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Chelsea<\/a> signed a striker from Brighton<\/a> for the second successive summer, bringing in Welbeck to reunite him with Joao Pedro and provide support in attack.<\/p>\n Welbeck, 35, was tidy in possession but, with little service, managed only 17 touches before being substituted in the 71st minute.<\/p>\n Unlike Joao Pedro, who is capable of creating chances for himself, Welbeck found it difficult to influence the game in the same way.<\/p>\n Joao Pedro came into the weekend with the most goal involvements in the Premier League, having scored three and provided three assists in four appearances this season.<\/p>\n His impact extends beyond goals and assists, with the Brazilian linking well with Palmer and Rogers. Against Brentford<\/a>, however, Rogers arguably produced his quietest performance since arriving from Aston Villa<\/a> in the summer.<\/p>\n Rogers eventually moved up front with fellow striker Emmanuel Emegha sidelined through injury and still waiting to make his Chelsea<\/a> debut.<\/p>\n Before Brentford<\/a>‘s opener, it was a closely contested match that appeared likely to be decided by the first goal. Chelsea<\/a>, however, made victory a certainty for the hosts with a dramatic collapse.<\/p>\n Alonso has not managed to cure Chelsea<\/a>‘s set-piece weaknesses. They have conceded 23 goals from set-pieces since the start of last season – no Premier League side has let in more. And Anthony’s simple header from a corner took this season’s total to five.<\/p>\n Set-piece defending was an area Chelsea<\/a> sought to address when they appointed Bernardo Cueva from Brentford<\/a> two years ago. This summer, he was replaced by another highly regarded specialist in Austin MacPhee.<\/p>\n Asked about Chelsea<\/a>‘s defending from set-pieces, stand-in captain Levi Colwill told Sky Sports: “Not good enough. At times we have been bullied in the box and we definitely need to improve.<\/p>\n “We have full trust in our set-piece coach and are still adjusting to new ideas, but we need to improve as a team.”<\/p>\n Like many of his predecessors, Alonso has been attempting to instil a stronger competitive edge within his squad and improve the mentality of his players.<\/p>\n That issue has often been linked to the relatively young age profile of the squad, but Chelsea<\/a> fielded their oldest starting XI since May 2023. Henderson, in making his debut on Friday, lined up alongside fellow over-30s Welbeck and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.<\/p>\n “I would say that we have dropped our consistency and our competitive mentality in the second half. We know that small details can be decisive,” Alonso said after Brentford<\/a> added two late goals.<\/p>\n It is also fair to say Alonso is still experimenting with systems and personnel, and has yet to settle on a style of play that gives his side control throughout a match.<\/p>\n “It’s not about looking for excuses,” the Spaniard told Sky Sports. “We need to look at each other and know that we have to work and improve because there is still a long way to go.”<\/p>\n After the initial excitement – and victories – provided by Alonso’s attacking football, Chelsea<\/a> head into the international break with serious questions to answer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n