Xabi Alonso has revealed that the recent loss to Arsenal has provided him with invaluable insights into his Chelsea squad.
Just two days after the match, the Chelsea boss calmly reviewed the performance with his players and has now turned his full attention to the upcoming League Cup fixture.
Alonso commented:
Of course, over time, you get the chance to conduct a deeper analysis. The emotions settle after the match. So far, every game has shown us something, and we’ve learned from it.
It was a high-level match, very intense, with various phases. We talked, shared our feelings about the game, and now it’s behind us. We’ve taken what we needed for the future. And the future is tomorrow's match against Leeds. Right now, our focus is solely on that.
In reflecting on his early months at Chelsea, Alonso stressed that the team's rebuilding will require time:
We know this is going to be a long process, but we must constantly evaluate how things are going. For now, I think we can be pleased, but at the same time, we must remain demanding of ourselves because we are capable of playing better.
There are aspects where we cannot afford to wait too long; we need to improve them. We certainly want to start keeping more clean sheets as quickly as possible. That will be one of our objectives in every game, while understanding the high level of competition.
We are making progress, but there are still many steps to take.
When asked whether supporters should remain patient, especially regarding defensive solidity, Alonso was confident:
Clean sheets will come; I am 100% sure of that. We need to work on and enhance the aspects where we can improve. And in areas where we are already performing well, we must continue to develop those strengths.
We are learning a lot. Personally, I’m learning from the players, the team, the opponents, and the Premier League. We are in a developing phase.
This is nowhere near the finished version of Chelsea. I am confident – as I think I mentioned in the press conference – that the Chelsea we saw in August, the Chelsea in January, and then the Chelsea in May will be different teams. And we will be much better.
Alonso also touched on the physicality of the Premier League, responding to inquiries about the ‘dark arts’ Arsenal employed during their recent clash, and whether Chelsea needs to adopt similar qualities.
When analysing different episodes of the match, you see various factors. There’s no time now to break it down too thoroughly, but it’s very important to adapt and understand the demands of the Premier League.
The physical aspect is undeniably significant. We analyse a lot of data from matches, but we always consider the context. For some players, adapting to this pace is crucial. Others have already done so. The squad and the team we want to build must be able to handle this tempo.
Addressed directly about whether Chelsea should become tougher, Alonso replied:
We want to compete. I don’t know if you’d call it becoming ‘tougher’ or something else, but we want to compete because that’s the best way to achieve victories.
We need to adapt to the fight, and there are two components to this. The first is football itself; the second is character and mentality. And in all of this, we can improve.
