Chelsea players following their draw with Hull City
Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw with Hull City (Image: Patrick Khachfe)
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Xabi Alonso experimented with his Chelsea side on Saturday afternoon but it ended in frustration at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues manager opted with a four-at-the-back shape against Hull City's five-back formation, but the visitors were given far too much encouragement in west London.
While the newly-promoted Tigers have exceeded expectations in the opening four matches of the Premier League season, it was a match Chelsea, with all of the talent available to Alonso, should be winning. In truth, though, the Blues were fortunate not to lose against Hull.
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Too often in the capital, Hull were able to get in behind the hosts' midfield and were then able to run at a struggling Chelsea defence. Remarkably, the Tigers finished the match with more shots and a higher xG (14 compared to 12 and 1.38 vs 0.91, respectively) at the Bridge.
Both of Hull's goals were massively avoidable from the Blues' point of view but the equaliser was the one that changed the match completely.
The visitors' first goal came from two big mistakes from both of Chelsea's full-backs. Firstly, Ryan Giles beat Malo Gusto far too easily to the ball down Hull's left-hand side. The Tigers left-back barged Gusto, who had to be more aggressive and ultimately stronger, before aiming an ambitious, looping delivery into the Chelsea box.
After being barged to the side, Gusto needed to then prevent the cross coming in from Giles. Instead, the Hull defender was able to deliver a ball into the box, one that seemed pretty aimless, and it was then up for the Chelsea defence to deal with it.
That responsibility fell to Jorrel Hato, who allowed it to bounce before then misjudging the flight of the ball. Hato needed to either attack the ball on the volley or get himself in a position to deal with the bounce. Mohamed Belloumi did the rest once the ball went over Hato's head.
Jorrel Hato
Jorrel Hato was poor for Chelsea in their draw with Hull City(Image: Chris Lee - Chelsea FC)
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Speaking post-match, Alonso said: "We need to be aware that from any situation, any team in the Premier League can hurt you. Today it was from a long ball, two bounces, the way it happened.
"You need to be very aware, very ready that the danger can come from any situation. If you are soft or if you are not prepared, you will get punished and we have been punished that way."
Hato was dragged off at half-time with Alonso clearly fuming about how the equalising goal unfolded. It now begs a question over the Netherlands international's involvement in the Premier League fixture with Brentford later in the week.
Chelsea travel to the Bees on Friday night in the final game before the international break. Pep Chavarria is waiting in the wings for a first Premier League start.
Gusto's place in the side has also been called into question. The France international, who has featured for the west Londoners in the centre of midfield at times this season, was used at right-back on Saturday afternoon but failed to impress at the Bridge.
Malo Gusto
Malo Gusto struggled for Chelsea in their draw with Hull City(Image: Alexander Canillas/MB Media)
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If Alonso, as expected, reverts to a three-back system at Brentford, we could see Pedro Neto start at right wing-back and Gusto potentially dropped to the bench.
In midfield, Alonso is hopeful Moises Caicedo will return to the squad on Friday evening. The Ecuador international has featured just once this season due to a niggling calf injury but the manager said last week that the former Brighton midfielder could be in the squad for the short trip to their west London rivals.
That could mean one of Romeo Lavia or Reece James come out of the side, if indeed Caicedo is deemed fit enough to start at the Gtech Community Stadium. One would presume the former is more likely to drop out of the team than the latter.