Chelsea Start Alonso Era With 3-2 Thriller
Chelsea began the Xabi Alonso era in dramatic fashion, defeating Fulham 3-2 in an entertaining Premier League clash at Craven Cottage.
The victory gave Alonso three important points in his first competitive match as Chelsea manager, but the performance also exposed some defensive weaknesses that the new boss will need to address.
Chelsea’s attacking players, however, provided plenty of reasons for supporters to be excited.
Joao Pedro strikes after just 31 seconds
Chelsea could hardly have asked for a better start.
Joao Pedro opened the scoring after just 31 seconds, immediately putting Fulham under pressure and giving Alonso the perfect beginning to his Premier League reign.
The Brazilian’s confidence has been growing throughout pre-season, and his early goal continued an impressive run of form.
Cole Palmer continues to shine
Cole Palmer was again at the centre of Chelsea’s attacking play.
The England international scored Chelsea’s second goal and was involved in several dangerous attacking moves.
Palmer’s creativity and ability to find space between defenders could become one of the biggest weapons in Alonso’s system.
Morgan Rogers scores on debut
Morgan Rogers also made an immediate impact.
The £117 million signing from Aston Villa scored on his competitive Chelsea debut, adding another exciting attacking option to Alonso’s squad.
Rogers’ ability to carry the ball and attack defenders gives Chelsea another dimension in the final third.
Chelsea’s defence remains a concern
Despite scoring three goals, Chelsea did not have everything under control.
Fulham managed to score twice and created opportunities to equalise late in the match.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez also endured a difficult evening, making the defensive side of Chelsea’s performance one of the major talking points.
Alonso has plenty to build on
The most important thing for Chelsea was securing the victory.
Alonso now has a foundation on which to build his new project.
The attacking combination of Joao Pedro, Palmer and Rogers already looks dangerous, but Chelsea must improve their defensive organisation if they want to challenge the Premier League’s strongest teams.