Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has urged the club to remain patient with manager Xabi Alonso as the team navigates a rocky start to the season. Currently, the Blues find themselves in 10th place in the Premier League, eight points adrift of leaders Manchester City.
Defensive concerns are particularly glaring, with Chelsea conceding 12 goals and failing to keep a clean sheet under Alonso's stewardship. The situation worsened before the international break with a heavy 3-0 defeat to Brentford.
Hasselbaink remarked:
When you work at a big club and lose matches, discussions are inevitable. People will always have something to say, and questions will arise. That’s just the nature of football, especially in larger clubs.
A top coach must manage this pressure, and Xabi Alonso is no exception. He is more than capable of handling it.
The ex-Chelsea forward stressed that the club should not even consider changing their manager:
I believe Chelsea will exercise great patience with Alonso, and they absolutely should. Therefore, no – his future should not even be a topic of discussion right now.
While acknowledging that the team needs to resolve their defensive frailties promptly, he also noted some positive changes in the setup.
He continued:
I definitely think Chelsea will improve. Yes, the defence clearly needs to sharpen up quickly. However, I feel that the atmosphere at the club is much calmer than before. There have already been improvements, and more will come.
Chelsea has a manager who has played and worked at the highest level and understands this kind of pressure. The last two results have been poor, but what matters most is how the team reacts.
Hasselbaink also expressed his approval of some of Chelsea's summer signings:
I’m really impressed with the signing of Marco Palese. I also like the acquisition of Morgan Rogers – he brings something fresh to Chelsea. I am a fan of Emiliano Martinez's character too. His personality will be significant for the team this season.
Despite Chelsea's summer spending exceeding £300 million, Hasselbaink believes it is premature to compare the Blues to the league's top contenders.
The former player noted:
Before the season began, they weren’t ready to challenge for the title. Chelsea currently does not sit on the same level as Arsenal. Arsenal is the team to beat and the one to aspire to right now.
However, Chelsea is undoubtedly good enough to qualify for the Champions League, and a second or third-place finish this season is realistic.
According to Hasselbaink, the inconsistency seen in younger players stems more from a lack of experience than the amount spent by the club.
He explained:
It’s not about the money spent because stability comes with experience. It’s about understanding the game, staying calm, and managing the finer details.
Many of Chelsea’s players are still young. I think they are gradually becoming more stable. The loss to Brentford raises questions, which is only natural. But now it all depends on the next match and how the team approaches it. They need to win.
Following the international break, Chelsea will host Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on 10 October. The Londoners have only managed one victory in their last five Premier League matches against this opponent.
