Every word Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso had to say in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Blues' crucial Premier League clash with Brentford on Friday evening
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso in a press conference(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
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Xabi Alonso has just completed his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's trip to Brentford.
The Blues and the Bees kickstart matchday five of the Premier League with a west London derby at the Gtech Community Stadium on Friday evening. The point of Alonso's pre-match presser was to preview Brentford vs Chelsea, but there were more pressing topics for the Blues manager on Thursday afternoon.
Alonso gave us an update on the fitness of Joao Pedro and Moises Caicedo while also speaking on Chelsea's ownership transition that was announced late on Wednesday night.
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football.london was live at Chelsea's training base in Cobham for the press conference. Here is every word Alonso had to say.
There's been an important change at ownership level at the club. Do you see this as a positive step?
I think that it's an important day for the club when there is an important change in the structure of the club and the ownership. A few points, I have to thank the former owners for the work they've done. I was not here but I know that they played an important role and now that Behdad [Eghbali] is taking more control, almost full control, I think it's good that the main one is clear. I have very good relations with Behdad, he was the one that came to Madrid to explain me the project, to convince me and we are working well together. As I mentioned, this is phase one that we have completed in the project of the squad and it's good and now we move on together.
The ambition of the club is clear, how confident are you that Chelsea will soon return to challenging for major trophies?
That's why we are here, to get into that position, knowing the competition that we have, but for sure the ambition of the club, the potential of the club, the dimension of the players, where we are, we know where we want to be, we know that everything takes time but the ambition for that is very clear.
What can you tell us about Joao Pedro because he won't be involved with Brazil over the course of the next few weeks?
In terms of injuries and in terms of the squad, we are having the last training session tomorrow so no one is ruled out for us for Friday so I prefer to be cautious and we will wait until tomorrow to take the final decision on every player.
Are you able to confirm what the injury is that Joao has?
No.
Is there still potential he could play against Brentford tomorrow but then not play for Brazil?
It is a possibility.
Moises Caicedo, you said you were hopeful he could play this week, is he getting closer?
He's getting closer and tomorrow we will take the final decision in the team and in the squad that is coming to Brentford.
Reece James wasn't involved in the part of training which we saw on Tuesday, are there any concerns there?
No, it was just a decision for Tuesday and we see his development and tomorrow we will decide.
On a positive note, Marco Pelestra and Jordan Henderson, are they getting closer now or are they in contention for tomorrow?
Tomorrow, final decision, sorry mate, I'm repeating but your questions are the same I think that before the players know it, we need to assess all the decisions with the last training and tomorrow we will take the decision for the game in Brentford.
There's been a number of changes you've made defensively over the course of each Premier League match so far, what are you looking for from your defence tomorrow?
The defence is all the team, it's not just the back four or the back five or whatever. It's about the team, it's how we compete, how we adapt to the different moments when we take the lead or when the game is even. We need to have the same mentality to be competing in different moments. We know that Premier League is very difficult to control the whole game but to be able to adapt and to feel that you are the awareness that is needed is very important. For sure we've had four or five weeks since we started, this is going to be the seventh game in this block. It's an important one because it's before the international break, because it's Premier League, because it's away against Brentford and it's tough. So we will have to play with a high demand game.
Going back to Joao Pedro, clearly it was a real disappointment for him missing the World Cup in the summer. Does he view it as a blow that he won't be joining up with Brazil?
He has moved on from the summer, from the World Cup. He has shown this desire, this determination to have a great season so far. The summer is far away now.
How about this upcoming camp? Is there a disappointment that he won't be with Brazil now?
He will be in the future for sure. I am pretty sure of that.
In terms of the balance of your side and his presence in midfield, how much do you feel that when Moises Caicedo starts games for Chelsea, it will help with that balance?
Moises is one of the top midfielders in the world. Any team with Moi in the middle is a better team and we are aware of that. But at this moment, we will see tomorrow, he has not been able to play. So we have had to cope with that situation. When he will play, we will benefit from his qualities, from his balance, from his presence. I think that he is very inspirational for the players around and I am looking forward to it.
In terms of Brentford, a big part of their play is fast transitions, set pieces, long throws. How have you worked this week to try and set your team up to combat that?
Yes, they do that very well, but not just that. They do other things, not just the transition, not just the set pieces. I think that it is a club that they have developed their project and their game very well. They are very complete in many aspects with the ball, without the ball. So you see the numbers and it is great. They have great strength playing at home, so it is going to be a big challenge. I saw the game from last year, so you learn from everything and tomorrow it is going to be a big test for us.
You played twice against Keith Andrews as a player when you were at Liverpool and he was at Blackburn and you won both of those games. How well do you know him?
Well, old days, good old days. I remember always enjoying playing against Blackburn. A few times we had to play there and I have most of them good memories from my days in the Premier League.
Just one more on Joao Pedro. Is he training today?
We will see tomorrow if he is ready to play and we will take a decision.
Do you expect Moises Caicedo to join up with Ecuador and would you rather he didn't?
I don't know if he is in the call [squad] of Ecuador, but I am focused on when he can play with us, with Moises, and that is my concern. And the other things, I don't control it.
I am presuming a player who has been out for quite a lengthy period of time, if he suddenly comes back into fitness this weekend, it wouldn't be ideal if he then goes and joins up for three weeks...
Yeah, but it is international duties that sometimes you can't control, and so we will see what happens.
The international break is a long break. You are going to be without your players for two and a half weeks. At this stage of trying to build something here at Chelsea, is that frustrating?
No, it is not frustrating. It is what it is. I try not to get frustrated with things that are out of my hands. I can't control them. We have spent already some time together and we will have more time to spend together. There is no Christmas break here, so we will be together during Christmas as well. There will be plenty of games, so we have taken some steps forward and many more to take forward.
Just on the Premier League as a whole, how have you viewed it so far? Do you see Arsenal as a cut above the rest and how far behind them do you think you are?
It is too early to tell. For sure, Arsenal and City have won all the games so far, but still so many games. I knew, but once you leave it, you realise how tough each game is, how tough it is to win. You can take for granted any game. You need to give your best level because you get punished whenever you are not. I have experienced that, but I think that there will be good moments for all the teams and bad moments for all the teams.
You mentioned there about Brentford and the set-piece threat. You have spent a lot of time this week on set-pieces. How important is Austin MacPhee in the club?
We want to have top specialists in the criteria in terms of offensive part, offensive and set-pieces. Austin has this great experience in the Premier League. He is helping us a lot and we have trained. We always try to prepare the games and know what we are facing tomorrow.
How hard has it been for Marco Palestra to adapt when he's not been able to play so far this season?
For sure, the adaptation is through the competition. Sometimes you can take it gradually but other players need to go straight to the competition to have a good impact, to learn quick. I am fully there to help Marco. He is young, he has a lot of energy, a lot of potential. The step is big because it was his first year in Serie A. He has a lot of qualities that we are looking for. He has to adapt well to the Premier League.
Are you happy with the level of your team? What do you think you need to improve as a team?
It is obvious in defence we can do better. In attack, we are doing well. We need to find the right balance between defence and attack. Not to concede that many goals. It is for sure clear. I am sure that we will do it. Everything takes time. We have had circumstances that have allowed us to create the stability that we want. Once we get it, we will be more solid.