**Chelsea supporters are convinced that manager Xabi Alonso will guide the club to Champions League qualification this season.**
The Blues finished 10th in the Premier League last campaign and missed out on Europe entirely. However, when _Chelsea News_ polled nearly 500 fans and asked whether the club would return to the Champions League under Alonso, the response was emphatic:
Considering how the club has performed since Alonso’s appointment, the poll results are not at all surprising.
While they did drop their first points of the season against Arsenal last weekend, the performance at the Emirates was encouraging.
The Blues should be playing in the Champions League based on the club’s reputation and pedigree, but the lack of midweek games this season could benefit Alonso’s men.
Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United have 8 extra matches between now and January that the Blues will not have to play.
It means the London club will have more preparation between matches, and more recovery time in general, which should aid their chances of finishing higher up the table.
Is a title challenge on the cards?
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Some, including Alan Shearer, have named Chelsea as one of the main contenders for the Premier League title, but supporters won’t be getting too far ahead of themselves.
While the club have fixed a notable weakness in goal by recruiting Emi Martinez, the defence is still a cause for concern. 7 goals have been conceded in just three league fixtures.
We have assessed Chelsea’s five centre-back options in [**this article**](https://chelseanews.com/blog/chelsea-news-best-defensive-unit/) using stats and named what we believe is the best back three that Alonso can pick.
Other factors will also contribute to whether a title challenge is possible. Staying free of injuries is vital, while they may need Arsenal and City to slip up a few times too.