Mauricio Pochettino on who is to blame for Chelsea defeat to Brentford

Mauricio Pochettino has insisted that Chelsea have to 'blame ourselves' after their disappointing defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues, following a poor start to the season, had been buoyed by a 2-2 draw with Premier League title challengers Arsenal last week heading into their Saturday lunchtime clash with Brentford. However, despite having 69% possession and 17 shots on goal, Chelsea would ultimately lose 2-0 to Brentford thanks to second half goals from Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbeumo.

While Chelsea did manage 17 efforts on goal, only two of these efforts actually tested Mark Flekken in the Brentford goal, and speaking to the club's website after the defeat manager Pochettino lamented his side's struggles to convert chances:

"The analysis is clear because in the first half we should score and we didn’t score. That's easy. When you dominate and create chances, don't concede chances, and the opponent does cross the halfway line, you should score.

"If you don't score, you need blame yourself. So we blame ourselves because we were not nasty and clinical in front of the goal. Sometimes you need some luck too and if that happens, it changes the game in the second half.

"We kept the belief even though we didn't score but in the second half we can't concede this type of goal. It is our mistake and that is why we lose the game."

Chelsea have managed to score a measly 13 goals in 10 Premier League games this season thus far under Pochettino, with seven of those coming against basement dwellers Burnley and Luton Town.

In trying to decipher why his team have struggled so much in the final third, Pochettino lamented his team's inability to break down a deep low block:

"We have played Liverpool and Arsenal this season and the team did really well. When you see this type of game like today, or Nottingham Forest, we dominate but can't score goals when the block is so, so deep.

"There are many bodies inside the box and we struggle to score. But in different games, when we have played Arsenal or Liverpool, the team did really well. That is why we are not worried."

The Blues now face two tricky games in the Premier League prior to the international break as they face off against league leaders Tottenham Hotspur and last season's treble winners Manchester City before the international break.

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