Chelsea vs Brentford: Player ratings, reaction and analysis as Eriksen, Janelt and Wissa stun Blues

Chelsea 1-4 Brentford (Rudiger ’48, Janelt ’50 ’60, Eriksen ’54, Wissa ’87)

STAMFORD BRIDGE – Christian Eriksen scored his first goal in domestic football since his cardiac arrest as Brentford stunned Chelsea and took a major step towards Premier League survival with a 4-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.

Brentford netted four times in a remarkable second half after falling behind to a 35-yard strike from Antonio Rudiger, whose speculative efforts have become a running joke among Chelsea fans. Yet when his shot evaded David Raya, the centre-back ran straight into the arms of Thomas Tuchel, who has once again reiterated his support for a player whose future is in serious doubt due to the club’s inability to extend his contract beyond the end of the season when it expires.

That lead lasted just two minutes before the pace of Bryan Mbeumo once again allowed Brentford to hit the European and world champions on the break, laying the ball off to Janelt to fire past Edouard Mendy.

Related Stories

Chelsea are pressing ahead with summer transfer plans despite Abramovich sanctions25 March, 2022Boehly, Broughton or the Ricketts family? The candidates still in contention to buy Chelsea25 March, 2022Newcastle summer will be 'different', Man Utd target Benfica star and Everton bullish on future31 March, 2022

The same trick worked again, Mbuemo finding Eriksen unmarked in the box for his second goal in a week, the other scored on his emotional return to international duty with Denmark.

Janelt’s second, a chip over Mendy which survived a VAR check for offside, capped 12 minutes of madness after a totally flat first half. Hakim Ziyech had come closest, forcing David Raya into a fingertip save and at the other end, Ivan Toney heading over after winning an aerial battle with Rudiger.

Yoana Wissa made it four in the final exchanges, capitalising on a mix-up between Rudiger and Thiago Silva to fire into the far corner of Mendy’s goal.

This was all Thomas Frank’s best-laid plans in action, Brentford no longer reduced to set pieces but doing what they do best. Eriksen, a magician whose lightness of touch tested N’Golo Kante in the middle, teased his way through a midfield in which Ruben Loftus-Cheek struggled with the central role.

Kante, who appeared to suffer a muscle injury shortly before half-time, lasted 65 minutes before being replaced by Romelu Lukaku. Toney pressed, forcing Mendy into an embarrassingly short pass in the first five minutes that might have set Chelsea up for a horror show early on.

More from Football

When Scotland vs Ukraine playoff could take place - and how it affects England and Wales01 April, 2022From Haaland to Salah, 6 stars you won't be watching at the World Cup in Qatar01 April, 2022The anatomy of a group of death as debate rages over trickiest World Cup draw01 April, 2022

That Brentford grew their way into the game will please Frank more. The Bees survived a Chelsea fightback after conceding the third, Kai Havertz seeing a goal disallowed from close range for a clear handball. Moments later, he found himself through on goal and while his first touch got past Raya, it ended on the wrong side of the post.

Kristoffer Ajer twice put his body on the line to deny first Marcos Alonso and then Timo Werner, but little worked for Chelsea, who turn their attentions to Real Madrid on Wednesday and the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Chelsea player ratings

• Mendy – 5
• Azpilicueta – 6
• Thiago Silva – 5.5
• Rudiger – 6
• Alonso – 5
• Kante – 6
• Loftus-Cheek – 5
• Mount – 5.5
• Ziyech – 6
• Havertz – 5.5
• Werner – 4

SUBSTITUTES:

• James – 6
• Kovacic – 6
• Lukaku – 5

from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/zpG8yuW