Chelsea vs Brentford: 5 things to look out for

4. Pedro Neto Replacement

Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho are the primary candidates to replace Pedro Neto on the right wing who will be suspended after accumulating five yellow cards. If Sancho retains his position on the left, Madueke is expected to take over on the right. However, Brentford differs from Tottenham in their tactical approach. If Maresca opts to tweak the system, starting João Félix or Christopher Nkunku, Sancho may move to the right while one of Félix or Nkunku takes up the left-wing role. There are various tactical scenarios Maresca will need to consider before finalizing his attacking setup.

5. Defense

Chelsea are in the bottom half of the table for xGA, which highlights their defensive struggles among the worst in the league. Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez continues to be error-prone, often putting his teammates in danger or directly contributing to opposition goals. Against Tottenham last week, much of the focus was on the costly slips from Marc Cucurella. Poor positioning and ill-timed dive from Sanchez also played a significant role in Dominic Solanke opening the scoring. What went unnoticed, however, was how easily Solanke managed to outmuscle Levi Colwill to attack the ball. Against Leicester, Chelsea conceded a penalty that was not overturned due to the England international failing to move in sync with his defensive line, leading to an ineffective offside trap.

Unlike Sanchez, who has struggled with poor form, Colwill remains a player with immense potential and hope. However, it is high time he eliminates these costly errors, sharpens his game, and fulfills the expectations of becoming the top defender Chelsea fans believe he can be.