Chelsea's blistering early-season form has been built on a habit of scoring in a hurry, and new signing Morgan Rogers insists the credit belongs with head coach Xabi Alonso.
The Blues produced another emphatic demonstration of their fast-start philosophy against Bournemouth, racing into a 2-0 lead inside the opening two minutes and 29 seconds before adding a third just 29 seconds after the restart in a 5-1 victory. It was far from an isolated incident, with Chelsea having repeatedly shown an appetite for seizing control of matches in their very first moments and again immediately after the break throughout the campaign under Alonso.
Rogers, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in a club-record £117million deal, got in on the act himself by netting Chelsea's rapid second goal against Bournemouth. Speaking afterwards, he was quick to point to his manager's influence rather than any individual brilliance from the players.
"I put it down to the manager's team talks," Rogers said. "He gets us firing, gets us going. We always want to start off on the front foot. It is about starting well and getting the lead."
The winger went further, explaining how the pattern has become something of a trademark for this Chelsea side, particularly in front of their own supporters.
"A lot of games, especially at home, we have won after jumping on the back of early goals," he added. "It's a good trait to have which we need to keep doing."
For his part, Alonso has been reluctant to accept praise for the tactic, choosing instead to deflect attention away from his own methods. After the win over Bournemouth, the Spaniard simply remarked, "No credit to me," downplaying any suggestion that his pre-match preparation or half-time instructions are specifically engineered to produce such explosive starts.
Yet Rogers' comments suggest otherwise, painting a picture of a dressing room energized by Alonso's words before kick-off and again during the interval. The 23-year-old's willingness to credit his coach reflects a broader sense within the squad that the manager's messaging is translating directly into on-field results, particularly in those crucial opening exchanges of each half when games can often be decided.
The approach has paid dividends on multiple occasions this season, with Chelsea using early goals as a springboard to dominate matches and wear down opponents who are forced to chase the game from the outset. Against Bournemouth, that strategy was on full display, as the home side's early double blow set the tone for what would become a comprehensive 5-1 triumph.
With Rogers now firmly established as one of the key attacking contributors following his big-money move, his early impact—both in terms of goals scored and his willingness to highlight the manager's role—signals a growing understanding between player and coach. Whether or not Alonso continues to deflect credit, his players appear convinced that his words are playing a decisive part in Chelsea's habit of starting matches like a house on fire.
As the season progresses, Chelsea will hope to maintain this trend of fast starts, with Rogers and his teammates eager to keep exploiting the psychological and tactical advantage that comes from scoring first—and scoring quickly.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.