Photo by Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Harvey Murphy/News Images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Chelsea may have the best attack in the Premier League, but they have the worst defence statistically!
The Blues were unable to score in their 3-0 defeat to Brentford on Friday night, with Joao Pedro missing the game because of injury. However, before that, they were on fire.
Pedro, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers could not stop scoring and assisting. In Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Hull City, they were all involved in the two goals scored.
In stark contrast, Chelsea’s defence has really struggled this term. In five games, they have already conceded 12 goals, which is more than any other team in the Premier League. That is shocking for a “top club” who have just invested £50m in a new central defender, Maxence Lacroix.
Some of the individual defending on show this season has not been great. But at this point, Xabi Alonso has to take responsibility.
Chelsea may have sold Marc Cucurella and Trevoh Chalobah in the summer, but they still have the likes of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana. Ultimately, Chelsea still have good defenders. While losing Cucurella was a blow, the decline their backline has had should not have been by this much.
That reflects more on their structure, which is obviously set up by Alonso, and perhaps formation. If Enzo Maresca was still at the club, for example, would Chelsea be conceding as many goals with this defence? The answer is probably not.
This is not an Alonso out piece or anything like that. But it does highlight that the buck stops with the manager.