Chelsea finally broke their wait for a league win as they edged out Brentford 2-1 in a hard-fought West London derby. Manager Liam Rosenior was relieved and proud of his team's performance, but also acknowledges that there were several close calls throughout the game.
The Blues came under pressure early on, with Brentford dominating possession and creating half-chances. However, Chelsea's defense held firm, with Marc Cucurella marshaling a solid backline that ultimately kept their opponents at bay. The turning point arrived in the 26th minute when Enzo Fernández deflected a clearance into João Pedro, who slotted home from close range despite being ruled offside.
Rosenior was keen to emphasize his team's resilience and determination, praising his players for battling hard and fighting until the end. He also acknowledged that some of their chances might have been cruelly snatched away by the referee's decisions.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams creating scoring opportunities but neither able to find the back of the net. However, Cole Palmer's 14th-minute penalty, awarded after Liam Delap was fouled in the box, proved decisive. The young striker coolly slotted home from the spot, sending Chelsea into seventh gear and ultimately securing their first league win in six games.
While Rosenior's team is still struggling with injuries, including several players affected by a virus, he remained buoyant about his team's prospects. However, many fans are still to be convinced that their manager has found his footing. Nevertheless, this hard-fought victory against Brentford sends a welcome message from the Blues camp and sets them up for a crucial run-in in the second half of the season.
The Blues came under pressure early on, with Brentford dominating possession and creating half-chances. However, Chelsea's defense held firm, with Marc Cucurella marshaling a solid backline that ultimately kept their opponents at bay. The turning point arrived in the 26th minute when Enzo Fernández deflected a clearance into João Pedro, who slotted home from close range despite being ruled offside.
Rosenior was keen to emphasize his team's resilience and determination, praising his players for battling hard and fighting until the end. He also acknowledged that some of their chances might have been cruelly snatched away by the referee's decisions.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams creating scoring opportunities but neither able to find the back of the net. However, Cole Palmer's 14th-minute penalty, awarded after Liam Delap was fouled in the box, proved decisive. The young striker coolly slotted home from the spot, sending Chelsea into seventh gear and ultimately securing their first league win in six games.
While Rosenior's team is still struggling with injuries, including several players affected by a virus, he remained buoyant about his team's prospects. However, many fans are still to be convinced that their manager has found his footing. Nevertheless, this hard-fought victory against Brentford sends a welcome message from the Blues camp and sets them up for a crucial run-in in the second half of the season.
especially marc cucurella, he's like the unsung hero! 
and enzo fernández' deflection to joão pedro was pure magic 
cole palmer's penalty was the icing on the cake tho, he kept his cool when it mattered most 
anyway, manager liam rosencior's gonna get the blues singing soon 
this win feels like a weight off their shoulders 
. I mean, they were down 1-0 at one point and looked pretty beatable, but then Cole Palmer comes along and scores that penalty. Still, can't help but feel like Brentford got a bit lucky with those half-chances early on 
. Maybe it's just me, but I think Chelsea should've won that game by more than 1 goal 
. Rosenior seems happy, but I'm not sure if his team is truly clicking yet 
. seriously though, their defense was rock solid and they showed some real grit and determination. but at the same time, there were so many close calls for them that it's like, what if they hadn't gotten a few breaks? maybe Brentford would've come out on top 
. Maybe we should be giving him more credit than usual?
but you know what's even better than football? taking road trips with good music and snacks 
!
Chelsea's win is definitely a step in the right direction, but they need to keep building momentum if they want to stay in contention for top spots in the league. Injuries are always a setback, but with a solid defense like Cucurella leading the charge, I think they can weather the storm and make a push for the playoffs.
. Like, come on, who needs an extra stoppage time just to award someone a free kick? Cole Palmer's penalty was literally the only thing that decided this game and it still feels like luck. And what's with all these close calls throughout the game? It feels like the ref was either having a great day or extremely bad at his job 
. Anyway, I guess 2-1 is better than 0-0 for Chelsea...