Comment: Xabi Alonso Needs Results But Chelsea Sacking Noise Is Far Too Premature

Xabi Alonso has endured a mixed start to life at Stamford Bridge, with the Chelsea sitting fifth in the Premier League heading into the ninth round of fixtures.

Impressive victories over Brighton and Bournemouth, as well as an away win against Everton, had suggested that the Blues were beginning to find their feet under the Spaniard.

However, defeats to Tottenham and a cup exit to Liverpool have brought more questions about the style of the team and whether Alonso is beginning to make the progress supporters had hoped for.

Defeats away to Arsenal and Brentford have also been low points, although Alonso has been afforded some leeway during his first eight games in charge.

No manager will turn Chelsea around overnight, particularly after a 10th-place finish in the Premier League last season. Despite returning Chelsea to the Champions League, winning the Conference League and Club World Cup in his first season, Enzo Maresca struggled for consistency in the league, winning just five of 16 matches between 16 December and 19 April. 

For perspective, Alonso has not even taken charge of 10 Premier League games yet.

The 44-year-old may have benefited from European football this season, giving him more opportunities to assess his squad and experiment with different approaches. Chelsea won just three league matches in the final four months of the 2025/26 season under Liam Rosenior and Calum McFarlane, missing out on European qualification entirely.

Another member at Stamford Bridge who could have benefited from more matches this season is Brazilian teenager Estevão Willian.

The treatment of the 19-year-old has been confusing so far. In Chelsea’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool, the Brazil international was left as an unused substitute, raising eyebrows after his appearances in the previous two rounds and his limited minutes in the league. With the Blues now out of cup action until January and without European football, his opportunities to gain regular minutes appear even more limited.

One player who has made positive strides under Alonso is England Under-21 defender Josh Acheampong. The Cobham graduate looked like a lost figure under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, to the point where speculation surrounding his future increasingly centred on a possible departure.

The 20-year-old has been a mainstay in the Spaniard’s side since the beginning of October, playing four consecutive 90-minute matches and quickly becoming one of the first names on the team sheet.

Despite the free-flowing football on display in the opening five matches, Chelsea appeared to lack defensive structure. The Blues now seem to be finding a better balance, although this may be coming at a cost in attack.

Chelsea's defensive improvement was evident in the 5-1 victory over Bournemouth, limiting their first-half xG to just 0.35. An unlucky clearance off the line denied Alonso's side a clean sheet, but they secured one a week later in a 2-0 win at Everton, restricting the hosts to 0.43 xG.

However, the defensive improvement has coincided with a slight regression in attack, with Alonso's more cautious approach potentially playing a part. Against Tottenham, the Blues seemed almost reluctant to have the ball and control, with the attack accumulating an xG of just 0.47. 

The game plan worked from a defensive standpoint, but a mistake from second-choice goalkeeper Mike Penders and Cole Palmer’s sending-off undermined any plans for a late fightback.

Injuries to Joao Pedro, Reece James and Emiliano Martinez, as well as Palmer’s suspension, made the trip to Anfield increasingly difficult. Alonso was further hampered by Maxence Lacroix's first-half withdrawal with a suspected hamstring injury.

The 44-year-old said after the game that his side had “produced a good performance”. Statistically, that assessment is difficult to dispute, but the attacking display without either Pedro or Palmer added to the concerns.

As we head into the final two matches before the last international break of the year, there is still plenty of work to be done. The concerns may be greater than originally expected, but calling for Alonso to lose his job before seeing how the team responds seems premature.

Alonso needs results to restore confidence. Victory over Manchester United could reignite hope, while another disappointing performance would only increase the pressure. However, it still seems far too early to be forcing another change in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.