Vertical Play and Midfield Traps
Brentford often attacked directly through the thirds with diagonal balls behind Chelsea’s fullbacks. An early example came from a sequence where a pass from Collins eventually found Lewis-Potter, who whipped a cross to the back post for Bryan Mbeumo. Mbeumo’s delivery reached Yoane Wissa in the box—this within minutes of kick-off.
In periods of middle-third possession, Brentford maintained a 4-2-4 shape in-possession against Chelsea’s 4-4-2 mid-block. Their pivots staggered, with one dropping deeper to assist progression.
Mikkel Damsgaard was crucial here, often peeling off the frontline and disrupting Chelsea’s pressing scheme. Chelsea were left in a dilemma—track Damsgaard and compromise their shape or let him roam free. Brentford’s fullbacks pinned Chelsea’s wingers, compromising Chelsea’s rest-defense structure, while the forwards manipulated width to disorient the backline.
In periods where Brentford had possession in the middle third, they'd form a 4-2-4 shape in-possession against Chelsea 4-4-2 mid-block.
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) April 10, 2025
The pivots took up staggered positions on the pitch with one dropping deeper to assist the central defenders to progress possession.
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