Just five hours after Chelsea officially confirmed the long-awaited transfer of Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa for £7.5 million, the 33-year-old goalkeeper was already on the pitch at Stamford Bridge in the starting lineup against Brighton (4-3). However, the high-scoring encounter starkly highlighted that the arrival of even an elite keeper alone won't resolve the deep-seated defensive issues plaguing the London side.
Martinez showcased his readiness for the challenge, despite the announcement coming just before kick-off. In reality, the World Cup winner had managed a full training session with his new teammates prior to the official announcement, wrapping up the paperwork ahead of Friday's registration deadline, while marketing considerations delayed the club's announcement.
None of the goals conceded can be attributed to the Argentine; unlike the opening game against Fulham (3-2), where Robert Sanchez made a glaring error leading to the first goal and looked shaky for the second. Nonetheless, the facts remain: five goals conceded in just two opening fixtures means that Chelsea's perfect start relies solely on a revamped and vibrant attacking line.
A win is a win, Martinez told Sky Sports. The performance wasn't ideal, but what matters now is picking up points and moving forward. Our attacking trio is magnificent; when we attack, it’s tough for opponents. Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro had excellent opportunities to settle things sooner. Defensively, we need to sharply reduce the number of goals we concede.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given praised the signing of Martinez as a brilliant move during an appearance on Match of the Day:
Martinez is an interesting character. He just signed, and Alonso didn't waste time getting him into action. The manager clearly needs a player of such calibre on the pitch.
The Martinez factor and tough decisions on Sanchez
The two-time winner of FIFA's The Best award, who lifted the World Cup in 2022 with Argentina and the UEFA Europa League with Aston Villa in May, made an immediate impression on the coaching staff. Xabi Alonso highlighted:
I'm pleased with his debut. He’s been with the team for just 48 hours, and there's a full week of training ahead. Day by day, we will feel his presence; he has the charisma and aura needed to positively influence the team and lead his teammates.
For Robert Sanchez, who was purchased from Brighton in 2023 for £25 million, the situation has taken a sharp downward turn. Despite years of trust from the club's goalkeeping hierarchy, Sanchez consistently made errors during the 2024-25 season, losing ground to Jorge Petrovic and Filip Jorgensen, and now finds himself fourth in the pecking order and up for transfer. When asked about Sanchez's future, Alonso replied plainly: 'We shall see. Sometimes tough decisions have to be made.'
Advanced stats from last season explain the switch: Martinez conceded fewer goals, boasted a higher save percentage, outperformed Sanchez in preventing goals based on shot quality, and had a significantly more accurate pass completion rate.
The Argentine quickly won over fans by personally reaching out to Chelsea legends John Terry and Petr Cech to ask permission to wear the iconic number 26:
I spoke with Chelsea legends John Terry and Petr Cech. I fully understand the scale of this club and the objectives for the season. I'm here to fight for the Premier League title. We have an incredibly talented attack, and my goal is to bring reliability and solidity to the defence.
Historic record low possession and structural failures
If Chelsea are to mount a genuine challenge for the title, Xabi Alonso must teach the team how to control matches, especially with a tough away trip to Arsenal on the horizon.
The statistics from the match against Brighton revealed unprecedented tactical problems:
- Chelsea held just 25.9% of possession, the lowest figure in Alonso's career at Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid.
- The Londoners completed just 146 accurate passes, a club record low since detailed stats began in the Premier League for the 2003-04 season.
- The Blues' run without a clean sheet in the Premier League extended to 18 games, marking the worst defensive streak for London since 1961.
Chaos in midfield and vulnerability of the new system
Control of possession was completely lost due to a crisis in the central zone. Enzo Fernandez sat out the second match in a row due to suspension amid expected official interest from Manchester City exceeding £120 million.
Moisés Caicedo, struggling with fitness issues, came on as a substitute in the second half but had to leave the pitch due to injury just 11 minutes later. Jordan Henderson is also injured, and Valentin Barco does not yet enjoy the management's full trust for starting appearances in the Premier League. As a result, the midfield pairing comprised Malo Gusto and Romeo Lavia.
Due to the personnel shortage, Chelsea's hierarchy is actively pursuing an emergency transfer for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara.
The lack of sufficient protection in front of the defence, combined with the switch to a formation featuring three centre-backs, regularly placed Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix, and Levi Colwill in vulnerable positions. Nonetheless, Alonso remains remarkably calm:
The threat of losing a three-goal lead? That’s perfectly normal. It happens to many teams that are still finding their feet and need more games together.
Of course, another player in midfield wouldn't go amiss given Enzo's departure.
Yes, and overall, the team doesn't have much cohesion yet. It's still too early to expect anything from them.