Five things we learned from Fulham 2-3 Chelsea: Xabi Alonso era begins with plenty of promise and plenty of questions
Xabi Alonso became only the third of Chelsea’s last nine permanent managers to win their opening Premier League game in charge, joining Graham Potter and Liam Rosenior on that short list, as his reign began with a wild 3-2 victory away at Craven Cottage.
It was a result that papered over some obvious cracks, but three points is three points, and few Chelsea fans will be complaining about the manner of it after the club’s underwhelming finish to last season.
Joao Pedro needed just half a minute to open the scoring, latching onto a Cole Palmer through-ball after Levi Colwill’s long header forward, before Morgan Rogers and Palmer himself added further goals either side of half-time to put the visitors seemingly out of sight.
Fulham, roared on by a lively Craven Cottage crowd and inspired by the returning Josh King and debutant Gonzalo Garcia, refused to go away quietly, scoring the second and fifth goals of the thriller to make the final minutes far more nervy than Alonso would have liked. Here are five things we learned.
5 things we learned from Fulham 2-3 Chelsea
1. The trident of Palmer, Rogers, and Pedro will terrorize the league
If Monday night was anything to go by, defenders across the Premier League should be worried already. Cole Palmer looked sharp and injury-free after a summer away from international duty, scoring once and teeing up another, while Pedro continued his fine early-season form with a poacher’s opener inside 15 seconds.
Rogers, meanwhile, needed only his full debut to get off the mark, ghosting into space that five Fulham defenders somehow left unattended. The interplay between the three was all comfortable operating in tight areas and all willing to combine rather than go it alone.
If Alonso can keep all three fit and establish a reliable structure behind them, Chelsea could have one of the Premier League’s most dangerous attacking units.
2. It was unconvincing — but it is only the first game
Chelsea won, and that matters most on opening night, but this was far from a polished Alonso performance. Fulham repeatedly found spaces and made Chelsea uncomfortable, particularly after the visitors moved into a 3-1 lead.
The Blues looked capable of scoring whenever they launched their attacks, but equally capable of conceding whenever their structure broke down, and Fulham attacked at the other end.
That should not immediately set alarm bells ringing. Alonso is implementing a new tactical identity, and competitive football inevitably exposes issues that pre-season cannot always reveal. The encouraging part is that Chelsea showed enough quality to win even when they were not at their best.
3. Moises Caicedo’s absence was felt
Alonso was forced into a late reshuffle when Caicedo, expected to start, was withdrawn from the squad along with new signing Marco Palestra after picking up fitness setbacks during the week. The Ecuadorian’s absence became increasingly noticeable as Fulham gained control of midfield.
Chelsea struggled at times to dictate the tempo or protect the defence, allowing the hosts to sustain pressure with 62 percent of the possession, and turn the contest into a more chaotic affair than Alonso would have wanted.
Caicedo’s ability to cover ground, recover possession and protect transitions is particularly valuable in the current system. His return should give Alonso greater security, but the manager will still need to find alternatives capable of maintaining control when the former Brighton man is unavailable.
4. Robert Sanchez remains a major concern
Chelsea’s attack may excite fans, but the goalkeeping situation continues to raise uncomfortable questions. Robert Sanchez was involved in another difficult outing, including a poor attempt to deal with Josh King’s equaliser and another mistake that helped Fulham stay in the contest.
The longer-term numbers underline the concern. Since the beginning of the 2023-24 Premier League season, the Spaniard has made eight errors leading to goals, only Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen ahead on 11 in that period.
Chelsea cannot afford to repeatedly give opponents opportunities that have nothing to do with Alonso’s tactical plans, but it is still down to the manager to decide fairly quickly whether his No.1 remains a long-term solution between the posts.
5. Xabi Alonso has plenty of work ahead
A winning start buys goodwill, but this performance exposed plenty for Alonso to address. The defensive shape looked porous, Sanchez’s shot-stopping and decision-making remain a recurring liability, and Chelsea’s inability to see out a two-goal lead comfortably will concern a manager.
Xabi Alonso built his reputation on attacking rather than defensive solidity at Bayer Leverkusen, but a team with the intention of competing for the Premier League title has to do so much better defensively.
The attacking talent on show suggests Chelsea can score their way past most opponents this season. Whether Alonso can shore up the other end of the pitch quickly enough may determine how far that firepower actually takes them.
