Chelsea player ratings vs Brentford: Redemption for Robert Sanchez! Blues' goalkeeper keeps Bees at bay as Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer goals secure vital victory in top-four fight
Liam Rosenior's first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea ended in victory against Brentford, largely thanks to the heroics of the club's much-maligned Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The 28-year-old made a massive save to deny Kevin Schade what looked a certain equaliser in the second half, with Cole Palmer adding to Joao Pedro's first-half thunderbolt to secure a somewhat unconvincing 2-0 win.An eventful first half saw Brentford go close after 21 minutes when the dangerous Schade sat Trevoh Chalobah down and laid the ball across, eventually forcing Sanchez into a smart save to stop Tosin Adarabioyo diverting into his own net. The Bees would pay for that missed opportunity soon after, with Joao Pedro smashing a powerful drive high into the net after the ball fortuitously ricocheted into his path.Mathias Jensen then missed a big chance to equalise as he ghosted in at the far post and sliced an effort against the far post before Alejandro Garnacho somehow failed to make it 2-0 - the Argentine shooting wide with the goal gaping after Pedro Neto's delicious low cross from the right had picked him out.Brentford would again go close soon after half-time as Sanchez thwarted Schade when the German forward raced through one-v-one before in-form Igor Thiago headed a presentable chance wide of goal following a corner. And as Keith Andrews' side piled forward and looked likely to force equaliser, up stepped Palmer to deliver the sucker punch as he stroked home from the penalty spot following Caoimhin Kelleher's trip on Liam Delap.GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge...Robert Sanchez (8/10):Huge save with his left boot denied Schade a certain goal in the second half. Also did well to stop Tosin inadvertently diverting into his own net in the first period as he emphatically answered his critics.Reece James (6/10):Improved defensively in the second half but wasn't able to get forward and influence things in attacking areas, which is one of his main strengths. Hooked shortly before the end.Trevoh Chalobah (7/10):Settled after the early mishap that saw Schade put him on his backside, almost leading to an own goal. Did some decent defensive work in dealing with the waves of Brentford attacks in the second 45.Tosin Adarabioyo (6/10):Made one or two crucial clearances and generally dealt well with the threat of 16-goal Thiago before an injury issue saw him replaced in the second half.Marc Cucurella (5/10):All-action as always, hilariously falling to the ground at one point after being shoved by Schade. Wasn't able to do much going forward today, though, such was Brentford's overall dominance.Moises Caicedo (6/10):Made a crucial block to deny Yarmolyuk right on half-time and added crucial numbers in central areas to deal with the constant flow of Brentford forays forward.Enzo Fernandez (6/10):Gets the assist for the ricochet that led to Joao Pedro's goal but didn't really happen for him outside of that.Pedro Neto (5/10):Deserved an assist for the arrowed ball across the box that Garnacho made a mess of. That was his best moment in a pretty average display.Cole Palmer (7/10):Clearly he's nowhere near match fit and was pretty anonymous before he settled the home punter's nerves with a typically assured penalty.Alejandro Garnacho (3/10):Slipped over when racing into the box in the first half and it summed up his day. Shot horribly wide when presented with essentially an open goal and was hooked before the hour mark. Poor.Joao Pedro (7/10):Rocketed in the opener that left Caoimhin Kelleher with no chance but was ineffective thereafter as Brentford poured forward in the second half. Taken off after 73 minutes.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingAndrey Santos (6/10):Added some steel in midfield as Brentford continued to look a threat in the second half.Wesley Fofana (7/10):Slotted in well alongside Chalobah after replacing the injured Tosin.Liam Delap (7/10):His crucial first involvement after replacing Joao Pedro saw him capitalise on Kelleher's loose touch to earn the penalty for 2-0.Jorrel Hato (N/A):Brought on for the last minutes of the game.Josh Acheampong (N/A):Replaced James for the final knockings.Liam Rosenior (6/10):Not the convincing performance he would've been hoping for but he got his first Premier League win against a difficult opponent all the same. Will need to work out how to get the best out of Palmer and Fernandez as it didn't really click here but he'll be pleased to get all three points to remain in the mix for a top-four finish.
Liam Rosenior's first Premier League game in charge of Chelsea ended in victory against Brentford, largely thanks to the heroics of the club's much-maligned Spanish goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. The 28-year-old made a massive save to deny Kevin Schade what looked a certain equaliser in the second half, with Cole Palmer adding to Joao Pedro's first-half thunderbolt to secure a somewhat unconvincing 2-0 win.An eventful first half saw Brentford go close after 21 minutes when the dangerous Schade sat Trevoh Chalobah down and laid the ball across, eventually forcing Sanchez into a smart save to stop Tosin Adarabioyo diverting into his own net. The Bees would pay for that missed opportunity soon after, with Joao Pedro smashing a powerful drive high into the net after the ball fortuitously ricocheted into his path.Mathias Jensen then missed a big chance to equalise as he ghosted in at the far post and sliced an effort against the far post before Alejandro Garnacho somehow failed to make it 2-0 - the Argentine shooting wide with the goal gaping after Pedro Neto's delicious low cross from the right had picked him out.Brentford would again go close soon after half-time as Sanchez thwarted Schade when the German forward raced through one-v-one before in-form Igor Thiago headed a presentable chance wide of goal following a corner. And as Keith Andrews' side piled forward and looked likely to force equaliser, up stepped Palmer to deliver the sucker punch as he stroked home from the penalty spot following Caoimhin Kelleher's trip on Liam Delap.GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge...Robert Sanchez (8/10):Huge save with his left boot denied Schade a certain goal in the second half. Also did well to stop Tosin inadvertently diverting into his own net in the first period as he emphatically answered his critics.Reece James (6/10):Improved defensively in the second half but wasn't able to get forward and influence things in attacking areas, which is one of his main strengths. Hooked shortly before the end.Trevoh Chalobah (7/10):Settled after the early mishap that saw Schade put him on his backside, almost leading to an own goal. Did some decent defensive work in dealing with the waves of Brentford attacks in the second 45.Tosin Adarabioyo (6/10):Made one or two crucial clearances and generally dealt well with the threat of 16-goal Thiago before an injury issue saw him replaced in the second half.Marc Cucurella (5/10):All-action as always, hilariously falling to the ground at one point after being shoved by Schade. Wasn't able to do much going forward today, though, such was Brentford's overall dominance.Moises Caicedo (6/10):Made a crucial block to deny Yarmolyuk right on half-time and added crucial numbers in central areas to deal with the constant flow of Brentford forays forward.Enzo Fernandez (6/10):Gets the assist for the ricochet that led to Joao Pedro's goal but didn't really happen for him outside of that.Pedro Neto (5/10):Deserved an assist for the arrowed ball across the box that Garnacho made a mess of. That was his best moment in a pretty average display.Cole Palmer (7/10):Clearly he's nowhere near match fit and was pretty anonymous before he settled the home punter's nerves with a typically assured penalty.Alejandro Garnacho (3/10):Slipped over when racing into the box in the first half and it summed up his day. Shot horribly wide when presented with essentially an open goal and was hooked before the hour mark. Poor.Joao Pedro (7/10):Rocketed in the opener that left Caoimhin Kelleher with no chance but was ineffective thereafter as Brentford poured forward in the second half. Taken off after 73 minutes.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingAndrey Santos (6/10):Added some steel in midfield as Brentford continued to look a threat in the second half.Wesley Fofana (7/10):Slotted in well alongside Chalobah after replacing the injured Tosin.Liam Delap (7/10):His crucial first involvement after replacing Joao Pedro saw him capitalise on Kelleher's loose touch to earn the penalty for 2-0.Jorrel Hato (N/A):Brought on for the last minutes of the game.Josh Acheampong (N/A):Replaced James for the final knockings.Liam Rosenior (6/10):Not the convincing performance he would've been hoping for but he got his first Premier League win against a difficult opponent all the same. Will need to work out how to get the best out of Palmer and Fernandez as it didn't really click here but he'll be pleased to get all three points to remain in the mix for a top-four finish.
Robert Sanchez (8/10)
The Spanish goalkeeper was instrumental in Chelsea's win, making a crucial save to deny Schade a goal and showcasing his resilience throughout the game.
Reece James (6/10)
James showed improvement defensively but struggled to make an impact going forward. Substituted late in the game.
Trevoh Chalobah (7/10)
Recovered well after an early test from Schade, providing solid defensive work in the face of Brentford's attacks.
Tosin Adarabioyo (6/10)
Adarabioyo handled the threat of Thiago effectively before being substituted due to injury in the second half.
Marc Cucurella (5/10)
Cucurella was involved in a physical battle but struggled to contribute offensively against Brentford's pressure.
Moises Caicedo (6/10)
Caicedo made a vital block and provided additional support in midfield to counter Brentford's attacking threat.
Enzo Fernandez (6/10)
Fernandez assisted Joao Pedro's goal but had limited impact beyond that moment in the match.
Pedro Neto (5/10)
Neto showed glimpses of creativity but was unable to influence the game significantly.
Cole Palmer (7/10)
Palmer, despite lacking match fitness, converted a crucial penalty to seal the win for Chelsea.
Alejandro Garnacho (3/10)
Garnacho had a difficult game, missing a clear chance and failing to make an impact before being substituted.
Joao Pedro (7/10)
Pedro scored a spectacular goal but was less involved as Brentford pushed for an equalizer in the second half.
Key Substitutions and Managerial Impact
Strategic substitutions brought in players like Fofana and Delap who played crucial roles in securing the victory for Chelsea under Rosenior's management.
Final Thoughts
Despite some shortcomings, Chelsea's win over Brentford under Liam Rosenior's guidance highlights the team's resilience and determination in the race for a top-four finish.
