Brentford 3-0 Chelsea: Report by Layth Yousif
Jaidon Anthony, Igor Thiago and Fabio Carvalho’s second half strikes ensured Brentford humbled Chelsea 3-0 to move into third place in the Premier League.
Jubilant Bees fans in the sellout crowd of 17,193 sang to their Chelsea counterparts: “West London is ours,” as Keith Andrews impressive side showed far more hunger than their gilded opponents to clinch three points, as well as bragging rights in this corner of the capital.
Make no mistake this was a thoroughly deserved statement victory for Brentford, who swept aside the dilletantes from Stamford Bridge under Friday night lights at the atmospheric G-tech Stadium.
INSERT KEITH ANDREWS QUOTE
Earlier Bees boss Andrews made two changes to his side that started last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth.
Michael Kayode replaced Aaron Hickey at right-back, while Mikkel Damsgaard was preferred to Mamadou Sangare in midfield, with Yehor Yarmolyuk making his 100th Premier League appearance for the Bees.
The visitors were without Joao Pedro, captain Reece James and Moises Caicedo, with Blues head coach Xabi Alonso making five changes, as former Brentford midfielder Jordan Henderson made his debut, with Maxence Lacroix recalled, while Pep Chavarria, Valentin Barco and Danny Welbeck were also drafted in.
Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato and Romeo Lavia all dropped to the bench, with Alonso reverting to a back three, after playing four at the back during the 2-2 draw with Hull last weekend.
Henderson had not played competitively in 84 days, since featuring for six minutes during England’s World Cup group stage game with Panama in New Jersey. And it showed. The veteran midfielder was mercilessly booed by the home support, annoyed the 36-year-old opted to join the Stamford Bridge outfit this summer.
Chelsea’s Pedro Neto tested Caoimhin Kelleher with a stinging shot in the ninth minute, but the Bees keeper was equal to the task, parrying the ball, prior to Morgan Rogers’ effort being blocked.
After a bustling opening, illuminated by silky touches and vision from the peerless Cole Palmer, Rogers had his free kick saved by Kelleher on the half hour, while six minutes later Emi Martinez saved from Yarmolyuk at the other end. Rogers then had an effort blocked, before Bees No44 Kevin Schade saw his shot gathered by Martinez, as we reached the interval goalless.
Five minutes after the interval the home side nearly went ahead, when Jaidon Anthony’s header clipped the bar, before the move was flagged offside, despite the Bees attackers appearing to be level with the Chelsea backline.
Brentford striker Igor Thiago’s attempt flew high and wide shortly afterwards, as Andrews side attacked their visitors.
The dominance was eventually to tell, when Anthony’s close range header from Jannik Schuster’s cross put the Bees 1-0 ahead on 61 minutes.
Thereafter, the Bees proved obdurate opponents, throwing their bodies in front of every Chelsea shot, before Andrews substituted Anthony to a heroes’ reception.
Shortly afterwards it was Thiago who was cheered to the rafters, when doubling the Bees lead with eight minutes remaining, as the home support celebrated wildly. The Brazil striker calmly slotting home after following up Schade’s effort that was only partially parried by Blues keeper Martinez.
As if that wasn’t enough humiliation enough, worse was to follow for billionaire moneybags Chelsea, when Carvalho slotted home from close range to make the score an emphatic 3-0, to send the home support into dreamland, as Andrews impressive team moved into third place in the Premier League.
No wonder jubilant Brentford fans taunted the visiting support by singing: “Can we play you every week,” for make no mistake this was a statement victory for Andrews and his impressive team.
