This season, Chelsea have dazzled at times, but no victory can bring manager Xabi Alonso more satisfaction than the recent triumph against Everton. Away from home, the Blues showcased qualities previously thought lacking.
Historically, Chelsea have found playing at Goodison Park a challenging task. Prior to this match, the Londoners had only won one of their last nine away encounters against the Toffees. The team faced criticism for their inability to keep clean sheets and for often getting lost in physical battles despite their attacking flair. However, everything changed in this encounter.
Everton arrived with a spring in their step, hoping to extend a record unbeaten start in the Premier League. The hosts anticipated facing a vibrant yet vulnerable side, usually susceptible to pressure from both the crowd and the opposition. But Chelsea displayed a completely different spirit. If they can consistently combine that fighting spirit with their attacking instincts, a solid foundation for a title challenge could be established.
It was a monumental effort from all lines of the team to secure their first clean sheet not only of this Premier League season but in the last 23 matches overall. Key to this success was the return of Moises Caicedo. With Reece James sidelined due to injury, the midfielder donned the captain's armband and played a full 90 minutes for the first time this season, becoming the glue that held the Blues together during a particularly stubborn first half.
While Everton sought to expose Chelsea's weaknesses, the return of Caicedo meant the Blues no longer allowed themselves to be intimidated. His teammates followed suit, bravely engaging in challenges and duels as Alonso had instructed prior to their trip to Merseyside. A perfect illustration of the game's tenor came just before half-time, when James Garner and Morgan Rogers clashed fiercely for possession. In any other scenario, such contact might have led to cards, yet referee Paul Tierney enabled both sides to retain their competitive edge. The Toffees were likely taken aback as Rogers responded to Garner's aggression with equal fervour. From that moment on, the hosts struggled to rattle Chelsea's composure.
Xabi Alonso has a reputation for galvanising his squad in the dressing room; prior to this match, Chelsea had scored six goals in the opening seven minutes of games. Given the team's determined mindset, all the manager needed to do at half-time was steer those emotions in the right direction. And the Blues’ quick starts are no coincidence. When Pedro Neto opened the scoring just 46 seconds into the second half, it marked the third occasion this season where they found the net in the opening moments of a half.
Taking the lead allowed Chelsea to play to their strengths under Alonso, ceding possession. Intriguingly, the Blues had yet to win a match this season when enjoying more possession than their opponents. In the first half, Everton allowed Chelsea 61% of the ball, knowing they could stifle the space for the Blues' forwards. All of Chelsea's chances before the break stemmed from set pieces, including a stunning effort from Caicedo that rattled the crossbar. After scoring that quick second-half goal, Chelsea relinquished control to Everton, leaving the hosts bewildered on how to capitalise.
Neto's second goal beautifully sealed the match for Chelsea and effectively sentenced Everton to defeat, even though throughout the latter half, it rarely felt as though Alonso's men needed that second goal for peace of mind.
The first clean sheet of the season wound up being a shared achievement among both goalkeepers, with Emiliano Martinez's injury being the only dark cloud on what was an impressive and mature victory for Xabi Alonso as Chelsea's head coach.
