BRENTFORD, England -- Time will tell whether this was the sort of fortuitous win carved out by Premier League champions or a result to mask their shortcomings, but Chelsea's defensive record continues to be the foundation of Thomas Tuchel's success. Brentford defied their newly-promoted status to dominate the second half of Saturday's encounter and were desperately unlucky to lose 1-0 on a night when they registered seven shots on target and shook the European champions in a manner rarely witnessed under Tuchel.
While other players on the team let Chelsea down -- chiefly another off night for Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku -- goalkeeper Edouard Mendy proved the match-winner with a series of fine saves amid the bedlam Brentford created through a chaotic finale.