Xabi Alonso in the dugout
Xabi Alonso in the dugout
Chelsea are unlikely to hold any major concerns about Xabi Alonso despite their inconsistent results in recent weeks.
The 44-year-old has faced backlash from sections of the supporters at Stamford Bridge, who have questions his team selections, substitutions, and his tactical approach.
A 1-0 defeat against Sunderland last time out, who were bottom of the Premier League table before kickoff, has once again seen fans asking questions of the boss.
However, former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Alonso is held in extremely high regard behind the scenes at Chelsea and is being backed for success.
Chelsea have no immediate concerns about the manager's recent record, despite what has been an inconsistent start, and they hope results will improve as the season goes on.
Alonso's side have won five, drawn one and lost four of their first ten Premier League games, but currently sit fifth in the table, and are hopeful of further improvements.
Could Xabi Alonso come under pressure at Chelsea?
Brown told Football Insider on 26 October that Chelsea are hopeful Alonso could be the man to lead them to success and are prepared to give him time to improve.
Instead, there are more concerns about the players and their inconsistency which has led to some mixed results in the early stages of the new manager's tenure.
Alonso has been clear that this Chelsea side is not the same one we will see come the end of the season, and he is being backed by the board for long-term success.
"I don't think Chelsea have any major worries about Xabi Alonso at the moment," Brown told Football Insider.
"Chelsea fans have high expectations, they want to be winning every week and they want to be winning silverware, so whenever they lose a game there is a lot of noise.
"A defeat against Sunderland will be a bit of a worry, of course, because when you look at where they are in the table compared to where Chelsea want to be, it's an awful result.
"Chelsea's biggest problem is their consistency, they can win 5-0 one week and then go and lose 1-0 the next, but that's on the players just as much as the manager.
"I think Alonso is being backed to turn things around, and they want him to be in charge for a long time, because they think he can lead them to success.
"So whether or not the fans are a bit frustrated, I don't think it really matters, because the club are happy with what they've seen from Alonso."
Why are Chelsea fans unhappy with Alonso?
Alonso still has the backing of the Chelsea board despite a mixed start to the season so far, but the fans have begun to express their frustrations, largely via social media.
Questions have been asked of his tactical decisions and player selections, which was raised as an issue again following the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.
Meanwhile, Football Insider reported on 29 October that Alonso's public comments have also left Chelsea fans angry after he dismissed the importance of the League Cup.
A penalty shoot-out defeat against Liverpool saw Chelsea bow out of the tournament, but the manager insisted it was not a priority, with focus on other competitions.
With no European football and a very unlikely chance of winning the Premier League, Alonso is now running out of ways to win a trophy in his first season.