Photo by Steve Bardens - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Steve Bardens - AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea secured a third successive win under Xabi Alonso on Sunday as the Spaniard’s era continues to produce results at this early stage. But their passing is the worst it’s been for years.
Goals from Romeo Lavia, Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer saw Chelsea secure all three points, and six points from two games. In all competitions, Alonso now has three wins from three at Chelsea.
But it is a completely different style of football that Chelsea fans are used to, or might have expected. In pre-season, Alonso’s side dominated possession, but against Brighton, Chelsea played on the counter.
They finished the game with a mind-boggling 26% possession. Back in 2012, Chelsea boasted 28% of the ball across both legs against Barcelona, just to highlight how little of the ball Chelsea had on Sunday.
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Chelsea’s passing was the worst it’s been since 2004
Incredibly, Chelsea only completed 67.0% of their passes on Sunday. A lot of that was due to the Blues going long and trying to force a counterattack, and Emi Martinez opting to go long instead of short.
Remarkably, it was Chelsea’s worst display of passing in a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge – for whatever reason, or the tactics – since a 1-0 win over Charlton in 03-04. Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink scored.
Chelsea v Luton Town - Carabao Cup Second Round
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Some might say that Chelsea need to pass the ball better, and of course, every side can improve. But this was a clear ploy from Alonso: get the ball forward as quickly as possible and defend without the ball.
Clearly, it worked. Chelsea sat back, invited the pressure, and pounced with their impeccable front three. Only 26% of possession was required for Chelsea to score four goals and beat a top side like Brighton.
Alonso ends dismal four-game streak against Brighton
Despite constantly signing Brighton’s best players – Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro just to name two – Chelsea have really struggled against Brighton in recent seasons. That ended in London on Sunday.
The previous four matches against Brighton have ended in defeat. That includes Liam Rosenior’s final game in charge at The Amex last season, which saw a half-hearted Chelsea lose 3-0 to the Seagulls.
It includes a 3-1 home defeat back in September 2025 under Enzo Maresca and a 3-0 battering in February 2025, as well as a 2-1 FA Cup loss a week before that. Alonso is improving this Chelsea side.
Maresca might have beaten Brighton in his first of four games against the Seagulls, but he lost the next three. Alonso has ended that run of games, masterminding a brilliant win as Chelsea drive on.