Chelsea · Spain · 44 yrs
Xabi Alonso’s side have scored seven and conceded five in two wins so far, a product of the squad’s constant churnSign up for our free newsletter hereTwo Premier League games played for Chelsea under Xabi Alonso: two wins and seven goals scored. It’s the sort of start that would delight many new managers – only two other clubs can boast about a six-point start this Premier League season (albeit with Arsenal to play later on Monday). Points gained in this odd transitional phase, when almost nobody seems quite ready, could prove extremely valuable come the end of the season. And yet, for all the attacking potency, there must also be concerns about Chelsea’s openness and the five goals conceded.Context must also be considered, and it projects both ways. It’s early in the season. There has been, as ever, a lot of change at Chelsea. They will get better; they will achieve greater coherence. But equally there has to be a sense of realism about the nature of the teams they’ve played. Brighton may have thrashed a shambolic Aston Villa 4-0 last weekend, but they were missing seven frontline players at Stamford Bridge and still put three past Chelsea on Sunday. And while Fulham looked very lively as Chelsea won 3-2 on the opening weekend, they couldn’t muster a shot on target against Sunderland on Sunday.This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here. Continue reading...
Xabi Alonso will be concerned by his side's struggles to keep possession and their vulnerability from set-pieces. Remarkably, Chelsea recorded 25.9% possession against Brighton, the lowest in a league match managed by Alonso across his spells at Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.
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