Xabi Alonso’s Challenge at Chelsea
Xabi Alonso is set to take charge of Chelsea in July after being appointed as the club’s new manager on a four-year contract. The former Real Madrid manager arrives at Stamford Bridge with plenty to fix after the Blues’ dismal finish to the Premier League season, which saw them finish in tenth place and fail to qualify for any European competition.
This summer promises to be another period of upheaval for Chelsea’s squad, with reports already suggesting that key players such as Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella are keen to explore moves away from the club. Former Blues defender Frank Leboeuf believes Alonso needs to be firm in his principles and make some tough choices with his squad ahead of the new season.
‘I think he should stick to his rules and his own tactics,’ Leboeuf said. ‘But he will have to make choices. I don’t think he can work with all the players that Chelsea has. He needs to get it down to 25 players and deal with that, and see how it works with the best of them.’
Goalkeeping Concerns
One area of the squad likely to come under scrutiny again this summer is Chelsea’s options in goal following another mixed season from Robert Sanchez, the club’s first choice. The Spaniard has never fully convinced large swaths of the fanbase since his arrival from Brighton, and Leboeuf fears that Alonso’s system might further expose his shortcomings.
Speaking via BetGoodwin, he added: ‘I don’t like to say that anyone should go. He’s a great goalkeeper, but when he’s with his feet, he’s a danger to his own team. When Donnarumma signed for Manchester City, he had the same problem, and Pep Guardiola managed to settle into a new system to make sure that Donnarumma doesn’t play with his feet too much. And so it might be possible.’
‘But I’m not sure Alonso will want to change his style for one player, so they might look to replace him. I’m very fond of Raya; that guy is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, if not the best right now and he has proven that during the Champions League final as well. With his feet, it’s easy, and I really think that Chelsea should try to get somebody like Raya.’
Leboeuf’s Prediction for the Premier League
Leboeuf made his thoughts clear about his early favourites for the title next season. He found it hard to look past the defending champions given the uncertainty surrounding many of the chasing pack.
‘I don’t see any other club but Arsenal getting the Premier League again,’ he said. ‘Mainly because we don’t know what’s going to happen with Manchester City, Pep’s going. We don’t know what is happening with Liverpool. Yes, they have the players; they have the individuals to win something, but we were talking about the chemistry, and if you don’t have that, it’s going to be a problem. Manchester United – what’s Michael Carrick going to do with them, especially with the Champions League as well? Yes, Chelsea can go in there and can fight. But Arsenal are so settled and everyone else has been so inconsistent.’
Without the added fixture load of European football, Alonso should be afforded plenty of time on the training pitch with his new squad next season. And as such, Leboeuf believes that the Blues should be targeting an instant return to the top four in their first season under Alonso.
‘I would say in the first four of the Premier League would be great, with also either the FA Cup or the League Cup title,’ he added. ‘That would be great. That would be a very good season for Alonso, I would say.’
