Why are Chelsea Conceding so Many Goals under Xabi Alonso?

Chelsea have played 5 games in all competitions and have already conceded 10 goals. Yes, Xabi Alonso’s men have scored 16 goals in that time, which is mental enough, but conceding at a rate of 2 goals per game is too

much, and that is not a sign of a top team. Yes, the team is still in its infancy under Xabi, and we are going to give them that leeway for a little while, but it is a big elephant in the room that will need to be addressed. Xabi also believes so as he talked about the need to stop conceding this number of goals. This is what he said

“My priority is to win games, and for that, it helps when you don't concede so many goals”

Now the question is: where is the issue coming from, and what is Xabi going to resolve?

Yeah, so I talked about the gaps that kept on appearing in Chelsea’s midfield from the Brighton game and the Arsenal games, which we’ve analysed on here; check them out if you haven’t. But I’ll reference one of them here on Arsenal’s 2nd goal.

Arsenal played the ball to Tzolis on the left. Now it’s a transition opportunity and Chelsea are scampering back; Arsenal are trying to take advantage of the space, so Chelsea aren’t fully in shape

Lavia, who tries to come out to help diffuse the situation, instead opens more space with his positioning, and Havertz can be found more easily; both midfielders made mistakes. Neto and Lacroix are covering the same player, even though it's not as big as Reece and Lavia not screening their defensive lines

Against Leeds United, there were still gaps that were exploited. At different points, Leeds tried to take advantage of this, but here is an example of it. These gaps usually appear when players don’t press or block space in conjunction with each other. This includes the CBs, because if the midfielders push up, the CBs are meant to follow.

Remember Tuchel’s 3-at-the-back system? That was what made Rudiger a top CB, because it played to his strengths. Tuchel’s outside CBs were so good at timing their jumps to press those opposition players in the half spaces.

Now we get to the question I want to ask: do you think it's purely a personnel problem that if the club buys, it will be fixed or a system problem?

So I wanted to initially say one thing, but of course I forgot that Chelsea bought no midfielder on deadline day (How could I). But Chelsea got Lacroix in at CB, who, slowly, some online Chelsea fans are turning against, ever so slightly. Caicedo is also missing through injury to a natural midfielder and one of the best in the world has been sorely missed in those midfield areas to provide screening duties to the backline; he was the ying to Lavia and Reece James’s yang when they both did well in midfield. Having him back will elevate Chelsea 10 folds and help with the individual quality needed to provide better screening to the backline. Because Reece and Lavia’s screening quality seems to have been exposed. But I would have to factor in the fact that maybe yet they are still trying to understand the demands of when to press and all as well. So I will be balanced in saying that.

But does Caicedo solve this alone?

Nope

Xabi has some systematic work to do. Xabi is still coaching these players how to suitably and in a timely manner in conjunction with everyone, when to drop deep, when to press, the timing of the jumps from the CBs, the wingbacks and the midfielders. Those mix-ups have been costly so far this season, and it is totally understandable because the season is very young. Xabi is having a sort of mini preseason with Lacroix, Martinez, Gusto, Hato, Pep Chavarria and Rogers, so it will take longer to solve these issues. But in general, one game a week helps with this over the long run. Not really now as Chelsea are still playing at the same rate as the other teams currently. But in terms of a Chelsea perspective, getting their defensive phase sorted out needs to come from the individual willingness of the players to put the work in to the press and help their teammates out; it has to do with the culture. The front 3 as well have to put that work in. This is no era for passengers. They need to do it consistently, and they need to it with application. Because transitioning from the mid-low block to the high press is a lot to do with their pressing intensity, and yes, they are awesome in the final third, but the best teams now in the world work hard. The best players on those teams are hardworking off the ball, and that is what changing the CULTURE entails. Shape, individual quality and application are what is going to change these defensive issues Chelsea are facing. Chelsea don’t necessarily need a Van Dijk yet, in my opinion, because every tool to keep more clean sheets is in the team.