The cross came in from Noni Madueke and this time, it did not fly over the Cucu’s nest. Marc Cucurella met it perfectly for his first Premier League goal in Chelsea colours, Enzo Maresca’s plan to pummel Brentford’s box with balls finally earning them the breakthrough.
It set them on their way to moving within two points of Liverpool at the top of the table, Nicolas Jackson scoring their second goal to give enough daylight that Bryan Mbeumo’s late strike was nothing more than a nuisance by the end.
Chelsea can temporarily overtake their rivals next weekend, by virtue of their trip to Everton being played before Liverpool take on Tottenham. December 3, 2021 was the last time this club topped the table and when they weren’t chanting Maresca’s name, you could hear the home supporters at Stamford Bridge were singing: ‘We’ve got our Chelsea back.’
Maresca maintains there is nothing to see here, mind. Just as actors will not speak the name ‘Macbeth’ for fear it will bring a hex upon their heads, neither will you catch Chelsea talking of the title, their head coach reiterating here: ‘I don’t think we are ready to compete.’ And yet, Liverpool sense something wicked is coming their way, even if they have a game in hand.
It is a team, managed expertly by Maresca, that took full advantage on a weekend when every other result went their way. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, they all faltered. But Chelsea did not, even if Mbeumo did set up the nervy ending.
The only downside to this victory was in stoppage time, Cucurella was shown a yellow card for a crunching challenge and at full-time, he was handed another, with a one-match suspension incoming. ‘I asked the referee and he said the second yellow card was for a “bad attitude”,’ Maresca confirmed.
Chelsea moved two points off the Premier League top spot after beating Brentford 2-1
Marc Cucurella stooped to head home the Blues’ opening goal before half-time
Nicolas Jackson wrapped up a crucial victory after firing beyond goalkeeper Mark Flekken
Brentford boss Thomas Frank was unhappy with Cucurella for dropping down holding his face to win a free-kick in stoppage time, accusing him of being a faker as he added: ‘I will say it to Cucurella because I respect him massively.’
Cucurella’s sponsors Puma partook of some damage limitation after his two slips in their brand new boots led to Tottenham goals last weekend, launching a campaign with the tagline: ‘It’s not how you slip, it’s how you bounce back.’
As clever as that marketing stunt was in midweek, Cucurella was not wearing the offending footwear here, which arguably said more.
Back in a version he hoped would keep him vertical, Chelsea’s defenders refused to become the latest team to let Brentford break through within minutes, as Manchester City, Tottenham and others did. Instead, the best two chances of this spell fell to Jackson.
First, Malo Gusto’s cross led to a header which floated wide. Then, Moises Caicedo’s long ball in behind found Jackson, who blasted the ball directly at Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
Brentford’s best opportunity of the first half came after 29 minutes as Mikkel Damsgaard seemed destined to score, only for Levi Colwill to produce a lunging block, à la John Terry. Chelsea’s players gathered to congratulate Colwill before arranging themselves for the corner.
Chances came and went for Jadon Sancho and Madueke, who pounced on Flekken’s loose pass but was denied when Brentford’s goalkeeper made himself big. Yet as per Chelsea’s crossing plan, it was in the 43rd minute when they struck.
The ball from Madueke was perfect, right into Cucurella’s path. The man with the curly mop gladly accepted the gift as he headed beyond Flekken, his first Premier League goal after 60 games. It is quite the redemption arc, as the left back previously booed at Stamford Bridge for being a £63million waste.
Cucurella’s effort set Enzo Maresca’s side on their way against the battling Bees
His header bounced into the turf and found the far corner, leaving Flekken helpless
Jackson raced away to celebrate in front of supporters after scoring Chelsea’s second
Robert Sanchez tipped over an effort from Christian Norgaard as late nerves set in
The most crosses managed by Chelsea in a Premier League match this season were their 23 versus Nottingham Forest.
The next nearest total was 15 against Manchester City. In the first half alone here, the statistics said they fired 17 balls into Brentford’s box.
Though Madueke had provided the peach of a ball for Cucurella’s opener, he was having an otherwise frustrating night, too often surrendering possession. Pedro Neto was here watching from the substitutes’ bench, but suspended after picking up five yellow cards.
When Madueke won a corner, Chelsea hoped for a penalty given Brentford’s box resembled a WWE ring. The refereeing team decided it was six of one and half a dozen the other.
In the 60th minute, Chelsea should have been two-up when Sancho cut the ball back into the six-yard box.
Jackson was waiting on its edge, the goal entirely open. Yet he ballooned what should have been a tap-in, a real head-in-hands moment which Chelsea fans feared they might be lamenting on their journeys home.
Sancho then tried to walk the ball into the goal in the 67th minute, even rounding Flekken with fast feet, but he took too long with the chance.
Brentford began to push for the leveller and in the 73rd minute, Christian Norgaard thought he had it.
Fabio Carvalho rattled the crossbar from just several yards out with his first touch
Jadon Sancho rounded the keeper but was unable to squeeze his effort into the empty net
Yoane Wissa denied Yoane Wissa from close range minutes before Jackson swept home
Cucurella was shown his second yellow card and was sent off after a final whistle scrap
However, his volley was tipped over superbly by Robert Sanchez. As nervous as Chelsea’s goalkeeper makes fans with his feet, his hands are safe.
After 75 minutes, Jackson tried to seal the win, Flekken tipping wide. Brentford went up the other end and with a cross of their own, Fabio Carvalho crashed the ball into the crossbar.
But in the 80th minute, Jackson broke behind on to Enzo Fernandez’s bending pass. With Pinnock trying in vain to stop him, he found the bottom corner for 2-0.
Brentford made it 2-1 in the 90th minute, Mbeumo finishing a one-v-one. Chelsea survived the late onslaught, though Cucurella was shown his two yellows amid the chaos to slightly dampen spirits.