Chelsea suffered their first defeat under Xabi Alonso on Sunday, falling 2-1 to champions Arsenal at the Emirates, in a match that raised fresh questions about the depth of their midfield despite a summer outlay of £349m.
The most striking image from the closing stages was two players who began their careers as right-backs, Reece James and Malo Gusto, operating together in central midfield. It was James who lost track of Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard as he struck the winning goal, though the England international otherwise put in a solid shift, having spent nearly half of last season deployed in midfield roles.
Alonso had spoken before the game of his belief that James could develop into one of the world's best midfielders. But the manner of Arsenal's winner, coupled with a lack of attacking spark from Chelsea's substitutes, underlined the fragility of the club's options in that area once Gusto came on to replace Romeo Lavia in the second half.
Former player Ashley Young, speaking to BBC Sport, pointed to the issue directly.