The only positive from Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brentford, Xabi Alonso praises his ‘energy’

It is the worst result of Alonso’s tenure by some considerable distance, and it sees Chelsea go three games without a Premier League win. It is 21 Premier League games since Chelsea kept a clean sheet.

Emi Martinez has now conceded 10 goals in four games, and the Blues defence is lacking ideas. But there was one positive from Friday’s hammering in West London, and it was a debut for Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli.

Xabi Alonso explains reason behind Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli debut

There were four full Premier League debuts for Chelsea as well as three debuts. Jordan Henderson met both criteria, while Danny Welbeck, Pep Chavarria and Valentin Barco started for the first time.

Chelsea’s player ratings after that disastrous performance… do you agree with us?

Who deserves higher and who deserves even lower? 😳

Nicoll-Jazuli, 16, came on for Chelsea after Geovany Quenda also got his Blues debut, after a brilliant pre-season for the Australian-born teen. After the match, Alonso explained his decision to bring him on.

“We brought Mahdi because he has great energy and in the middle we were short on numbers,” Alonso said after watching his side lose 3-0, with Moises Caicedo and Reece James both missing through injury.

Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli becomes Chelsea’s fifth-youngest player ever

At 16 years, eight months and 12 days, Nicoll-Jazuli made history on Friday night. He became the fifth-youngest player to play in a competitive fixture for Chelsea, but who made their debuts at a younger age?

Nicoll-Jazuli is not even the youngest player to play for Chelsea this season. Reggie Watson is the club’s fourth-youngest player after starting against Leeds in the Carabao Cup. Reggie Walsh is in third place.

The Wigan loanee made his debut in the Conference League semi-finals under Enzo Maresca. Below the trio are Kingsley Whiffen and Ian Hamilton, who both made their Chelsea debuts way back in 1967.

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