The Aporia
The Aporia
Ferridge, A. (2026, September 18). Chelsea: Xabi Alonso told exactly how to fix 'soft' and 'fragile' defence. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-fc-cahill-alonso-defence-soft-fragile-b1297571.html
Ferridge, Arthur. “Chelsea: Xabi Alonso told exactly how to fix 'soft' and 'fragile' defence.” Evening Standard, 18 Sept. 2026, https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-fc-cahill-alonso-defence-soft-fragile-b1297571.html.
Ferridge, Arthur. “Chelsea: Xabi Alonso told exactly how to fix 'soft' and 'fragile' defence.” Evening Standard, September 18, 2026. https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-fc-cahill-alonso-defence-soft-fragile-b1297571.html.
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Chelsea faces Brentford in a Premier League match on Friday, September 18, after dropping points in their last two games — a 2-1 loss to Arsenal and a 2-2 draw against newly-promoted Hull. Manager Xabi Alonso is concerned about his team's recent defensive issues and the fact that Chelsea has not won at Brentford since 2021.
Key players like Joao Pedro, Reece James, and others are unavailable due to injuries or international duty, impacting Chelsea's lineup. The match kicks off at 8pm BST from the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford, with live coverage on Sky Sports. Bet365 offers a bonus code for new users to bet $10 and receive $365 in free bets regardless of their first bet's outcome.
As of Friday night, the score remains 0-0, marking a tense start to what promises to be a crucial match for both teams. Fans are closely following updates from Oli Gent at Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog.
