Former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge has voiced his criticism regarding Xabi Alonso's selections during the recent Premier League clash against Tottenham, where the Blues suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat. Sturridge contends that Alonso should have given the nod to the seasoned Danny Welbeck instead of fielding the inexperienced Geovany Quenda, who was making his Premier League debut.
With top scorer Joao Pedro sidelined due to injury, Alonso was forced to tweak his attacking line-up. However, Sturridge argues that this tactical change was misguided:
I think the manager got it wrong. Quenda is undoubtedly a talented young player, but the team has got used to playing with Joao Pedro as their spearhead in recent weeks. His absence altered the entire setup, which impacted the performances of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers on the pitch.
Does Welbeck possess the same speed and dynamism? No. But we know he’s a very good, experienced player who could have come on and done his job. In my opinion, Welbeck should have started.
The reaction from Xabi Alonso following the mistake and the defeat was telling.
Young goalkeeper Mike Penders also had a tough day at the office, making a significant error that led to an own goal following a corner. Despite these setbacks, Alonso came to the defence of his players:
This is part of football: you need to deal with mistakes, we remain confident in Mike, and he will be in goal for the match against Liverpool. We win and lose together. We support Mike and Geo, guys who are playing their first games in the league.
Alonso acknowledged that Chelsea didn’t perform at their best, and the dismissal of Cole Palmer ultimately dashed any hopes of a comeback in the second half.
