CHELSEA v Brentford: Preview

Date: Saturday seventeenth
January 2026

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Kick-off: 15:00 BST

After
a 5-1 win towards Charlton within the FA Cup final weekend, Liam Rosenior’s grasp
plan obtained a correct crash take a look at towards Arsenal midweek. You’d assume he’d saved
the heavy artillery for the Gunners, however no – apparently, the plan was to see
if our Lego abilities may save the day as an alternative. We had been at all times going to be up
towards it, however by some means, due to a little bit of plastic brick crew bonding, we
clawed issues again sufficient to make the scoreline look much less like against the law scene
and extra like possibly we’d simply sneak via the again door within the second
leg.

In the present day, we’re again at Stamford Bridge, the place the one factor extra fragile than our confidence is a Chelsea supervisor’s contract. Our current kind? Assume much less ‘kind desk’ and extra ‘Jenga tower after a number of pints’. One win in 9. Eighth within the league. Brentford breezing previous into fifth quicker than you may say “VAR test.” The Bees have received three on the trot, together with a relaxed FA Cup jaunt towards Sheffield Wednesday. Frankly, they’re buzzing and we’re swatting at skinny air. In truth, if they convey any extra sting immediately, we’ll have to begin handing out antihistamines.

Phrase is, our squad
choice midweek was all the way down to accidents, a thriller bug, and—await it—dodgy
hand-washing. Truthfully, with the supervisor fronting up the narrative for each the
membership docs and the Board, it’s a marvel he’s not additionally doing the PA
bulletins and serving pies at half-time.

Anticipate
one other lucky-dip line-up and one other bumpy trip for his Premier League initiation.

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into immediately’s sport, Liam Rosenior, says “[Keith Andrews] has completed an incredible job. I’m not stunned as a result of I’ve recognized Keith. I’ve had actually good conversations with him over the previous few years. He’s at all times been actually passionate concerning the sport. He’s obtained a number of expertise in teaching in numerous roles. And his crew are performing actually, very well. I’ve obtained relationship with him. He’s man. Yeah, actually not stunned at what he’s completed up to now with Brentford. He’s at membership the place they’ve a transparent concept about their infrastructure and what they wish to do. And analysing his crew, they’re in kind. It’ll be a tough problem for us, however one which we’re actually wanting ahead to.

I believe
what makes them harmful is their property in each section of the sport. All 11
gamers are prepared to defend. Once more, an excellent crew on set performs. Whether or not
that’s from lengthy throws, vast free kicks or corners. They’re a crew with no
ego. In essentially the most constructive instances, I can say that. They work actually arduous for every
different. They’re very effectively organised, as each crew within the Premier League is. So
we all know the problem. We all know we now have to be at a very, actually good degree on
Saturday. We’re going to arrange the sport, as we at all times do, in one of the best
attainable approach.

I’m not
centered on something that’s occurred up to now. I need us to be front-footed.
I need us to be high-tempo, particularly to start with of the sport, and take
the sport to the opposition, in order that they comprehend it’s a tough sport to come back to
Stamford Bridge. Really, I wish to play so we get the group on our aspect.
They’re all issues that we’ll speak about within the subsequent couple of days. However the
most necessary factor is that we do the fundamentals actually, very well. Once more, I
maintain going again to the fundamentals. Win duels, defence at play as effectively. That’s
one thing we now have to enhance. Even from final night time, all three targets. One’s from
a nook, one’s from a throw-in, one’s from a free-kick. We have to change on a
little bit extra in these moments, and if we do, with the expertise we now have and
with the gamers we now have and the crew, we now have likelihood of successful the
sport.”

Brentford
supervisor, Keith Andrews, in the meantime, says “We’re clearly content material with the place
we’re and the progress we’ve made. Happy with the journey we’ve taken the membership
on, the crew, the gamers. It’s been an immense effort. I believe there’s been a
actual humility round how we’ve gone about our enterprise. I like that rather a lot and I
simply assume we maintain striving actually, that will be the message. We’ve had good
discussions this week after the FA Cup sport. We wish to maintain pushing.

Liam [Rosenior]
is somebody I do know fairly effectively. Mutual buddies. I’m undecided we performed towards
one another too usually, however we spent a little bit of time collectively doing video games [as
pundits]. It was clear he was going to be good, coach. The journey he’s
been on, I preferred the truth that he took the Strasbourg job. I believed that was
courageous. I believed it was a step into the unknown to a level however, as a coach, I
preferred that step as a result of I don’t know many who weren’t stunned when Hull
relieved him of his duties. And to say he’s reacted effectively from that will be an
understatement, so delighted to see him be given the chance he’s been
given.

We’ll go
into it in a reasonably fearless approach and we wish to strategy the sport to win it. Equally,
we’re very, very respectful of them and the way they’ll play the sport and in
specific a number of the ranges they’ll hit individually. They’ve some prime
people that may actually harm you for those who don’t nullify them.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, Levi Colwill (ACL) remains to be on his prolonged vacation within the
therapy room, whereas Romeo Lavia has apparently been noticed operating on
grass—however solely as far as waving on the crew from a secure distance. Mykhailo
Mudryk? Suspended. Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens? Each out with the mysterious
Stamford Bridge Sniffles. Cole Palmer (groin), Reece James (hip) and Malo Gusto
are all sitting within the ‘possibly’ camp, relying on which approach the wind blows in
the medical division. However Moises Caicedo is again from his ban.

For Brentford, Josh Dasilva, Fabio
Carvalho and Antoni Milambo all stay out, while Jordan Henderson (ankle)
shall be assessed. Frank Onyeka stays away on the Africa Cup of Nations.

TEAMS

CHELSEA (Doable line-up): Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Peter

BRENTFORD (Doable line-up): Kelleher;
Kayode, Ajer, Collins, Henry; Yarmolyuk, Janelt; Ouattara, Jensen, Schade;
Thiago

LAST SEASON

Chelsea 2-1 Brentford
(15 December 2024)

CURRENT FORM (PL)

CHELSEA: WDLDDL

BRENTFORD: DWWDWW

OTHER STUFF

Chelsea
have received simply one in every of their final eight Premier League video games towards Brentford.Brentford have received 4 and misplaced 5 of 9 away
league video games towards Chelsea.Chelsea have solely received one in every of their final
9 Premier League gamesBrentford are unbeaten in every of their
final six Premier League gamesBrentford have misplaced 11 of their final 15
away London derbies within the Premier League

PREDICTION

Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-2 Brentford