Frank: Bees should have beaten Chelsea

Brentford boss Thomas Frank insisted his team should have beaten Chelsea after the European champions clung on at the Community Stadium.

A Ben Chilwell goal was enough for Chelsea to take the points in the first league meeting between the two clubs for 74 years.

Bryan Mbeumo hit the post twice and Brentford laid siege to the Blues goal in the latter stages, only to find visiting keeper Edouard Mendy in superb form.

“Throughout the game we allowed Chelsea to have five shots,” said Frank. “It is crazy, unheard of when you’re playing the number one in the Premier League.

“They dominated the ball in the first 60 but we needed to do better to prevent a fine goal by Ben Chilwell. We put massive pressure on Chelsea and there could have only been one winner in the game and that was us.

“When you look at the stats and chances we had. Nine out of ten times we would have won that.

“He (Mendy) was the reason we didn’t win. He was absolutely world class and was crazy good for Chelsea.

“It was a little bit annoying he was so good. If you’re going to win anything you need a top keeper and we couldn’t get past Mendy. He’s a very good keeper.”

Brentford have beaten Arsenal and drawn with Liverpool at home – and Frank feels as confident as ever for future challenges this season.

He added: “It was us playing Chelsea, the European champions. It is so painful not to win and especially to lose. We performed so well against a very good team and that gives me something to hold on to.

“It makes me and the players think we can go toe-to-toe with anyone.”

Meanwhile, Frank said Yoane Wissa, who missed the game, will be sidelined for at least a fortnight.

He explained: “Yoane got a knock in training on Monday. He had a knock to the ankle and hopefully he will only be out for two weeks.”