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Marc Cucurella will do anything to win the ball, anything to win the game even, and he did it through fair means and foul here at Stamford Bridge against Brentford. He was man of the match and sent off. He was goalscorer and goal preventer. When you have players as committed to defeating the opposition as Cucurella then Chelsea must be considered in the Premier League title race, especially as their A-team benefits from being rested in Europe. “We’ve got our Chelsea back, ” Chelsea fans chanted as Liverpool and Arsenal supporters watched from afar. It’s still early days but they certainly have some of that old winning mentality back. Only the rash would compare them to fine Chelsea sides of old but there was a togetherness that echoed some of the more successful sides at the Bridge. There was a will to win that defined those sides, and was embodied by Cucurella, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill. Supporters here have been singing about getting their Chelsea back for a couple of weeks but their chorus carried more intensity and belief. Cucurella could win awards for most effective, most determined, most athletic and most annoying player of the weekend. His heat map resembled a line of fire along the left. The 26-year-old was everywhere up and down that flank, racing back and forth, even scoring Chelsea’s first. Three minutes from time, Cucurella even threw himself through the air to beat Bryan Mbeumo to the ball in central midfield. He also did everything to run down the clock during the seven added minutes. He fouled Fabio Carvalho to prevent an attack and eat up a few seconds. He made two vital clearances and then very deliberately and cynically stayed down after an innocuous challenge by Sepp van den Berg. As 3, 000 Brentford fans booed, the moody Blue climbed to his feet, bravely recovered, and saw out the final few seconds. His celebrations were understandably pretty wild at the final whistle, but then childish as he argued with Schade, and received a second yellow. He’s now suspended for Everton away. They will miss him. His mentality, however graceless at times, is why Chelsea have to be considered contenders for the title, even if everyone here says publicly they are still evolving, and to give them another season before being deemed genuine candidates. Nonsense. If Arsenal are rightly considered still in the frame, then so must Chelsea be, and Chelsea have a centre-forward. Nicolas Jackson and company are four points clear of Arsenal and only two points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Chelsea have quality in reserve, and are able to bring on the prolific Christopher Nkunku for Jackson. Pedro Neto was suspended but Noni Madueke stepped up and, following a slow start, was an influence. There is a returning buzz about the Bridge. Chelsea fans are loving the maturity and menace of their football. Chelsea were patient in breaking down Brentford, who were 5-4-1 out of possession, occasionally a back-six with Christian Norgaard dropping into the back-line. Chelsea stayed calm, and looked to stretch the visitors. Enzo Maresca’s wingers, Jadon Sancho and slowly Madueke, provided some of the width but it was really his full-backs who caused Brentford most problems. Maresca’s tactics place huge demands on his full-backs, defending and attacking. Immediately, they pushed up, the right-sided Malo Gusto delivering a cross that Jackson headed wide with Cucurella closeby hunting scraps. All the talk was of the two leading scorers in the Premier League perhaps sharing a goalfest but the defences impressed. Ethan Pinnock again excelled for Brentford, who held out well for 42 minutes. But here was another reason why there should be confidence at the Bridge for sustained involvement in the title race. Colwill continued to confirm what an important and improving centre-back he is for Chelsea. He read danger, calmly stepping in front of Mbuemo to intercept, and throwing himself into a block to deny Mikkel Damsgaard. Tosin Adarabioyo saw off a ground attack from Yoane Wissa, then leapt to deal with a Pinnock long throw special. Chelsea deserved the lead, created by Madueke’s cross from the right and finished by Cucurella, who simply wanted to reach the ball more than Mads Roerslev. And then it was back to Chelsea’s defence catching the eye. Robert Sanchez has been seen as a weak link but he commanded his area well here, catching Mbuemo’s free-kick. He varied his distribution well, confusing Brentford. He drilled a long ball down the middle to Jackson, then played the next one short to Cucurella, earning a thumbs up from Maresca. Sanchez tipped over Damsgaard’s volley and was then relieved when Carvalho’s effort hit the bar. Chelsea played rope-a-dope, absorbing Brentford’s combinations, then hitting on the counter. Jackson raced 60 yards down the inside-right channel, ignoring the option of Cole Palmer on the left, before sliding the ball between Mark Flekken and his upright. There were a few nerves when Schade sent Mbeumo through and he neatly placed his finish low past Sanchez. But Cucurella simply closed the game down. © 2024 talk SPORT Limited

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