Chelsea hero Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has played down the club’s title hopes (Picture: talkSPORT) Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says Chelsea are still some way from the ‘finished article’ and lack the quality to win the Premier League title this season. Both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior came and went as the Blues endured a turbulent campaign last term, culminating in a desperately disappointing tenth-placed finish. But there is a renewed sense of optimism amongst the fanbase following Xabi Alonso’s appointment as manager and a summer of big spending – and a change of transfer policy – points to a club desperate to get back on top. There were plenty of reasons to be cheerful on the basis on Chelsea’s opening-day 3-2 victory over Fulham, with Alonso’s attacking trio of Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer all getting on the scoresheet. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. The west London giants will look to pick up where they left off against Luton in the second round of the Carabao Cup on Thursday night before they return to top-flight action at home to Brighton. However, questions remain over Chelsea’s defensive unit and goalkeeper at this embryonic stage of the 2026/27 season, with an under-fire Robert Sanchez largely at fault for both of Fulham’s goals at Craven Cottage. ‘The three points were important and there were moments when Chelsea were magnificent and played really well,’ ex-Chelsea striker Hasselbaink said of the performance on talkSPORT. Rogers scored on his official Chelsea debut against Fulham (Picture: Reuters) Palmer looked back to his best at Craven Cottage (Picture: Getty) ‘But there were also moments where you thought, “Oh!”, and that you need to get out and you need to get it out ASAP. ‘If Chelsea can have a lot of clean sheets in their games then they will have a chance.’ On Sanchez’s shaky showing, Hasselbaink continued: ‘Would I change him? He has had brilliant matches… brilliant, brilliant, brilliant matches. ‘The PSG match [in the Club World Cup] and some other ones, but he has has also had some moments where it’s not been that great. {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso addresses Enzo Fernandez's Chelsea future","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/26\/9078086708333425705\/480x270_MP4_9078086708333425705.mp4","description":"Chelsea boss Alonso expects Enzo Fernandez to be involved in his side's Carabao Cup tie against Luton Town on Thursday.","duration":"T4M30S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/26\/16\/110865713-0-image-a-7_1787756689839.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-26T16:03:20+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); ‘Consistency… the best goalkeepers are consistent , they’re consistent, consistent, consistent. ‘He needs to find consistency. Will he be able to get that? I don’t know but he needs to find consistency. ‘That goal that went in, the first goal from Fulham, he would be the first one to say that’s not good enough.’ Sanchez gifted Fulham their two goals on Monday night (Picture: Getty) Reports today claim the Blues have opened talks to strike a late deal for Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez before next Tuesday’s transfer