🚨🔵 Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea have become one of the Premier League’s most entertaining sides, with 15 goals scored and 13 conceded across six matches — an average of 4.7 goals per game.

Chelsea have scored 15 times from just 8.4 expected goals, outperforming their xG by 6.6. Their 18.3% conversion rate is second only to Manchester City’s 19.1%, while eight of their goals have come from chances worth less than 0.13 xG.

Even the five-goal display against Bournemouth came from an xG of just 0.75.

The key question is whether Chelsea can sustain this level of finishing.

Xabi Alonso’s high-risk system helped Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga, but Chelsea are still struggling to manage the defensive risks that come with it.

In possession, both wing-backs, the two attacking midfielders and João Pedro push forward, leaving the back three and midfield pair to provide cover. When one of the central midfielders is also drawn forward, Chelsea become vulnerable to turnovers, with huge spaces to protect and gaps opening behind the wing-backs.

The 3-0 defeat to Brentford exposed those weaknesses. Keith Andrews’ side repeatedly attacked the space behind Chelsea’s advanced wing-backs, forcing the midfield into a difficult choice: track runners out wide and expose the centre, or hold their positions and allow Brentford to progress down the flanks.

One of Xabi Alonso’s most significant adjustments against Bournemouth was switching Chelsea to a 4-4-2 out of possession, moving away from the back three.

Josh Acheampong operated more like a right-back, Levi Colwill and Maxence Lacroix stayed closer together, Pep Chavarría held his position on the left, while Neto pushed higher on the right. The result was a more recognisable defensive structure, with less space between the lines.

Moisés Caicedo’s return also proved crucial. He won seven duels, made four tackles — the joint-highest in the match — and recorded 11 defensive contributions, second-most in the game.

🔗 Guardian

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