With Chelsea, Brentford, and Fulham battling away in mid-table in the Premier League, West London is an exciting place to watch top-flight action right now. Not many points are separating the trio, but who will win the West London battle this season?
Chelsea’s Fall From Grace
Just a few years ago, Chelsea were miles ahead of both Fulham and Brentford. The Blues were regular title contenders, last lifting England’s grand prize at the end of the 2016-17 season.
The same year, Fulham finished sixth in the EFL Championship, while Brentford took tenth place in the second tier. Neither of those clubs could dream of being Chelsea’s equals just five or six years later.
The Blues have splashed the cash but gone backwards on the pitch. Chelsea finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table for the first time since 1996 last term, and new manager Mauricio Pochettino has had a mixed time at Stamford Bridge so far.
To make matters worse, Chelsea finished below Brentford and Fulham last season. The Bees enjoyed a great second year in the Premier League, securing a ninth-place finish under the popular Thomas Frank. As for the Cottagers, they took tenth in their first year back in the big time following promotion.
Can the Blues Get Back on Top?
Despite the struggles last season, there was plenty of optimism in the air at Stamford Bridge at the start of this campaign. Pochettino is regarded as one of the best head coaches in the world, and Chelsea have an incredibly talented squad of players.
However, as we enter the busy Christmas period in England’s top tier, Chelsea languish in mid-table once again. It has been a difficult start to life at the Bridge for the former Tottenham Hotspur boss. Looking at the best betting odds, Chelsea are priced at 9/4 for a top-six finish this term, though the battle for Europe looks tougher than ever.
The Blues have had mixed results against their rivals this season. Back in October, Brentford picked up an impressive win at Chelsea, with second-half goals from Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbeumo giving Frank’s Bees a deserved 2-0 victory.
A few weeks earlier, however, Chelsea did manage to get the better of Fulham at Craven Cottage. It was a much-needed victory for Pochettino’s troops, who scored twice in two minutes to take the game away from the hosts.
As for the Fulham vs Brentford affair at the Cottage, the away team ran out easy 3-0 winners at the start of the season. Helped by Tim Ream’s red card, Mbeumo’s double and a Yoane Wissa strike gave the Bees a comfortable 3-0 win.
Things Will be Tight
Fulham made a slow start to the 2023-24 season but have picked up of late. In December, Marco Silva’s men claimed back-to-back 5-0 home wins against Nottingham Forest and West Ham United.
As for Brentford, they are also ticking along nicely. Frank’s Bees have managed to remain relatively consistent, although they could do with a few wins over the festive period.
The skipper on Sunday 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/LrlYV6voQQ
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) December 18, 2023
Chelsea have shown glimpses of class throughout the first half of the season, yet we have also seen their softer side on too many occasions. The three capital clubs are hard to split right now, and the battle for West London supremacy could go to the wire this term.
