Chelsea’s start under Xabi Alonso has been as exhilarating as it has been chaotic, but Sunday’s meeting with Arsenal will provide a much clearer indication of whether their counter-attacking approach can support a genuine Premier League title challenge.
Chelsea are one of only four teams to have won both of their opening league matches. Their victories against Fulham and Brighton produced seven goals, although they also conceded five, and the Blues have often been without the majority of possession.
That has created a debate over whether Alonso’s tactical adjustments are a deliberate strategy or a temporary response to the players available to him.
Chelsea spent £340m on 13 players during the transfer window, the second-highest outlay by any club, as overall Premier League spending climbed above £3.4bn before Deadline Day closed. Their squad appears more balanced than at any point during the Todd Boehly era, with the club placing greater emphasis on experience rather than raw potential.
That recruitment has required a stylistic change. Alonso’s team have been exceptionally efficient when they have had the ball, scoring seven times in two games – a joint league-high – with five of those goals coming during the first half. Chelsea’s front three have been particularly effective at setting the pace early in matches.
However, the amount of possession they have surrendered is striking. Brighton held 75% of the ball, leaving Chelsea with only 25% – the club’s lowest share in a Premier League match since records began. Against Fulham, Chelsea had no more than 38%.
Jamie Carragher described that approach on Monday Night Football as something rarely seen from the league’s biggest teams.
Alonso, though, insists possession statistics are not central to his thinking. “The data is not important,” he said after the win against Brighton. “I don’t say ‘today we need to have 60 per cent or 20 per cent’. I never talk about those things.”
Chelsea’s approach has been helped by the fact they took the lead unusually early in both matches. Once ahead, the emphasis naturally moved towards protecting the advantage rather than controlling the game through long spells of possession.
Their midfield options may also explain the change. Enzo Fernandez has left the club and Moises Caicedo is managing an injury, leaving Alonso short of players best suited to keeping the ball.
Romeo Lavia has operated as the central pivot, with Reece James supporting him. Cole Palmer has also been asked to move deeper, although he is unlikely to cover the ground or provide the control of a natural central midfielder. His greatest value remains in the final third, where he has already registered three goal contributions.
That makes Chelsea’s preference for a more direct game understandable. Against Brighton’s high press, goalkeeper Emi Martinez played 97% of his passes forward, apparently following clear instructions from Alonso. That allowed Chelsea to make use of the speed and vertical movement of their impressive front three.
The question is whether the formula can last. Since Opta records began, only two teams have finished in the top four after averaging less than 50% possession: Everton in 2004/05 and Leicester in 2015/16. The Premier League has changed significantly since then, making Chelsea’s current numbers a considerable risk against opponents capable of exploiting the space and initiative they concede.
Chelsea’s failure to sign several late-window targets, particularly Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, may also leave Alonso one midfielder short of fully developing his preferred style. Yet the absence of European football gives him time to work on the team during the week, while his players should benefit from a lighter schedule and greater recovery time.
Arsenal, Chelsea’s next opponents on Sunday, will offer a much stronger examination. The champions are expected to provide a more reliable measure of Chelsea’s credentials under Alonso than either Fulham or Brighton.
If Chelsea establish a lead at any stage, they will need to show greater control and intelligence in managing it. Their style is likely to evolve, but the extent of that change will be important. There has already been plenty to admire in Alonso’s team, although significant work remains.
Arsenal v Chelsea will be shown live on Sky Sports Main Event on Sunday, with kick-off at 16:30 BST.
