Xabi Alonso calls on Chelsea to restore winning mentality after Brentford defeat

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso says his side must quickly recover their winning mentality after a 3-0 defeat by Brentford in the fifth round of the Premier League.

Chelsea’s performance level dropped during the second half, while Brentford took advantage of defensive errors to secure a convincing victory. Alonso said the smallest details had proved decisive and warned that his team could not afford to give opponents an advantage in such matches.

“We lost our consistency, and the competitive mentality we needed also declined in the second half,” Alonso said at his news conference. “The small details can be decisive. We must not give the opponent an advantage in matches like these.”

He added: “It is about 95 minutes, and we were unable to maintain our level throughout the game. We have to produce a better performance.”

Brentford moved temporarily up to third in the Premier League table on nine points, while Chelsea remained seventh with seven points.

Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho scored Brentford’s goals. The result also extended Brentford’s unbeaten run in the Premier League after five matches.

Chelsea have now conceded 15 goals this season, the highest total in the division. They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in 21 consecutive matches.

In each of Chelsea’s five Premier League games under Alonso, the club have conceded at least two goals.

Alonso acknowledged that adapting to the demands of the Premier League would take time, but insisted Chelsea needed to improve quickly.

“We knew it would take time because we are talking about only five matches,” he said. “The Premier League is a competitive competition, and every game will be difficult.”

The Chelsea manager was also asked about his team’s problems defending set-pieces. He said the issues went beyond dead-ball situations and included individual defensive battles and the team’s build-up play.

“It is not only about set-pieces, but also defensive duels and building the play,” Alonso said. “We conceded the first goal, then lost our balance and conceded from a counter-attack. We have to understand the game and know what is required to compete until the end.”