Trojans from the off with Neal Maupay making way for the three centre back system so often seen against the (reputationally) big teams. The Bees mixing it up as the game progressed with the starting / finishing XI system used to devastating effect.
There could have been no complaints had Chelsea taken the lead. Despite Bryan Mbeumo having the first chance of the game, with Brentford set up to defend our hosts took advantage. Or, rather, tried to.
Madueke hit the corner of the upright. Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling threatened constantly. Marc Cucurella had two gilt edge chances as he ghosted in from the back. Something, something, something penalty appeals…
As for Nicolas Jackson… if he’s the answer to Chelsea’s quest for a goalscorer then somebody must be asking a different question. He was more Jackson Pollacks and didn’t get a sniff all game. That trio of Brentford centre backs closing out him, and their opponents, just about any time the ball got near. On those rare occasions they were beaten, Mark Flekken was solid as a rock.
Special mention is needed here for our new goalkeeper. Although (spoiler alert) he failed to make the top five for this one he very much needs recognition as an unsung hero. A second clean sheet in a row as the understanding with his backline grows game on game. Despite the pressure put on him and the defence, there was no crumbling. No repeat of what happened in our previous away game (at Old Trafford). Whilst Mark wasn’t on pitch for that one, must have been in the minds of so many supporters as the game reached a buttock clenching finale.
By the time we had got to that point, Brentford were 1-0 up. Ethan Pinnock putting in a trade mark appearance at the back stick to connect perfectly with a hanging out-swinger from Bryan Mbeumo. The ball in was begging for the net and Ethan made no mistake.
The connection, perfect.
The outcome, inevitable.
The reaction, what the kids call ‘limbs’.
1-0 Brentford and half an hour to go. Hang on boys. Hang on.
The Bees did more than that though. Vitaly had already come close prior to this, only to be thwarted by Robert Sánchez in nets for Chelsea. With the hosts pushing up for an equaliser, Yegor Yarmolyuk got on the end of a huge overlap as the Bees swarmed forwards. Alas, there was Sánchez to perform another huge block. Bryan then came close moments later. His shot going just wide although looked for a moment as though he had doubled our lead.
Don’t worry, that was still to come. The whole Brentford team were immense. Throwing themselves in front of everything and everyone as they defended wave after wave of late pressure.
The quest for all three points undoubtedly helped by Reece James and then Cole Palmer electing to play in clown shoes rather than Adidas Predators to spanner one delightfully inviting ball as it flashed across the face of goal.
Then, it happened. One of those ‘I was there when’ … moments’ (for those there) when Sánchez decided to come upfield for one, last throw of the dice as Chelsea won a 96th minute corner. He missed his header and the Bees broke. Fast. It was Manchester City ‘away’ levels of speed and incision.
This time, Neal Maupay (more on him to come) was the architect as he got ahead of the entire Chelsea team and ran downfield. The hapless ‘keeper initially trailing in his wake but eventually catching up.
The ball found Bryan Mbeumo just to his left and with the net gaping, there was no mistake. 2-0 Brentford and victory confirmed. Players and supporters celebrating alike. Chelsea broken in the most Spursy of styles. And wasn’t it brilliant? You can take the Poch out of Tottenham but you can’t take the Tottenham out of Poch.
We’ve all seen the key statistics, I’m sure, but they are worth repeating.
Thomas Frank has won more games at Stamford Bridge in 2023 (2) than Frank Lampard and Mauricio Pochettino combined (1). In doing so, Brentford become the first team to win all three of their opening Premier League games at this ground. The others, of course, being the 4-1 win in 2021-22 and then last campaign’s 2-0.
We could of course wax lyrical about this one all day long but there is the small matter of ‘star player’ for Brentford and our continuing quest to find the overall player of the season. Five points being awarded for every ‘star player’ award, four for second place, three for third etc and then the totals counted up over the course of the 38 games.
So, without further ado….
2023-24 Brentford Player Ratings from Matchweek 10 (vs Chelsea)
1st (Star Player: 5 points) – Ethan Pinnock
An absolute defensive masterclass from Ethan. He was part of a magnificent backline, of course, but was once again the glue that held them together. The beating heart in the centre of defence.
Under, amongst and through everything that came his way. The timing of his tackles nothing short of sensational, and moreso in a game where Chelsea threw the kitchen sink at the VAR penalty appeals process.
His goal was wonderful. We’ve seen it so many times from corner kicks but great to see this in open play, too. It was as much the way he made the space to allow himself an unimpeded header as the execution of the ball.
However, we need to be crystal clear that it was in his defensive duties – first half especially – where Ethan once again shone for Brentford. He’s currently leading our ‘player of the season’ table and on this sort of performance, it’s easy to see why.
2nd (4 points) – Bryan Mbeumo
On any other day Bryan would have swept the honours board but Ethan was that good. Second place is not to be sniffed with Bryan giving his all from first minute to last.
With Thomas electing to start with a front two he had to work all the harder but never let up. He was the main danger threat to Chelsea and Sanchez, with that late effort that went just wide seeming to ripple the back of the net before it became clear it was our eyes playing tricks. His work with Kris Ajer on the right to tee up Ethan for our opener was a thing of beauty.
Eventually the reward did come and whilst much of the work was done by Sanchez choosing to vacate his goal, let’s not overlook the speed at which Bryan broke forward. To put in a 100-yard sprint this deep into a match is a skill in itself, even if the finish was made to look as comfortable as possible.
Hats off to Bryan for that lung busting run at the end of a period where he had been as heavily involved in keeping it tight at the back as he had securing the win.
3rd (3 points) – Nathan Collins
The entire defence needs recognition and, perhaps, Kris Ajer may consider himself hard done by in missing out on the top five this time around. Metaphorically speaking – one can’t imagine he or the team are reading this.
However, it was another of those days where the greater the pressure, the bigger the reaction from Nathan. I thought he was wonderful. Getting in the way of Sterling, Palmer and Jackson on more than one occasion. Sometimes it was a tackle. Sometimes a header. Sometimes just sheer presence of body to cut down the angle or guide the ball to safety.
It’s easy to forget that the lauded backline form last season is currently missing player of the season Ben Mee and England ‘prospect’ (FFS, Gareth) Rico Henry whilst also have to get used to playing with a new goalkeeper. The way Nathan has slotted in has been quite brilliant and this game was the perfect example of why the Brentford board were prepared to pay Wolves to secure his services.
4th (2 points) – Christian Norgaard
As ever, this is where things get tough following a stonking victory. Somebody will miss out but it can’t be Christian on this showing.
A captain’s example and in a game where Brentford spent so much time on the backfoot, his role was critical. The second half especially where the Bees looked to push up more so the midfield stretched, perhaps offering our hosts a sniff of a way back into the game. No chance. Christian was here, there and everywhere.
As Brentford absorbed the pressure then looked to turn defence into attack, only Nathan Collins of all the outfield players had a higher pass rate thank Christian. He worked his socks off for almost 100 minutes and was as integral to snuffing out the threat from a team that ended the game with 69% possession as any of the defence.
5th (1 point) – Neal Maupay
You may not agree with this selection given the stellar performances from the rest of the team but I thought Neal’s cameo role summed up the whole Brentford spirit in a nutshell.
Getting booked before he’d even entered this ferocious field of play – for some classic sh*thousery – was the most Neal Maupay thing ever. It upset Chelsea and put further spring in the Brentford step.
Yet it was that final break forward that really needs to be recognised. There has been so much nonsense spoken on TV and radio – I’ve heard it everywhere this week and Gary Lineker on the Sunday morning Match Of The Day viewing was the latest – about how Neal hasn’t scored in like a million Premier League games or some-such figure.
What this ‘stat’ fails to recognise is that the majority of this period was spent at Everton. My word, if ever there is a place where form goes to die it is Goodison Park. More importantly, is the way that Neal has slotted straight back in to life at Brentford and the role he is playing.
I’m still not sure how Onana kept it out at Old Trafford whilst we all know what happened against Burnley. VAR and great goalkeeping denying him a goal whilst the rest of his game saw two and a half assists aswell as beautiful link up play with Wissa and Bryan. The BMW mk iii had its engine purring.
So when he charged through on goal I am sure there were those begging him to ‘shooooot’. I was. Yet forty yards out why not try to close the distance? Why not try to run the clock out? Why not choose to take advantage of your team mate running alongside as eventually Sanchez did catch up?
Neal could have shot early but he kept running for all those good reasons. Brentford scored and that’s all that matters. They scored, and closed out the game, thanks to Maupay.
2023-24 Brentford Player Ratings – Top 5 Players Overall (after Matchweek 10)
All of which means that our player of the season contenders remain the same but Bryan now goes clear in second with Christian and Nathan making ground Mathias Jensen.
Now bring on West Ham this Saturday. If nothing else, we have the small matter of Neal Maupay v Kurt Zouma. Meow…
1st – Ethan Pinnock (26 points)
2nd – Bryan Mbeumo (21 points)
3rd – Matthias Jensen (17 points)
4th – Christian Norgaard (14 points)
5th – Nathan Collins (13 points)
Follow Nick on Twitter @NickBruzon
