Brentford vs Chelsea: Match Report and Highlights from Gtech Community Stadium

 

UPDATE ON THE MATCH BETWEEN BRENTFORD vs CHELSEA: How the game went.

Stadium: Gtech Community Stadium, London.

Referee: Michael Oliver.

Managers: Thomas Frank (Brentford), Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)

Starting Lineups:

BRENTFORD (4-1-2-3):

Mark Flekken, Kristoffer Ajer, Nathan Collins, Sepp van den Berg, Keane Lewis-Potter, Christian Norgaard, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Mikkel Damsgaard, Bryan Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Kevin Schade.

SUBS: Hakon Valdimarsson, Ben Mee, Ethan Pinnock, Michael Kayode, Rico Henry, Edmond-Paris Maghoma, Mathias Jensen, Vitaly Janelt, Yunus Emre Konak.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1):

Robert Sanchez, Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Malo Gusto, Moises Caicedo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Noni Madueke, Enzo Fernandez, Jadon Sancho, Christopher Nkunku.

SUBS: Filip Jorgensen, Benoit Badiashile, Josh Acheampong, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson, Pedro Neto, Tyrique George.

It's a beautiful afternoon here in West London and we're all set to go!

FIRST HALF!

1’ KICK-OFF

And we’re underway at the Gtech! Let the West London derby chaos begin.

1’  HIGHLIGHT FOR CHELSEA!

Chelsea waste no time. They win a free-kick, James whips it in, and Nkunku leaps high to meet it but the header goes just over the bar! Nearly an instant statement.

3’ CHANCE FOR BRENTFORD!

Brentford with a gorgeous bit of football! Lewis-Potter volleys a cross to Mbeumo, who rifles it across the face of goal. Wissa throws himself at it, but it brushes the side-netting. Sanchez had no clue. Big, big chance.

5’ Nkunku trying to make things happen on the left but is double-marked. Madueke picks up the scraps and fizzes a low cross but it's off the post! Brentford breathe a sigh of relief.

7’ Damsgaard fouls Dewsbury-Hall clumsily from behind. Chelsea go quick, Madueke starts to sneak through, but Lewis-Potter pushes him back.

 9’ Schade is found on the left with a fine lofted ball from defence. He drives inwards before just about finding Wissa on the byline. The blue shirts track back eventually before a Schade delivery is caught simply by Sanchez.

13’ Sancho hovers with the ball on Chelsea's left flank before cutting back in and firing. His effort deflects across the box tamely before the hosts can clear.

15’ Brentford win a foul on the left after considered pressure. Mbeumo bends in the delivery before Caicedo forces it behind for a corner on the left. Collins and James tumble and scuffle in the box, delaying the kick, before Chelsea just about manage to head out when it does come in.

17’ Norgaard presses determinedly as the ball ricochets off him and behind the Chelsea defence on the right. James does well to recover before the ball can be hoofed clear of the final third.

19’ OFFSIDE FOR CHELSEA!

Nkunku is the target as Chelsea build-up culminates on the edge of the Brentford box. However, the flag goes up for offside. Admittedly, since that early flurry of action, the pace has certainly dropped here.

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⚽Schade is found high on the left by Lewis-Potter and cuts back across the edge of the Chelsea box to lay off for an arriving Wissa. He strikes first time, yet with a joint effort from Tosin and Chalobah, the deflected effort trundles through for Sanchez to claim easily.

22’ Chelsea need to offer more here. The question comes to mind whether Maresca should've rotated against Spurs as the Blues look a little flat in parts.

26’ YELLOW CARD FOR GUSTO!

As Brentford build down their right side, Gusto flings Schade to the ground off the ball. His positioning was so poor, that he got caught the wrong side of his runner and had to make the foul to make up time. Yellow card nonetheless.

28’ BIG CHANCE FOR BRENTFORD!

Damsgaard tries to whip the free-kick on target from 22 yards, yet he just can't get the dip he requires and it's out for a goal kick. In the next phase, Wissa finds the Dane inside the box with a cute pass but he can't shoot. He misses the ball and falls over! What a chance that was!

32’ CHANCE FOR MBUEMO!

A dropping ball has Sanchez looking to catch calmly. However, he is perhaps too casual and nearly drops it into the path of Mbeumo. In the next phase, the Cameroonian international brings the ball down excellently on the right wing, drives inside and just whizzes a low effort past the full-stretch keeper and the right post.

37’ LEWIS-POTTER WITH A BIG CHANCE!

Norgaard and Damsgaard link up excellently as Brentford transition from defence to attack on the right. Mbeumo is found and beats James for pace before the England man brings the forward down for a free-kick in a dangerous crossing position. The ball in finds Lewis-Potter to head down! Sanchez parries away with an athletic stop to his left!

39’ Nkunku slides in Sancho with a great ball inside the left channel. The former Dortmund man runs at goal, but a vital Collins touch sends it behind for a corner on the left. This chance is then wasted as Tosin fouls his marker in a crowded penalty area.

41’ After Mbeumo nearly pulls off a great trivela pass at one end, Madueke looks to be played into the box at the other. However, Collins recovers and the lunging winger is penalised for his late challenge.

45’ YELLOW CARD FOR ADARABIOYO

Yarmolyuk is hacked down on Brentford's right wing by Tosin. The big defender stepped right on the Ukrainian's ankle. It looked a sore one. Yellow card from Michael Oliver.

45+1' ADDED TIME

As the Brentford free-kick from the right is cleared, it is signalled that there will be just two minutes of added time.

45+2' The free-kick comes in and finds Tosin completely unmarked in the middle but he can only head wide!

45+2' HALF-TIME: BRENTFORD 0-0 CHELSEA.

The first half of the Brentford-Chelsea match ends in a 0-0 draw. Despite Chelsea's presence, Brentford has seemed more likely to score. The Bees have had several chances, including a missed opportunity for Damsgaard, who failed to connect with a pass from Wissa. Mbeumo also had a shot go wide in the 32nd minute after cutting inside. Lewis-Potter had a header denied by Sanchez from a free-kick in the 37th minute. 

Chelsea's offense was relatively quiet in the early going, but they had a chance to take the lead just before halftime. Tosin was left unmarked in the box from a free-kick but headed the ball wide, capping off a frustrating first half for Chelsea.

46’ SUBSTITUTION FOR CHELSEA

As expected, Chelsea look to the bench at the break. Nkunku comes off for Nicolas Jackson as Maresca searches for that offensive difference-maker.

48’ Brentford start the second period brightly. Norgaard makes inroads down the left before his cross is a little too hard. Mbeumo loses the battle on the byline and Jackson looks to steal away down the touchline but pushes Collins into touch for a foul. Damsgaard delivers the deep free-kick before Chelsea clear.

52’ A CHANCE OUT OF NOTHING FOR CHELSEA!

Jackson runs to the right byline and fires in a cross inside the box. Van den Berg blocks it but forces Flekken to save! It was nearly an own goal there. Great reflexes.

54’ The resulting corner comes to nothing as Jackson is beaten in the air and the Bees clear. In the next phase, Chelsea have another corner as a Gusto delivery is put behind. Chalobah connects but can't keep his effort on target.

59’ SUBSTITUTIONS FOR CHELSEA!

The visitors go for further alterations now as Madueke makes way for Pedro Neto in the first of a double change. The second change sees Dewsbury-Hall come off for Cole Palmer.

61’ FOUL ON CAICEDO!

After great footwork beats two in red and white, Caicedo is finally chopped down on the halfway line. After this, play moves forward and Neto has a go from range forcing Flekken to parry behind well!

63’ The resulting corner from the Neto effort comes to nothing as Gusto fires off-target. The substitutes have certainly helped the visitors, though, as in the next phase, Neto comes in off the right to fire from range again. It doesn't test Flekken but it's positive thinking nonetheless.

64’ WHAT AN ATTEMPT FROM REECE JAMES!

The left-sided corner finds Reece James in the box, and his header for the top-left corner brings a great two-handed stop from Flekken!

46’ SECOND-HALF BEGINS

We're back in action as Brentford kick off the second half.

65’ FOUL BY COLE PALMER!

A shot off-target from Palmer outside the box ended that last phase of play, and it seems with his follow-through, he caught Collins. The defender receives treatment.

66’ SUBSTITUTION FOR BRENTFORD

As the centre-back is seen to by the medical staff, Yarmolyuk is replaced by Vitaly Janelt.

68’ A gritty spell of play comes to an end as James brings down Mbeumo as the two wrestle for a dropping long ball in the Chelsea half.

70’ BIG CHANCE FOR BRENTFORD!

SCHADE! All it needed was the right touch! Schade jinks inside a sprawling, floor-bound Gusto and slams the ball across the box. Wissa has an open goal, but it's a hard ball to try and control. It flicks off the Congo international and continues on its way. All he needed to do was tap it in!

72’ Chelsea buzz around the Bees box but to no avail. On the counter, Mbeumo darts behind before the play culminates with Wissa forcing a wrong-footed near post save from Sanchez after a shot from the left. The flag then goes up for offside, but it's a great hand from the Spanish stopper nonetheless.

74’ Enzo Fernandez now fires off-target, signalling Chelsea's 16th shot of the day. They've now registered more strikes than their average of 15.7 in the Premier League this term.

77’ SUBSTITUTION FOR CHELSEA

James comes off now to be replaced by Marc Cucurella, a man who was the villain in December's reverse fixture. He arrives to a smattering of boos from the home fans.

77’ YELLOW FOR BRENTFORD!

Jackson hustles and bustles with the ball across the halfway line while under the challenge of Norgaard and Van den Berg. The latter hauls him to the floor from behind for a yellow card, our third of the day.

80’ CHANCE FOR BRENTFORD!

Ajer nods a cross from the right behind much to the frustration of Flekken. Chelsea now have a corner. Neto sends it in but it's cleared before Mbeumo and Wissa counter with devastating pace. Mbeumo ends up taking the final shot of the move and forces a fine save from Sanchez down to his left. The corner goes short and a ball comes in for Van den Berg, who just heads over! Great chance!

81’ ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT FOR THE HOME TEAM!

What a goal that would've been! Damsgaard is played in down the left of the box, and pulls out an agile bicycle kick cross that finds the head of Wissa. However, he nods just wide of the right post!

83’ DOUBLE SUB FOR BRENTFORD!

Frank turns to his substitutes now as Ajer comes off for Michael Kayode in the first of a double change. Damsgaard is the next player to trudge off, with Mathias Jensen taking over in the centre of the park.

85’ Chalobah is penalised for a challenge on Schade. The German has been a real thorn in Chelsea sides today. It's taken quickly and visitors manage to win the ball back.

Fernandez swipes through Mbeumo for a convincing yellow card. What's less convincing is the Argentine feigning his own injury as his victim lays on the turf.

88’ The free-kick is lofted into the Chelsea box with Collins in the mix. However, the header is into the turf and easily claimed by Sanchez. Up the other end, Fernandez powers one on goal from outside the box for an easy low catch for Flekken.

90’ Chelsea just can't pick the lock here as Brentford have settled for a point, it seems. Fernandez gets a bit of space in the area to spin and shoot. However, his effort is a pea roller that Flekken can watch wide.

90+1' EXTRA-TIME!

 There will be four minutes of stoppage time.

90+3' This has been a gritty watch in the dying minutes. Chelsea look to go long, but Brentford are heading every ball.

90+4' CHANCE FOR COLE PALMER!

Gusto drives at the defence and finds Palmer on the edge of the area. He turns and shapes a left-footed shot that just whizzes over Flekken's bar! What a strike that would've been to win it for Chelsea.

90+5' FULL-TIME: BRENTFORD 0-0 CHELSEA.

This wasn’t just a draw, it was a tactical tug-of-war drenched in frustration, near-misses and squandered potential. Chelsea arrived in West London looking for a statement win. Instead, they got a silent treatment from the Brentford backline and left with nothing but regrets (and one measly point). Enzo Maresca’s rotation backfired, as resting Cole Palmer and Jackson affected Chelsea’s attacking sharpness. Key Chelsea players like Nkunku and Madueke had moments, while Palmer’s late entry didn’t have enough time to change the game.

Brentford to their credit were compact, combative, and consistently dangerous on the counter. Chelsea? Possession-rich but productivity-poor. And after the final whistle here Brentford will be happier with the point, while Chelsea will see it as two points dropped.