Chelsea’s scoring struggles undermine top four challenge, as poor away form and Brentford’s bad home run produce stalemate
- By Kaz Mochlinski
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Brentford 0 v Chelsea 0
Premier League
Matchweek 31
Talking Points
By Kaz Mochlinski at the Brentford Community Stadium
When Nicolas Jackson failed to hit the target with an open goal to aim for during shooting practice while warming up on the pitch at half-time in Chelsea’s visit to Brentford, it began to feel inevitable that the game would end scoreless.
Jackson has not registered a goal in any of his past 10 matches, either side of an eight-week absence due to a hamstring injury in early February. He last scored in mid-December, in the reverse fixture against Brentford.
Not very much later into the second half, Cole Palmer was also sent on from Chelsea’s superstar substitutes’ bench, but his goal drought is currently just as bad as his great friend Jackson’s.
Palmer has been similarly hampered by a hamstring injury, but he has only missed one game since his most recent goal, in the middle of January against Bournemouth. He has subsequently not scored in his last 11 matches.
On away trips, Palmer and Jackson’s unproductive runs are even longer, with Palmer not getting a goal since the opening game of the year at Crystal Palace, and Jackson going back still further, to when Chelsea visited Leicester City in November.
That is partially a reflection of the team’s overall form rather than simply being down to Palmer and Jackson, two very promising young footballers, who have developed an evident rapport with each other, on and off the field.
In the first half at Brentford, Chelsea hardly created any chances to score, with the away fans vociferously pleading “Attack! Attack! Attack! Attack! Attack!” before eventually being able to sarcastically sing “We’ve had a shot! We’ve had a shot!”
After the interval, with Palmer and Jackson both belatedly involved, the opportunities started to develop, but not too many were clearcut, and none looked particularly likely to be taken, with finishing seemingly the biggest problem.
From the perspective of the Blues supporters, it was no surprise whatsoever that Brentford’s first clean sheet at home this season came against Chelsea. For Bees fans, it is only perplexing that this has taken so long to achieve.
With a goalkeeper of some quality in Mark Flekken, a very well-organised defence, and a tactical approach from head coach Thomas Frank which is both clear and effective, Brentford managed to hold out against all of Chelsea’s efforts.
It means that the Blues have not scored in five away matches in the Premier League in a run of eight without a win now since their fabulous 3-4 victory at Spurs on December 8th last year.
Coincidentally, Brentford have not won on their own ground since December 7th, when they defeated Newcastle United 4-2, following which they are winless at home in eight league games - and in a total of nine contests in all competitions.
The Bees’ good recent results on their travels are keeping them comfortably in mid-table. For Chelsea, it is a wonder that they have stayed in the Champions League qualifying places on home successes alone for the last four months.
That almost certainly will have to change quickly if they are to stick around among the top four or five in the Premier League to the end of the season.
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