**Xabi Alonso says Chelsea’s game management must improve after his first public match as head coach ended in a 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers.**
Chelsea fell behind three times during an open pre-season contest at Accor Stadium. Joao Pedro eventually secured the win with a nine-minute hat-trick after coming off the bench.
The result gave Alonso several attacking positives. However, Chelsea struggled to play through pressure and conceded possession in dangerous areas throughout the match.
“I think that this friendly is going to be useful for the future,” Alonso told [Chelsea’s official website](https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/xabi-alonso-useful-pre-season-western-sydney-wanderers-romeo-lavia).
“There were moments in the game that we were struggling to find solutions. The positive is that we corrected them, but these moments of game management are something we can learn from today.”
Alonso said Western Sydney’s high press caused particular problems. Chelsea found it difficult to recognise when they needed to change their approach and use a different route forward.
The Blues started with a young side featuring Reggie Watson, Dastan Satpaev and Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. Alonso introduced nine senior players after the hour mark, including Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill.
Those substitutions changed the contest. Jamie Gittens scored Chelsea’s third before Joao Pedro completed the comeback with three late goals.
However, [ReadChelsea’s match report](https://readchelsea.com/2026/07/28/chelsea-6-4-western-sydney-wanderers-joao-pedro-scores-hat-trick/) also highlighted repeated defensive mistakes and possession losses. Western Sydney scored four times despite creating relatively few sustained periods of pressure.
Alonso accepted that such problems are likely during the early stages of his work. He wants Chelsea to recognise situations more quickly and find solutions without requiring instructions from the touchline.
Chelsea next face Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney on Saturday. Alonso will expect greater control against Premier League opposition, although the attacking impact of his senior players offered encouragement.