Brentford Blow Chelsea Away in the Second Half: Anthony, Thiago and Carvalho Score in 3-0 Rout

Chelsea's defensive and set-piece problems caught up with them again on Friday night, as Brentford ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in the west London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium. Xabi Alonso's side had won their opening two league games of the season; this was a third in a row without a win, and by some distance the most one-sided defeat of the three. Brentford, unbeaten through their first four matches, needed a spark to turn draws into wins — they found three of them in the space of 30 second-half minutes.

A cagey opener, then Brentford take charge

The first hour offered little in the way of clear chances. Pedro Neto's early effort was as close as Chelsea came to troubling Brentford's goal all evening, and as the half wore on it was the home side who started to look the more likely to break the deadlock, pressing higher and forcing Chelsea into uncomfortable positions in their own half.

Anthony, Thiago and Carvalho settle it

Jaidon Anthony headed Brentford in front from a corner in the 61st minute, and from there Chelsea's resistance crumbled. Igor Thiago doubled the lead in the 83rd minute after a fast break involving Kevin Schade, and Schade turned provider in stoppage time, squaring for Fabio Carvalho to finish from inside the area and make it 3-0 in the 94th minute. Chelsea finished the match with just two shots on target all night, and never looked like getting back into it once Anthony's header went in.

"I'm disappointed with the second half and with the result. This is not enough to compete in the Premier League."

— Xabi Alonso, Chelsea head coach

"I felt like there was something bubbling towards tonight. I have this unbelievable calm around the team because I trust them."

— Keith Andrews, Brentford head coach

Chelsea's worst defensive run of the season

Chelsea won their opening two matches of the campaign, away at Fulham and at home to Brighton in a seven-goal thriller, but they have not won since. A 1-2 defeat at Arsenal was followed by a 2-2 draw with Hull City and now this 3-0 loss at Brentford, meaning Alonso's side have taken one point from a possible nine. The 12 goals Chelsea have now conceded through five matches is the most of any side in the Premier League this season, a defensive record that sits uneasily alongside a squad assembled at considerable cost over the summer.

Brentford's charge continues

For Brentford, this was only a second win of the season but their first since the opening day, and it was enough to move Keith Andrews' side up to third in the Premier League table. Coming into the round Brentford had been sixth with six points from four games, unbeaten but repeatedly cancelled out — draws against Leeds United, Sunderland and Bournemouth followed that opening-day win over Tottenham. Beating a side assembled at Chelsea's expense, and doing it this comfortably, is the clearest sign yet that Andrews' side belong in the conversation at the top end of the table rather than making up the numbers in mid-table. Four different Brentford players were directly involved in the three goals — Anthony and Thiago both scoring, with Schade driving the counter-attack that led to Thiago's goal before turning provider for Carvalho's — a spread of contributions that points to a squad sharing the attacking load rather than leaning on one name.