Alonso: Chelsea must find defensive balance soon

Xabi Alonso has acknowledged Chelsea's defensive frailties while insisting the team will find the right balance between attack and defence, with Friday's trip to Brentford providing the next test.

Chelsea have scored 18 goals in six games across all competitions under Alonso, but their defensive record proved costly last week when Hull City came from behind to earn a draw at Stamford Bridge, dropping the Blues two points.

"It's obvious that in defence we can do better," Alonso said. "In attack, we are doing well, but we need to find the right balance between the defence and the attack to not concede that many goals."

The Chelsea manager was confident the situation would improve with time. "It's for sure clear and I'm sure that we will do it. Everything takes time. We have had circumstances that haven't allowed us to create the stability that we want, but once we get it, I think that we will be more solid."

Alonso was clear that defensive responsibility extends beyond the back line. "The defence is all the team. It's not just the back four or the back five, it's about the team. It's how we compete, how we adapt to different moments."

He stressed the importance of maintaining a consistent mentality regardless of the game situation. "When we take the lead or when the game is even, we need to have the same mentality to be competing in different moments. We know that in the Premier League it is very difficult to control the whole game."

Alonso described Friday's Brentford fixture as a high-stakes outing. "It's an important one because it's before the international break, because it's in the Premier League, because it's away against Brentford who are tough. So we will have to play a high-demand game."