Columnist says Chelsea should blame set‑piece coach, not Alejandro Garnacho, after Brentford draw
Kieran Gill argues a systemic set‑piece failing and the club’s £1m appointment from Brentford were more to blame than the £40m summer signing after Fabio Carvalho’s late leveller
Chelsea's 1-1 draw at Brentford on Saturday sparked debate over responsibility for the late equaliser, with Daily Mail columnist Kieran Gill arguing that the club's recently recruited set‑piece coach — rather than new signing Alejandro Garnacho — bore the greater share of blame.
Garnacho, signed from Manchester United for about £40 million in the summer, was singled out on social media after Fabio Carvalho tapped in a long throw that levelled the game at the Gtech Community Stadium. Video of the moments before the goal shows Marc Cucurella gesturing angrily towards Garnacho as Brentford prepared the long throw, apparently instructing him to get into the box. Chelsea had hoped VAR would intervene for an offside, but the goal stood.
Gill wrote that while Garnacho "cannot shake some blame," the recurrence of problems from long throws and set pieces pointed to a coaching and organisational issue at Chelsea. The columnist noted that Bernardo Cueva, the Blues' set‑piece coach recruited from Brentford for around £1 million last summer, had a specialist remit and should have identified and rectified the vulnerability as the match unfolded.
Chelsea repeatedly failed to pick up runners at the back post as Brentford targeted the area with long throws throughout the match. Gill said the specific route of the leveller — Dango Ouattara's long throw and the ensuing tap‑in by Carvalho — had been rehearsed by Brentford and had produced similar danger earlier in the game.
Chelsea objected on the pitch to possible offside and to alleged interference, with set‑piece coach Bernardo Cueva seen arguing vehemently with the fourth official after the goal, but VAR did not overturn the on-field decision. Supporters and players were immediately divided over whether the lapse was an individual defensive error or a symptom of a larger tactical oversight.
The coaching angle has a direct link to Brentford: when Cueva left the Bees for Chelsea, Keith Andrews took on set‑piece duties at Brentford and later succeeded Thomas Frank as manager. Gill pointed out that Andrews had previously worked with Thomas Gronnemark, the throw‑in specialist who helped Brentford develop a reputation for dangerous long throws during the 2024‑25 season and remained a resource in 2025‑26.
Gill described Cueva as an animated presence on the Chelsea touchline, often observing matches on a device that gives multiple angles in real time and frequently shouting instructions from inside manager Enzo Maresca's technical area. That background, Gill wrote, made the failure to address a visible pattern of vulnerability more notable.
The incident also drew reaction from Manchester United supporters, with some mocking Garnacho on social media because of his recent club change. Gill suggested supporters should be careful not to judge the 21‑year‑old forward solely on a defensive lapse in his debut, arguing that Garnacho's primary role at Chelsea is to contribute in attack.
Chelsea face scrutiny over set‑piece organisation as the season progresses, and the club will likely review responsibilities and patterns exposed by Brentford's long‑throw approach. Gill's column framed the draw as an example of why coaching appointments and preparation deserve as much attention as individual errors.
While the match report confirms Garnacho was among those out of position at the deciding moment, the columnist and others who follow set pieces across the Premier League highlighted a broader trend: Brentford had continued to use long throws effectively after becoming one of the most dangerous teams from that source last season, and Chelsea's response during the game was insufficient.
Chelsea manager and coaching staff will face questions about preparation and in‑game management of set pieces, and supporters will weigh Garnacho's early defensive lapse against his expected attacking contributions. Gill recommended judging the new signing by his forward play rather than a single moment at the death that exposed a wider tactical weakness.