Liam Rosenior earns first Premier League win as Blues survive against wasteful Bees
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior finally broke his duck in the top flight of English football after his side secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge. The newly appointed head coach, however, was quick to point out that his team's performance wasn't up to par, despite coming away with all three points.
The game started off on an even keel, but the visitors from Griffin Park, who were looking to make a statement in their first top-flight match of the season, took the lead through a Tosin Adarabioyo own goal just minutes into the contest. Chelsea's Robert Sanchez produced an incredible save to deny Brentford the chance to take a two-goal lead before Joao Pedro doubled his side's advantage with a stunning strike.
However, Chelsea's dominance was undone by their inability to convert their chances into goals, and it was the Bees who had the most notable misses of the day. Aleksandar Mitrovic-esque Mathias Jensen's volley from inside the area bounced off the woodwork before Alejandro Garnacho somehow failed to tap the ball home from a mere six yards out.
The game turned on its head in the second half when Chelsea were awarded a penalty, which was coolly converted by Cole Palmer. Sanchez continued to impress between the sticks with a string of brilliant saves before Nathan Collins' dreadful back pass allowed Liam Delap to score the third goal of the game for Chelsea, although it was an own goal.
The result sees Chelsea leapfrog Brentford in the Premier League table, while the Bees drop down to seventh. For Rosenior and his team, it is a much-needed three points, but also a wake-up call to get their performances up to par before they can start making waves in the top flight.
In the post-match press conference, Rosenior attributed Chelsea's lackluster display to an illness bug that has been affecting his squad, citing the night of their Carabao Cup win against Arsenal as an example. Despite this, he praised his players for their efforts and vowed to adapt his tactics to get the best out of them.
For Brentford boss Keith Andrews, the game was a mixed bag of results with his team creating more chances than they conceded but ultimately failing to capitalize on them. While he acknowledged that Chelsea's victory wasn't fair, he took pride in his side's performance level and dismissed the notion that spending money automatically means you get better players.
For Rosenior, it is all about building momentum and getting his team's performances up to par. As long as they continue to pick up wins like this, the unrest surrounding Stamford Bridge will slowly dissipate. But for now, the focus is on moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose and not resting on their laurels.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior finally broke his duck in the top flight of English football after his side secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Brentford at Stamford Bridge. The newly appointed head coach, however, was quick to point out that his team's performance wasn't up to par, despite coming away with all three points.
The game started off on an even keel, but the visitors from Griffin Park, who were looking to make a statement in their first top-flight match of the season, took the lead through a Tosin Adarabioyo own goal just minutes into the contest. Chelsea's Robert Sanchez produced an incredible save to deny Brentford the chance to take a two-goal lead before Joao Pedro doubled his side's advantage with a stunning strike.
However, Chelsea's dominance was undone by their inability to convert their chances into goals, and it was the Bees who had the most notable misses of the day. Aleksandar Mitrovic-esque Mathias Jensen's volley from inside the area bounced off the woodwork before Alejandro Garnacho somehow failed to tap the ball home from a mere six yards out.
The game turned on its head in the second half when Chelsea were awarded a penalty, which was coolly converted by Cole Palmer. Sanchez continued to impress between the sticks with a string of brilliant saves before Nathan Collins' dreadful back pass allowed Liam Delap to score the third goal of the game for Chelsea, although it was an own goal.
The result sees Chelsea leapfrog Brentford in the Premier League table, while the Bees drop down to seventh. For Rosenior and his team, it is a much-needed three points, but also a wake-up call to get their performances up to par before they can start making waves in the top flight.
In the post-match press conference, Rosenior attributed Chelsea's lackluster display to an illness bug that has been affecting his squad, citing the night of their Carabao Cup win against Arsenal as an example. Despite this, he praised his players for their efforts and vowed to adapt his tactics to get the best out of them.
For Brentford boss Keith Andrews, the game was a mixed bag of results with his team creating more chances than they conceded but ultimately failing to capitalize on them. While he acknowledged that Chelsea's victory wasn't fair, he took pride in his side's performance level and dismissed the notion that spending money automatically means you get better players.
For Rosenior, it is all about building momentum and getting his team's performances up to par. As long as they continue to pick up wins like this, the unrest surrounding Stamford Bridge will slowly dissipate. But for now, the focus is on moving forward with a renewed sense of purpose and not resting on their laurels.