Edouard Mendy Masterclass Saves Gives Chelsea Victory At Brentford

As Edouard Mendy produced the latest in his series of quite remarkable saves, Thomas Frank turned to the home crowd, stretched out his arms and widened his eyes in disbelief. The Brentford head coach was expressing the same emotions that his supporters were feeling: incredulity at how the ball had not entered the Chelsea net, how they had not found a way to beat the brilliant Mendy.

“It was hell on earth,” was Ben Chilwell’s description of the Brentford siege, which neatly summarised the pain that Chelsea were forced to endure here. In the final moments of the game it was relentless for their defenders, as if the heavens had opened and it had started to rain footballs on their heads.

They could not get out, they could not clear and for a while it looked as if they could hardly even breathe. It was difficult to recal Thomas Tuchel’s side ever appearing more rattled or out of control a Brentford attacked with everything they had, over and over again, in pursuit of an equaliser they emphatically deserved.

If it were not for Mendy’s individual excellence, Brentford might well have claimed another three points in this wonderfully watchable Premier League journey they are taking. Instead, they somehow left with none. Mendy used his legs, his chest, his arms and even his face to keep Frank’s side at bay, and to keep Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table.

“We were very strong for 70 minutes and very lucky for 20 minutes,” said Tuchel, whose players have conceded only three goals in eight league matches. “We escaped with the three points thanks to Edouard. It was like a cup game at the end.”

There are days in a goalkeeper’s life when the posts must seem miniscule and they must feel like giants. No matter how much power Brentford put into their shots, or how creatively they forged their chances, Mendy absorbed it all. Ivan Toney, Saman Ghoddos, Pontus Jansson and Christian Norgaard all brought the very best out of the Senegal international, who fell to the ground in triumph when the whistle finally brought an end to Chelsea’s suffering.

“In the last 20 minutes we truly dominated the European champions,” said Frank. “Throughout the game we only allowed them to have five shots. That is crazy. That is unheard of. There should be only one winner in that game, and that is us. Mendy was absolutely world class.”

It was a measure of Mendy’s performance that he snatched the headlines away from Chilwell, whose resurgence continued here with another goal. That makes three in three consecutive matches for the left wing-back, who not so long ago was the forgotten man of both his club and his country.

Unused by England in the summer and then sidelined by Chelsea, there must have been moments in recent months when Chilwell questioned his own worth and perhaps even doubted his own ability. There is only one thing a footballer can do in such situations, and that is to seize his opportunity when it finally arrives. Chilwell has done so to great effect, and his winning strike here was another reminder of his class.

The best that can be said of his goal was that it would even have beaten Mendy. Latching onto a bouncing ball which had only been half-cleared, the 24-year-old turned side-on and lashed his finish high into the top corner. “You have your ups and downs,” Chilwell said. “The important thing is to train hard and, when you get your chance, take it.”

Before this meeting, their first in the league with Chelsea since 1947, Brentford had trailed for just 25 minutes of the campaign, the lowest total in the division. Frank’s side do not give much away and, as they showed in their thrilling draw with Liverpool last month, they do not give up either.

Even when Chelsea took the lead through Chilwell, having almost scored through Mateo Kovacic and Timo Werner a few minutes earlier, there was always threat at the other end. Bryan Mbeumo had the best of the chances until the late bombardment, striking Mendy’s post in both halves when he perhaps should have been more clinical.

Chilwell’s opener did not immediately change the dynamic, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek continuing to control the midfield in impressive fashion for the visitors, but Brentford soon tightened their grip. Corners, free-kicks and throw-ins were launched towards the box, creating havoc for Chelsea’s defenders.