Chelsea’s defensive woes continue as Brentford win West London derby

0:06Thanks for joining us on the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. We were at the Gtech Community Stadium to kick off the weekend as Brentford went up against West London rivals Chelsea. Here's how the evening unfolded.

0:24The Bees beat those Blues. their first home win over Chelsea as they came to the Premier League and Jadon Anthony, Igor, Thiago and Fabio Carvalho with smiles tonight and for Chelsea a night to forget for sure against their London rivals West London feels really one that's buzzing this evening and for Keith Andrews showing again what a manager he is so relatively new to the Premier League scene but one who's certainly making an impact and Brentford already making an impact in this new campaign. A night where Hey Jude is sung loud and proud once again as Brentford do a number on Chelsea a final score Brentford 3 Chelsea now What a great night at Brentford at the G Tech Community Stadium where they get their first Premier League win over Chelsea and Jamie Redlapp a deserved win for Brentford Magnificent, the way they play the game they play with such high intensity, great energy set pieces, all the details they get right, they're an absolute joy to watch because they get the balance right they know when to play forward, they know when to to press from midfield they just have the perfect balance and a lot of that is obviously due to the manager keep Andrews as a sample of really quality squad here and then I absolutely love coming to games here I knew we were gonna have something special tonight and I'd never for one second different at Brentwood would at least get a point because of the way they play and their intensity and obviously for Thiago to get that goal I said to keep Andrews before the game I said he needs a goal he said you know it will come it will come because we believe in him and that's the mentality they have here so a huge win for them he's got their goal in this 3-0 victory over chelsea at the gtech community stadium gary cahill we need to get a word on chelsea as well they now have the outright worst defense in the premier league so far they've conceded 12 goals we said at that half time they looked maybe a little more solid and yet again were they just too easy to to breach their defences?

2:47We did say that at half-time but unfortunately we can't say that at full-time and they've shipped way too many goals I think there'll be a real concern for the manager, it's certainly something that needs to be addressed collectively you know, like we said before, not just the goalkeeper not just the back four, as a team and it needs to be worked out until them, because at this moment in time it's hard to be successful when you're letting goals in week in, week out And we should say, Bradford have been impressive this season they've built in their time under keith andrews on that base created by by thomas frank and luke frank and they will cause teams problems however that doesn't change the fact that there are still those spotlights in chelsea no of course not and we have to give credit to brentford i mean we spoke about turning before the game keith andrews and the squad turning draws into wins and you know either manage games out or you go for the jugular and that's what it at the end of this game you know two three finishes three nil and i have to say deservedly uh deservedly so in the second half but yeah like i said defensively for chelsea there's plenty of work to be done gary said there they went for the jugular brentford they weren't defensive changes they didn't try to protect that that one goal beat that wasn't the ambition jamie they don't take a backward step you know even you look at his substitutions and you think well he maybe could have gone and thickened up the midfield maybe take off dams garden he doesn't because he believes that they're going to score again the data would suggest that they look into every single detail of how they win a football match they don't just make it up as they go along but if you look at the goals that they score they score a set piece which yeah you associate that with brentford one another goal is a great counter-attack goal where they work it really well good football and get a goal from there then they're flashing crosses across the face of goal they ask so many questions of you when you come here or when you play against brentford because they all get the details right whether it's a long throw you have to have whether it's a set piece from a corner but also knowing that they have a lot of quality in that team which you cannot underestimate as well so they've got that beautiful balance of being well organised difficult to be but with the match winners in there and Thiago scoring tonight as well huge for them he needed that goal I'm just looking at some of the fantastic scenes around this stadium but especially for some reason on a Friday night against some of the biggest names in the Premier League Brentford seems to to be a place that that can cause everybody problems and look they're doing it consistently this season and they consistently over over the past few seasons as well yeah and as they say a lot of that is to do with the recruitment you're dancing they can see you now i want to dance for sangare uh here he is now but um now they they get it right kelly but it's it's a very it's the alex schuster comes in is a good example tonight not had a lot of football 20 years of age You know Nathan Collins is so good for this club.

5:34He's been a brilliant player So you think we're gonna miss him how we're gonna be out of coat, but they bring in a 20 year old They trust him they give him the opportunity to platform and he was I think Did he get man in the match? I'm sure he did, but if he didn't he deserved it But so many good performers today for Brentford hard to pick a player that didn't do themselves justice But Thiago who they're singing about now is the one that you mentioned before the game to Keith Andrews you're like he needs his goal and he had that patience that it was going to come yeah yeah but they did he needs a goal he had a he had a very tough experience i could only imagine in the world cup he was a starter for the brazil side had an unbelievable season last year this season hasn't happened it's the penalty i think was the first game of the season against top them and his shots have been really got you know come to fruition where they turned into goals where they did last year and even the one that he scored today was a tough one it bounced up really well but he finished it with a plomb and now you'll think okay he's going to get some more goals he's going to go on a roll now but you need the support of the manager in these moments and i think he this man has done such a great job here keep andrews and we're watching him in front of those breadfit fans and they seem like a perfect fit at the moment this young manager taking over from from Thomas Frank at the beginning of last season and working with this young talent that's coming in, Gary.

6:56And we're seeing the fruits of that. I mean, look, there'll be a long conversation to be had about where Chelsea went wrong in this game. But at the moment, listening to these supporters and looking at these scenes, it's all about what Brentford got right tonight. Yeah, I mean, he seems a perfect fit, doesn't he? He spoke before about the squad being young. His man management seems top drawer. I like the words that he said about Thiago in terms of, you know, someone who's struggling on confidence to have your managers backing to go out and say, you know what we're not just relying on this guy for balls he gives more than that to the team and today i felt like to y 'all go at times struggled like i said at half time in terms of service coming up to him things just wasn't quite coming off for him was it jamie today sometimes you need that ball to drop like it did and we're sure obviously missing there's a great save to be honest falls into his path and i agree what jamie said that was a more difficult finish than what he made it look

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8:19you're listening to the sky sports premier league podcast let's get back to the studio for more reaction to today's game

8:31damsgan to the back post it goes the cueing out there his first bredford goal and it's a big one it comes against the blues

8:47easy for Ayer to cut that pass out and now Schada to maybe seal this for Brentford save there is Igor Thiago a shut off for the man who scores for the first time in the Premier League this season Schada goes low they're looking for a third It's another one of those nights for Brentford in this stadium. What a night for Brentford. Three nil winners against Chelsea who conceded those three goals. And that makes Xabi Alonso the fifth manager in Premier League history to concede two or more goals in the first five games in charge. Not much in it in terms of shots. The six that Brentford had and the two that Chelsea had on target.

9:39None of those shots on target for Chelsea came in the second half of that game. And then looking at the XG, 2.46 of Brentford came in the second half and 0.47 of Chelsea's came in the second half. So it was a toothless second half for Chelsea, but for Brentford it was all about that performance, particularly in the second half of that game. and we're just watching as Vitaly Janelt and Yannick Schuster make their way over to us. Hi, good to meet you. Hello, Kelly. Hello. Nice to meet you. Congratulations. What a victory. What a win. What a night. Did you enjoy it? I think it wasn't too bad. I think we knew before the break we have to do something, especially create another night, another special experience for everyone of us.

10:29I mean, it was the last game before a long international break, So I think with three points, nothing better than that. It felt like, especially in the second half, it was a more straightforward performance. Did you feel the difference on the pitch? Yeah, I felt it, especially when the second half began. I think we played more directly forward, created a lot of chances. And yeah, luckily we scored after that. When you set out and you were preparing for this game, you know, in the build up to it, did you target set pieces? You always do to an extent. As everyone knows, I think we work a lot on that.

11:08But particularly with Chelsea's vulnerability to them. We knew we had a bit more strength in the first 11, but not in a different way than usually. Thank you. Very kind. Thanks. As I say, game management has been a slight issue in terms of conceding late goals late on in games. Today, it seemed very different. You got the first goal and then you went again. I spoke earlier about going for the jugular. You went again to try and kill the game off. Was that something you spoke about during the game or before the game? I think in general, we had a very fantastic start of the season against Tottenham and even against Adidas' first half or like 70 minutes.

11:44So we lacked a bit in the last two games. So we said, you know what, for whatever reason, if we can't press, we'd be more on the low mid-block and then try to force them around and play on the counter opportunity. And then on the ball, obviously, we want to be more brave, more personality. and I think that's what we show today. Yannick, I was watching you play in the under-21s the other day and then today you're playing against Chelsea, winning man in a match. Just talk us through your performance today. Yeah, I'm just happy. I think I don't care about my performance. I just want to help the team and I'm happy about the three points, the clean sheet and yeah, hopefully I get some more minutes in the future.

12:21You made some blocks today. I know Gary Cahill likes to block, but you was making blocks for fun today. Talk us through some of them. Yeah, I don't know. I came here and they always told me that I like to turn when the shot is coming. And I think we train it every week that I have to watch the ball in the face when he shoots it. And even an assist for the opener. Yeah, I think they always tell me I have a lot of potential in set pieces, but there wasn't a lot of outcome until yet. But hopefully I can score in the next games also. To be fair, we did target in the half-time on the corner. So we did two times front post, and then in half-time we said there's a big gap in the second post.

13:06So we targeted that, and I think it was the first corner. It worked out. So you did something very similar in a Tottenham game. When you set the ball back, I think Nathan Collins headed it back to Sangare, got the deflection. Is that something in the dressing room that you'd identify and the set-piece coach would say, we have an opportunity here? Yeah, it's more the set-piece coach, obviously. While we had that, we speak in the team. like obviously everyone can bring up solutions and for us it's obviously how we have success. You've had a bad few days, eh? You beat Chelsea and then you get a phone call from Jurgen Klopp you and the Germany squad.

13:37How did that go down? What did you get? Did he call you? Yeah, he actually texted me on Monday. He asked me about if I have time tomorrow on a Tuesday for a phone call and then he called me like 3, 4pm afternoon and we had like a chat for 10, 15 minutes. It was not too bad, I would say. Amazing, good for you. He's named two squads really, hasn't he? So has he talked to you about your role in all of that? Exactly. He does two squads. I think the majority of them are the first one. And then I think three or four players, they didn't really play a lot because of the Avengers. They joined us in the second group and I've been in the second group.

14:08He taught me, me and Kev are in the same group. But Kev is in the first, I'm in the second group. All right, OK. This is what it is. You can't always play with your mates. It's not the other way it works. Listen, I'm going to ask you to present this because Yannick is the player of the match. So Vitaly, thank you so much. I can take your microphone if that helps. Thank you. Well deserved, mate. Thank you. Thank you. It's heavy. It is, isn't it? I've never touched it. Listen, here's to many more. Thanks so much. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks very much. I can take that as well if you like.

14:35Thanks. Thank you. Are you going to get... I'm like an octopus over here. Really good to hear from both of them. Yeah, brilliant. And really good to get that perspective. I mean, Yannick Schuster in particular, Jamie, is a player that you say that you've watched at under-21 level here at Brentford and now has made that step up, obviously with the injury to Nathan Collins, but he doesn't look like a second option at times. I mean, he's, again, I've mentioned that when you come to Brentford, one of the words that always comes up is recruitment and they have great recruitment. He's gone for the Red Bull Salzburg, so he understands that mentality.

15:14A lot of people that play for any Red Bull team, they're normally good humans, work hard, they have a style of play and they can all run, head and tackle. And that's exactly what they've bought. I think he's£20 million. So looking at him today, he looks like he's obviously a lot more than that. And it just shows you. And the other one is Vitaly Janel, who is£500 ,000. Now, if you think about a player now that has called up for Germany with the quality that he possesses on and off the pitch, I mean, that is an absolute steal. That is, again, brilliant recruitment. So they have different, obviously, sides of the scale.

15:50They can have a Sangara day bringing for£45-50 million. they can have a Jan out as well they're just so smart in manipulating the market and getting the players in at the right time I was just going to say it looks like a great group as well for shooters to come into, like you said, great personalities great people and he's really raised his opportunity and took it and also to come into a team, don't forget this is a Brentford team that's unbeaten and confident so to come into this team is easier than coming into a team that's losing every week they seem to have got it right, don't they? They seem to have got it right and Yannick Schuster in particular, you mentioned the assist to him for the first goal.

16:22So let's take a look at his involvement. Obviously, Jadon Anthony was the goal scorer, but just talk me through the involvement of Schuster. Yeah, it was. And he just said, didn't he, then? I mean, it's interesting because he said that they played the first two, the front post, and they targeted this. They spoke at half-time and targeted the back post in this instance. I mean, you've ended up with Barco challenging, which is a slight mismatch there. But he comes up, he gets his head on it, and the first contact spoke many times before is so important. And Jadon Anthony, who was actually not in the game, really, in the first half, had to be patient, put himself in the right position to get a simple tapping.

16:54And that first goal made a big difference. Obviously, we know that Brentford are excellent from set pieces and have been for a long time, but that allowed the game to open up a little bit for them to maybe go for it as Chelsea were looking for the equaliser. And Keith Alexander joins us now. Keith Andrews joins us now. Yes, that would be really helpful. Thank you very much. Your players left them. Keith, we've just been looking at the first goal, but I wanted to ask you about the second one because when Jamie mentioned Igor Thiago before the game, you said the goal will come, almost like you knew.

17:26Well, no, not quite. But I just don't really have too many concerns about him. I speak to him most days. I've got a pretty special relationship with him. Listen, the goal's amazing. Kev will be disappointed he didn't score himself because he's in such a good rhythm. But Thiago's just travelling with the game. That's a really calm finish, considering he hasn't notched the season in the league yet. He has notch in the cup, which not too many people mention. But his overall game, I thought, tonight was sensational. In terms of the way that the first goal was scored, that it came from the set piece, does it just underline even further how important they are?

18:03Did that allow almost the game to open up in order for you to get the second one a bit? I think in this day and age, you have to be able to deal with every phase of the game. I think there's a lot made of all surround set pieces. You can see the different way we've scored goals tonight. I thought they were very, very respectful in the way they set up against us. They didn't want to give Thiago any space. He had to earn that. We had to earn the right to play. We had to be very, very disciplined without the ball, with the level of opposition and talent that they have in central areas. And I thought we did that brilliantly tonight.

18:34It wasn't meant to be an insult saying you were good at set pieces, because that was your role not so long ago. It was just to say that it works really well. Should we take a look at Fabio Carvalho's goal as well? Because that was the sort of icing on the cake. this must feel good considering how long he's been out for he's scored in midweek as well he's had a long ACL injury we've all been there haven't we that injury when it's it's just dark days isn't it it's horrible days and he's such a special soul I just think he's another brilliant story he did this last year I said it to you before the game slightly different but it was yeah just the way he sniffs out goals he's a goal scorer he just smells it he feels it arriving in the right area some of the players would stay out on the periphery of it.

19:18And he just feels that and I'm so happy for him because he's worked so hard to come back in a really good rhythm. Can I ask you about your subs, Keith? Because I'm always... Here you are, you're just celebrating this one, mate. Oh, you're up. Love it. I'm going to do a calf at some stage. I think it's important you enjoy these nights. Of course. There's no point in hiding it. There's some tough days in the game, as you all know, and you've got to endure the different emotions and I felt like there was something bubbling towards tonight. I have this unbelievable calm around our team because I trust them.

19:54So it's nice to see it come to full. Does that come with being unbeaten though? That kind of confidence and that kind of momentum? I think it's that and I think it's what I see every day. I just see a humility and a hunger within the group that we can take the criticism as a group and we can challenge each other in a very respectful way but we want to get better. That's the reality. You have to continue to get better in this league. The money that teams are spending on the individuals. But that's just on paper. What we do is every day, we try and push boundaries. We try and be really open with each other.

20:25Let's just continue to go on our journey. And I have to say, I'm loving the journey. Can I talk to you about his subs? Because I love what you do. Because I'm looking at your team and I'm thinking you're 1-0 up. And then, OK, what's he going to do? You're bringing on Sangari. Are you going to maybe take a backward step? Maybe bring off Dam's guard? Thicken up that midfield? You don't. you keep him on the pitch and you bring on another midfielder and you leave like your players that can win you matches even if they're bringing on Carvalho is that something you're always thinking about that why give them who are one new up let's go two new up rather than trying to hang on to what you've got I think that the traditional mindset is to protect what you have isn't it I think we've all probably been in that boat where you you sink a bit deeper and sometimes you don't get an option with that but you do get an option with the type of personnel you have on the pitch and you alluded to it before the game, I have got options now on the bench and I want to be slightly bold and slightly positive in the approach to how we continue to play within the game because we've got ourselves into a lead, haven't played a certain way.

21:22I don't want us to change the way we play, but of course the opposition changed their mindset and there's all sorts going on within that. But no, I trust the bench, I trust the impact that they'll have and I thought they had a brilliant impact tonight. So last game for you before the double international break, but first game of the Premier League weekend, which means you presumably can enjoy the rest of it a little bit more, but it means that you're up to third place in the table. I know we're only a few games into the season and I know there's more games to come this weekend, but it's a nice place to be.

21:48It's a lovely place to be. It's amazing the way one game can dictate whether it's a really good start or if you've started all right. But, yeah, listen, it's going to be a nice place to be to go home and see me, my mum and dad tomorrow. Are you going to spend the next two or three weeks singing the way that you were with that Brentford crowd here? All right. I think, like I just said it there, I think it's really important you enjoy nights like this. I think the club and the fans and the players are so invested in this journey. I love what we're doing. I love how we go about it. And we should enjoy it.

22:16You've still got your voice. That's a good thing. Keith, thanks so much. Congratulations. Thanks for coming over to chat to us. Well, thank you, mate. Well, Keith Andrews was singing at the end of that game with those Brentford fans. It feels like there is a real connection. And you can understand why in terms of the foundation that they've built. Yes, and we've talked about that a lot. but also that ability to build on that. He talked about the changes that were made over the summer and maybe the slight tweaks in approach, the depth of the squad that they have available. Yes, some big money signings in tens of millions, but also a£500 ,000 signing in Vitaly Janel, now a Germany international.

22:53Yeah, so they get the balance right, Kelly. And I think what players are starting to look at now in their careers, and I would put Bournemouth and I would put Brighton in this bracket as well, is they're starting to look and think, right let's be strategic about what I'm going to do let's make a move where I can come to Brentford learn the Premier League do well and then there's an opportunity then Brentford won't hold me back Norwood Bournemouth Norwood Brighton they can then sell me on so everybody's happy we get a couple of years out of you then we'll find the next one and I think that's like Sangare is a great example of that and that is what you call great recruitment it's great management it's having an idea of what you want to do not buying them after that you know what we were joking what we Gary and I were joking that I wonder why more clubs, more bigger clubs, don't look at what, as soon as Brentford or Brighton are going for a player, just gazump them.

23:38Well, other clubs were looking at Sangare, and that's why he's an interesting example, because he chose to come to Brentford. Because he obviously believed in the project, Kelly. They've sold him this, and it absolutely makes sense, because everything they've got here is really organised. It's a lovely club for you to develop and learn, rather than getting thrown into the deep end and going to maybe a club where you get eaten alive, or if you don't do well for a couple of games, straight away you get time. And I think, and you get obviously an arm around your shoulder when you need it, like Thiago.

24:07But this now has become, like a few years ago, if you'd have said they'd be signing 40, 50 million pound players, they've got a 30 million pound left back who's not on the team because obviously Keane Lewis Potter's doing so well. So it's a credit to the club. And people now obviously want to look at Brentford and go, this is more than a valuable option for me to come to. They're so well organised, Gary, aren't they? Yeah, of course they are. And also when you sit in third and you, like you said, you see this project and you see the way that they're building. It is attractive for players to come.

24:34And I think it's important because you get the mixture, like you just said, the balance in terms of ability and in terms of personality. And that has to work, that has to fit into this football club. And it certainly looks like it does. But yeah, unbeaten. Unbeaten at the start of this season. But for Chelsea, it's been a tough start to the season, certainly defensively. They've lost 3-0 here at Brentford this evening. They've now conceded two or more goals in all of their opening games. in the Premier League. And tonight's captain, Levi Colwell, is with Natalie Jedra. Levi, tough loss tonight.

25:06It was a defensive, solid defensive performance in the first half. Why do you feel you went from that first half to conceding three goals in the second? Yeah, it was tough. First of all, conceding the set-piece, obviously, weren't the best. And then we tried to push and maybe overexpose ourselves, played some passes you shouldn't have and forced it. And they hit us on the counter, you know, which they're so good at. And got the second goal. And then the third goal was just, yeah, really hit home and hurt. But yeah, second half, we weren't good enough, obviously. We've got a lot to work on over the international break.

25:43Going back to the set piece, why do you feel you guys have been struggling with this defensively? With what? With the set pieces. It's been five goals conceded this season from set pieces already. Obviously, we haven't been good enough. You know, maybe at times we've been bullied in the box. We need to definitely improve at that. We've got all trust in our set-piece coach. You know, we're still adjusting to new things, but, yeah, we definitely do need to improve as a team. Do you feel after that first goal, the team kind of, the spirits just went down a little bit? No, I wouldn't say so. Obviously, it hurt, but, you know, I think, if anything, it went the other way and we tried to push to get the equaliser.

26:22And that's where we just got caught on the counter-attack. So I don't think our spirits dropped in any way. Despite there's been a lot of excitement around Chelsea and the goals you have producing and the philosophy, but do you feel like performances like today, especially the second half, show that there is still a lot to be built? Yeah, definitely. We need to still improve a lot. I feel like we can't rely on our front three to put us out of danger. The rest of us need to try and help as much as possible. and the defence, midfield, even the attackers will need to help each other much more. But yeah, we've definitely got a lot of room to improve.

27:01Thank you, Levi. Thank you. Gary, Levi Colwell isn't going to come out and be all sunshine and rainbows after a 3-0 defeat, but he seemed particularly low, and especially with that third goal that Chelsea conceded. Do you think there was an element in this game of Brentford being able to take advantage of Chelsea's mindset at the moment, the fact that they do feel vulnerable? I think there's a certain element of fragility. I think they're quite fragile. And I think obviously once they've conceded that set piece, it's almost like you don't want it to be a mindset, but it's like, oh, here we go again type scenario.

27:38And he does look flat. And rightly so. You know, he's a defender and he doesn't want to concede goals. And it hurts. It really does. I can speak for myself when I was playing. When you concede goals, it hurts. And the light's shining on you now in terms of, they say obviously defensively, you're letting goals in. I think personally it's a collective. I spoke before, this needs, I feel, and I'm sure the manager will address it in terms of on the training pitch, on videos, in terms of analysing and saying, why are you in this position? Why are you in this position? So it's a collective, but obviously as a goalkeeper and a back four, you feel a big responsibility when goals are going in.