Chelsea had, however, launched the Xabi Alonso era perfectly, with two victories in the first two days of the Premier League and a game which quickly aroused a lot of enthusiasm. But a few weeks later, the momentum seriously stalled. Beaten by Arsenal (2-1), held by Hull City (2-2), then heavily dominated by Brentford (3-0), the Blues now occupy 10th place with 7 points, after having conceded 12 goals in five days, or 2.4 goals per match. The problem is all the more worrying as Chelsea also conceded three goals to Leeds in the League Cup and their 3-4-2-1 system is currently struggling to offer sufficient defensive guarantees. Alonso himself admitted this after Brentford: “We lost consistency as the match went on, in the competitive mentality, which was necessary in the second half. » The Spaniard also insisted on the corrections to be made: “It’s a set of things to review. You have to work on the mentality, the game, the tactics. We must continue to progress. »
However, it would be premature to speak of a deep crisis at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea remains a project under construction and still has impressive offensive arguments. Cole Palmer, who did not participate in the international break, regained his effectiveness with four goals and three assists, while Morgan Rogers quickly established himself with three goals and four assists. João Pedro is also one of the great satisfactions of the start of the season with six goals and four assists in five starts, even if his presence against Bournemouth remains very uncertain. The return of a fresh Palmer can therefore be valuable, while Estevão, also decisive with Brazil during the break, represents an interesting alternative. But Chelsea must now find a better balance between this offensive force and a worrying defense: Maxence Lacroix has made an encouraging debut individually, but the collective concedes far too many chances and goals. Alonso was already asking for time after the first five days: “It’s a process. We only played five games in a very competitive Premier League. (…) We need time. »
Xabi Alonso’s system too offensive?
The calendar will precisely allow us to measure Chelsea’s ability to react. The Blues will host Bournemouth this Saturday, before traveling to Everton then welcoming Tottenham and Manchester United in the league. Meanwhile, Liverpool will also stand in their way in the League Cup. In other words, this meeting against Bournemouth already constitutes an important meeting to restart the machine. Chelsea cannot afford to let more points go if they really want to get back into the race for European places and, ultimately, get closer to the teams capable of competing for the title. The season is still long, but after a 10th place last season and the absence of the European Cup, expectations are inevitably high.
One of the keys will also be Xabi Alonso’s ability to evolve his animation. His 3-4-2-1 uses three central defenders, two pistons and a very mobile offensive line, with Malo Gusto able to come inside and Pedro Neto used in a role that does not correspond to that of a natural full-back. On the left, the competition between ChavarrĂa, Palestra and the other solutions is not yet completely resolved. This system can offer a lot of offensive possibilities, but it also exposes Chelsea when the block loses control. Against Brentford, the Blues once again paid for their lack of consistency, and Levi Colwill himself recognized that the team still had to adapt to the new demands, particularly on set pieces.
Chelsea must react
This fragility is all the more surprising given that Chelsea have invested considerably to support Alonso’s arrival. More than 400 million euros were spent during the transfer window, with Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Dibu Martinez, Palestra and several other reinforcements intended to strengthen a squad which must be able to aim much higher. But the arrival of new recruits also leads to delicate situations, like EstevĂŁo, who had already been announced as worried about his low playing time under Alonso. The Brazilian, however, took advantage of the break to show his qualities with his selection, which can give the Spanish technician an additional solution at a time when JoĂŁo Pedro could miss the meeting against Bournemouth.
Chelsea must now find the right combination, without calling into question their entire project at the first downturn. Because we must above all remain measured: Chelsea are not the only team to have doubts. Manchester United are also going through a complicated period, Aston Villa is very low and Tottenham is currently bringing up the rear, proof that the Premier League remains particularly unpredictable. But with the ambitions displayed by the Blues and the resources made available to Alonso, 10th place cannot become a sustainable situation.
