Xabi Alonso Ties Miserable Manager Record After Chelsea’s Brentford Humbling

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has become just the sixth boss in Premier League history to concede at least two goals in each of his first five games in the competition.

Friday’s bruising 3–0 defeat to Brentford saw the optimism of the early weeks of Alonso’s tenure evaporate, with the forward line no longer able to atone for a defense that has been wobbly since day one.

The Blues have now shipped 12 goals in their five Premier League games, boasting the worst defensive record in the division heading into Saturday’s action.

Alonso now stands as one of just six managers to watch their sides concede at least twice in each of their first five matches.

Alonso Becomes Latest Member of Unwanted Club

Manager	Goals Conceded in First Five Games
Terry Connor	16
Sammy Lee	13
Scott Parker	13
Xabi Alonso	12
Slaviša Jokanović	12
Mick McCarthy	10

What Is Going Wrong for Alonso?

Xabi Alonso — Alonso is searching for a solution. | Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images

Before we dive deeper into Chelsea’s defensive woes, some context is needed.

Injuries have not been kind to Alonso, who has been without leading defensive midfielder Moisés Caicedo and what will likely be his starting right wing back in Marco Palestra through injury. Captain Reece James was also missing against Brentford.

That being said, those three influential figures would not have been enough to fix everything for Chelsea. Sure, their defensive record may not have been historically poor had they all been healthy, but they would not have papered over every crack.

One of the biggest concerns for Chelsea has, once again, been an inability to defend set pieces. Jaidon Anthony’s opening goal on Friday was the sixth time Chelsea have conceded from a dead-ball situation already this season. Unsurprisingly, that is another league-leading statistic.

Figuring out their structure from set pieces is crucial. Chelsea hired Austin MacPhee during the summer as a set-piece coach, but the sight of him screaming to the heavens in response to a number of comically disappointing efforts over the past few weeks tells you everything you need to know about how his work has been going thus far.

Set pieces have hardly been the only defensive concern, though. Chelsea’s transition to a back three—a formation traditionally used to stop hemorrhaging goals—still seems clunky and unnatural, leaving far too many gaps which have been easily exploited.

The Historic Problem Facing Chelsea

Levi Colwill — Chelsea’s defensive woes are by no means new. | Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

While Alonso’s defensive record has been disastrous, it must be noted that this is just a continuation of a worrying trend that has surfaced in 2026.

Since the start of the new calendar year, no team has conceded more goals in the Premier League than Chelsea’s 43. Alonso may have shipped 12 in five games, but Liam Rosenior and Calum McFarlane combined to concede 31 goals in 19 matches before the new boss arrived.

Most Goals Conceded in 2026

Team	Games Played*	Goals Conceded
Chelsea	24	43
Crystal Palace	24	42
Newcastle	23	39
Tottenham	24	39
Burnley	19	38

*As of Sept. 18, 2026

Clearly, this is not necessarily an Alonso problem, but rather an issue facing everybody at Chelsea.

Maxence Lacroix was signed from Crystal Palace to provide a much-needed boost to the back line, but many still believe Chelsea are crying out for more experience in defense—a John Terry or a Thiago Silva to truly sort things out.

Given the change in Chelsea’s recruitment, which saw 34-year-old goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, 35-year-old striker Danny Welbeck and 36-year-old midfielder Jordan Henderson signed this summer, it would come as no surprise to see the defense given its own veteran leader over the next two transfer windows.

In the meantime, Alonso must find a way to stop the leak. Whether it is abandoning a commitment to all-out attack, a change in personnel or a tactical tweak, something needs to change—and soon.

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