Comment: Xabi Alonso Must Not Let Chelsea Implode Following Arsenal Defeat

Following victories in their first two matches against Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion, Xabi Alonso's Blues have been given an early reality check by the current Premier League holders. Chelsea did take the lead inside just two minutes through new £117 million club-record signing Morgan Rogers, but the Blues' lead was cut short just 23 minutes later as Kai Havertz levelled the score. The league leaders took the lead shortly into the second half through Martin Odegaard, and that was enough to send the visitors back to Stamford Bridge empty-handed. Losing matches is completely normal in the early days of a process, but the real test of character and mentality comes in the days following defeat. Chelsea have been in this situation many times before, and on many occasions, for better or worse, you see a shift in approach following a poor result. Alonso's start was good, but the response against Leeds United in the Carabao Cup on September 9 will show whether the 'new Chelsea' have changed. Falling short against the Gunners has been a regular theme. The most recent defeat means the Blues have now lost five consecutive away matches against Arsenal, but this one may sting for Alonso, who perhaps felt Chelsea should have left the game with a point. After the game, Alonso insisted he was happy with the players' work ethic, admitting: "We kept going and the team showed really good desire to fight until the end." That language and tone need to continue, while Alonso must also be wary of potentially dampening spirits in the dressing room. Under Enzo Maresca, the west London side imploded following the 1-1 draw last season for a variety of unknown reasons, but that result felt like a season-turning moment. Frank Lampard experienced a comfortable defeat just days before being dismissed in 2021, while Mauricio Pochettino was handed a 5-0 thrashing just weeks before departing by mutual consent. Maurizio Sarri's meltdown at the Emirates in 2018, following the 2-0 defeat, exposed the fragility within his squad. Alonso cannot let the same happen and instead needs to take a blend of both positives and negatives from the defeat. There is no doubt that Chelsea are missing Moises Caicedo. The Ecuador international is a rock in this side. His injury has happened at the worst possible time, given that any new manager would want all his available tools at his disposal to start off on the right foot. The new boss was asked for an update on the midfielder following the 2-1 defeat to the Gunners. He replied: 'Not longer term, but it is about assessing the risk. Probably last week we took him too early and I don't want to make the same mistake again.' Chelsea need to find solutions for when the 24-year-old is absent. At times, it looked like a midfield did not exist, and to further expose the lack of depth, Alonso called for Malo Gusto to replace Romeo Lavia midway through the second half. As a short-term solution, Alonso could look to introduce 16-year-old academy stars Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli. Both have already impressed the new boss during the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, and with no natural defensively minded midfielders currently available, it seems like a no-brainer. Next up for Chelsea are back-to-back home matches at Stamford Bridge, firstly against Leeds in the League Cup and then against newly promoted Hull City, who have yet to concede a goal this season. Two games that present the perfect bounce-back opportunity for Alonso and his team. Best Newest first Oldest first