Chelsea’s Scoring Slump Deepens as Pressure Mounts on Xabi Alonso

After a blistering start to the campaign that saw them net 15 goals in their opening six matches, Chelsea have managed just four in the four league fixtures since.

The numbers paint a troubling picture of the Blues’ form under Xabi Alonso, with the side looking decidedly ordinary across almost every area of the pitch so far this season.

The video clip below breaks down Chelsea’s underlying xG numbers, showing how the individual brilliance of players such as Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro papered over early cracks while the team significantly overperformed relative to the quality of chances Alonso’s side were actually creating.

Taken as a whole, Chelsea no longer appear to be making the progress many anticipated under a manager of Alonso’s reputation.

Alonso worked wonders at Bayer Leverkusen, yet there were arguably warning signs during his short spell in charge of Real Madrid, and the same struggles now seem to be following him to Stamford Bridge.

Alonso’s start trails even Liam Rosenior’s

Alonso was appointed in the wake of Liam Rosenior’s underwhelming tenure, but the Spaniard has actually made a slower start than the man he replaced.

Admittedly it is only ten games into his reign, but Chelsea’s points return over that span sits only narrowly above that of Graham Potter, who likewise failed to survive long at the club.

Chelsea are known for their impatience and their willingness to cycle through managers, so the question remains: can Alonso turn things around, or are we already witnessing the early signs of a project destined to fail?

Source link