Three key factors why Chelsea are struggling under Alonso

By Amaechi Agbo

Chelsea’s entertaining start to the 2026–27 Premier League campaign has quickly hit a familiar, chaotic roadblocks. Following a 2-2 draw with Hull City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday – which came after they lost 2-1 to champions Arsenal in the previous game –  manager Xabi Alonso publicly admitted his unhappiness with a “soft” side that is heavily struggling for basic defensive control.

While the Blues are among the most lethal teams going forward, having scored 10 goals in just four league games, they have conceded nine times already. Even more concerning, Chelsea have shipped two or more goals in each of their opening four league matches for the first time in 11 years.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson labeled the defensive frailties as Alonso’s biggest “worry”. So, what exactly is going wrong under the new boss?

Chronic Tactical Tinkering

Alonso, who arrived in July 2026 on a four-year contract, is still searching for his signature identity in West London. The manager changed formations in three successive matches leading up to the weekend. Against Hull City, Alonso rolled out a fluid 3-4-3 shape that backfired in the first half, allowing Mohamed Belloumi to slice through for a brace.

The systemic inconsistency has left players unsure of their positioning, leading to reactive and uncoordinated defending.

Lack of midfield control

The absence of a robust defensive shield has left the backline entirely exposed. With Moisés Caicedo out as Alonso manages his return cautiously, the midfield pairing of Reece James and Roméo Lavia has fundamentally struggled to cover vast spaces and track late opposing runners.

Without that screen, opponents find it all too easy to hit Chelsea on the counter-attack, forcing heavy pressure onto the centre-backs.

Individual errors

Alonso hasn’t hesitated to make drastic changes when things go wrong, but it may be harming squad confidence. Against Hull, new signing Jorrel Hato was ruthlessly hooked at half-time for “tactical reasons”. High-profile names like Maxence Lacroix have found themselves benched, while others have become lightning rods for supporter frustrations.

It isn’t all doom and gloom. Chelsea’s attacking machinery is firing on all cylinders. Morgan Rogers and João Pedro both found the net against Hull, Cole Palmer remains a world-class focal point, and winger Pedro Neto has been playing well enough to earn a contract extension.

However, as Alonso himself noted, a revamped squad and a completely fresh coaching staff require patience. “We need to be more solid and be more controlled,” Alonso urged after the match. “This is the process.”

With a tricky away fixture against Brentford scheduled for September 18, Alonso has less than a week to patch the leaks before Chelsea risk falling too far behind the Premier League’s elite while still in the morning.