Xabi Alonso can fix Chelsea's biggest problem - he's already proved it

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Chelsea under Xabi Alonso are the new ‘Entertainers’ of the Premier League. In their six competitive games of the 2026-27 season, they have scored 18 and conceded 12 - with an average of five goals per match.

That is a frankly absurd tally and, for the neutral, their games aren’t to be missed. For Alonso, however, it will certainly be a concern.

The Spaniard has arguably the best attack in the Premier League at his disposal and his 3-4-2-1 system has been the perfect platform for Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro to excel.

Those three players have shone during the early weeks of the season and Alonso will be desperate to avoid stifling their creativity. If he wants to turn Chelsea into genuine challengers at the top end of the table, however, he needs to sacrifice some of that attacking flair in exchange for defensive solidity.

Chelsea are simply too weak defensively and given three of their four most used defenders so far this season cost a combined €185.3 million - Maxence Lacroix, Wesley Fofana and Jorrel Hato - it’s becoming a real problem.

Current ETV

Jorrel Hato

D (CL)

Chelsea

Jorrel Hato

D (CL)

Chelsea

€40.2M

ETV Range

€36.1M - €44.2M

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The defenders themselves aren’t really the problem, though. It’s a combination of a makeshift midfield pivot and a lack of true understanding in the defensive shape required in Alonso’s system.

The former will largely be fixed once Moises Caicedo returns from injury and Alonso has already proved that he can fix the latter.

Xabi Alonso can fix Chelsea’s biggest problem

In Alonso’s first 18 competitive games in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, his side conceded 29 goals, as posted on X by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard.

While that an average of 1.6 goals conceded per game pales in comparison to Chelsea’s 2.0 so far this season, it proves that Leverkusen weren’t able to instantly improve their defensive woes upon Alonso’s appointment, despite their notable uptick in form.

Of course, Alonso then guided the German outfit to the Bundesliga title during his first full season at the club, achieving the feat without losing a single match in the league. While such a record is already out of the question at Chelsea, following their loss to Arsenal, there is strong reason to suggest that Alonso is capable of improving their defensive struggles.

And, according to the Spaniard, it’s now viewed as a priority by his staff. Speaking to reporters ahead of Chelsea’s clash against Brentford on Friday night, Alonso said: “It's obvious that in defence we can do better. In attack, we are doing well, but we need to find the right balance between the defence and the attack to not concede that many goals.

“It's for sure clear and I'm sure that we will do it. Everything takes time. We have had circumstances that haven't allowed us to create the stability that we want, but once we get it, I think that we will be more solid.”

He added: “The defence is all the team. It's not just the back four or the back five, it's about the team.

“It's how we compete, how we adapt to 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 in the Premier League it is very difficult to control the whole game, but to be able to adapt and to feel that awareness that is needed is very important.

“We have 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 in the Premier League, because it's away against Brentford who are tough. So we will have to play a high-demand game.”

Alonso has already been criticised this season for Chelsea’s inability to defend, but he proved at Leverkusen that he is able to build a winning team, despite a shaky start at the back, and there is therefore significant hope that improvements will be made in time.

The Spaniard deserves immense credit for providing Palmer, Rogers and Pedro the platform to shine in attack, and attention must now turn to fine-tuning the defensive structure in order to help Chelsea fight for major honours this term.

On the evidence of his coaching career so far, Alonso is capable of achieving this.