Xabi Alonso's first match in charge of Chelsea ended in victory, but not before his goalkeeper's errors gave pundits reason to question whether the Blues can mount a genuine title challenge with Robert Sanchez between the posts.
Chelsea beat Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage in a game that showcased the attacking talent at Alonso's disposal, with Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and new signing Morgan Rogers all finding the net. Yet the afternoon was also marked by defensive lapses, with Sanchez directly at fault for both Fulham goals.
Josh King levelled the match after Pedro's opener, beating Sanchez with a shot from a tight angle that appeared to catch the goalkeeper off guard. Then, in the second half, Sanchez failed to hold onto a Timothy Castagne effort, parrying the ball straight into the path of Gonzalo Garcia, who tapped in the rebound without difficulty. Chelsea held on for the win, but the result did little to ease concerns about the club's goalkeeping situation.
Speaking after the match, Alonso chose to protect his goalkeeper rather than single him out for criticism. "It's not about talking about individuals, their situations. It's about understanding what it takes," the Spaniard said. "For sure, the first goal we can do better than that. But it's a process. It's day one. And normally it's easier to learn with three points."
Alonso also stressed the defensive discipline his side will need going forward. "To win games away you need to roll up your sleeves, fight and defend your goal, and it's something we need to do for the future," he said. "It's a good first day for us."
Not everyone was as forgiving. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher warned that Chelsea's goalkeeping issue could derail their season. "They have to sort the goalkeeper issue out because it's going to come back to haunt them this season, as it did tonight," Carragher said, adding that recent Premier League champions have all relied on top-tier goalkeepers. "Chelsea will never win the league with Sanchez in goal - impossible, it can't happen."
Gary Neville echoed those concerns, suggesting Chelsea may need to move quickly in the transfer market. "I don't know if Emi Martinez is available or not, but someone like that needs to come in at Chelsea, because that will undermine everything they do," Neville said. He described the goalkeeping position as one that carries immense pressure and warned that continued errors could unravel Alonso's broader plans. "I think in the next seven or eight days, Alonso may have to just make a decision that he needs to bring in an experienced goalkeeper, because his job is to be successful for Chelsea."
Despite the defensive concerns, Alonso was encouraged by the understanding shown between his attacking players, with Palmer and Joao Pedro combining to assist each other's goals. Still, the new manager was careful not to suggest his entire system would revolve around his most gifted individuals. "They are going to be a very important part of the team," Alonso explained. "To build around them, no. To build the team with them... They need to take responsibility, they need to lead the rest, they need to inspire the rest, because if they do great, the other ones will follow."
Elsewhere, Alonso addressed his midfield selection, with Romeo Lavia partnering Reece James in the absence of the injured Moises Caicedo, while Enzo Fernandez was used from the bench. "We have different options, players that during the pre-season came in different stages, so all the players will play an important role," Alonso said. "This is about the team, this is about the squad. It's not just that you have 14 players; we need 20 [players] to compete this season."
Based on reporting from Independent Football and Standard Football.