Maxence Lacroix Chelsea tactical analysis: How he fits Xabi Alonso's 3-4-2-1
Xabi Alonso's Premier League arrival at Craven Cottage delivered the sort of box-office theatre the Stamford Bridge board paid for.
A breathless 3-2 victory over Fulham saw Morgan Rogers open his Chelsea account, ensuring the back-page headlines focused on Alonso's new-look front line and the attacking talent at his disposal.
Beneath the headlines surrounding Rogers’ debut goal and Cole Palmer's influence, another tactical detail emerged from the way the Blues built their attacks, writes Sports News Blitz’s Joseph Kan’gethe.
While Maxence Lacroix rarely commands the spotlight, his composure demonstrated one of the clearest clues of how Alonso wants Chelsea to play.
The French defender's ability to carry the ball into advanced areas helped Chelsea move attacks forward, even playing a part in Rogers' goal.
So why was a centre-back finding himself involved in Chelsea's attacking play?
Lacroix’s performance vs the Cottagers offered a perfect first look at how Alonso's 3-4-2-1 transforms a defender into an attacking outlet.
How Maxcence Lacroix influenced Chelsea's build-up vs Fulham
Alonso's Chelsea debut offered an early glimpse of his tactical ideas, with Lacroix anchoring the back-three.
Operating at the heart of the defence, Lacroix gave Chelsea another way to build from deep.
He provided the cover behind Chelsea's build-up, with Levi Colwill to his left and Josh Acheampong to his right.
While Colwill and Acheampong often moved wider to open passing lanes, Lacroix held his position deeper, giving Chelsea a safe passing option in deeper areas without leaving the defence exposed.
He stayed deep when Fulham pushed up the pitch, then stepped forward when their first wave of pressure left more room to advance.
Lacroix completed 44 of his 45 attempted passes, achieving a 97% passing accuracy that kept the build-up secure.
The forward runs that the Frenchman made gave Chelsea another way to move the ball into Fulham's half and forced the Cottagers to adjust their defensive shape.
Fulham's forwards could no longer shadow Chelsea's midfielders. They had to step out to close Lacroix down, leaving more space for the Blues to play higher up the pitch.
It was a masterclass build-up from the back, allowing the Blues to move the ball forward with purpose and precision.
Lacroix's influence was not limited to helping Chelsea escape pressure, as one of his forward runs could soon have a direct impact on the scoreline.
Why Lacroix's run created the Morgan Rogers goal
The structure Alonso gave Chelsea allowed Lacroix to step out from the defence and become an unexpected threat in the final third.
The move began with Palmer dropping into space on the half-turn, giving him time to spot Lacroix advancing from deep and play the ball into his path.
Lacroix carried the ball inside Fulham's box, forcing Fulham's defenders to step towards him and creating space for Rogers to attack.
Lacroix timed his run well before delivering a sharp, low cut-back.
The pass found Rogers, who had held his run before attacking the space left behind Fulham's retreating defenders.
Rogers found himself unmarked before calmly sweeping the ball into the Cottagers’ net, marking a superb start to his Chelsea career.
The goal was more than a great assist for Lacroix. It offered an early glimpse of how Alonso can use a centre-back in attack, a role that Edmond Tapsoba had become familiar with during Alonso's time at Bayer Leverkusen.
Rogers' goal showed what Lacroix could produce on one attacking move, but his forward movement had a wider effect on the way Chelsea occupied the pitch.
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Lacroix's forward movement gives Chelsea an extra attacking player
Lacroix's forward movement allowed Chelsea's 3-4-2-1 to become more aggressive in possession, with more players able to push into the final third.
The Frenchman's decision to step out from the back line allowed Chelsea to temporarily operate with a back two behind the ball while he moved to midfield.
This forward positioning relied on Colwill and Acheampong providing cover at the back, giving Chelsea protection against Fulham's counter-attacks.
With Lacroix taking responsibility for moving the ball forward, Chelsea's midfielders were free to push higher up the pitch.
This idea reflected a principle Alonso used at Bayer Leverkusen, where his centre-backs were often encouraged to step forward from the defence and help overload the midfield.
By sending Lacroix forward during the secondary phase of the build-up, Chelsea could create a five-man attacking line and put pressure on Fulham's defence.
That continuous movement created numerical advantages around Fulham's defence, making it harder for them to track Chelsea's attacking players.
Lacroix's ability to push forward changed Chelsea's attacking shape, turning possession into wave after wave of pressure that Fulham struggled to contain.
Lacroix's movement also changed the positions available to Chelsea's attacking players, giving Palmer, Rogers and Joao Pedro more room to influence the game.
Lacroix's role redefines the impact of Palmer, Rogers and Joao Pedro
Lacroix's ability to carry the ball forward gives Chelsea's front line more freedom to occupy dangerous positions.
Because the Frenchman regularly steps forward to move the ball up the pitch, Chelsea's creative players do not have to drop deep to get involved in the build-up.
They can instead remain in the attacking half where they are more dangerous.
Palmer, in particular, gets more freedom to drift between the lines unmarked to orchestrate attacks.
Rogers also gets the green light to attack the opponent's defence, using his pace and power to drive into the penalty area without being closely tracked.
Further forward, Joao Pedro is free to move away from his static centre-forward position, drifting wide or dropping deep to create passing triangles while Chelsea still have bodies in the penalty area.
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Lacroix's tactical importance under Alonso
The tactical exhibition against Fulham offered an early indication of how Lacroix could shape Chelsea's development under Alonso.
While his performance was eye-catching, his true value will materialise against the stubborn defensive low blocks that regularly frustrate the Premier League's best sides.
In those tight games, a centre-back capable of stepping into midfield and playing sharp passes through the opposition lines could give Chelsea another way to unlock a packed defence.
As Alonso's ideas are likely to become more familiar to the squad, Lacroix's responsibilities are likely to grow with them.
The long-term challenge will be balancing Lacroix's attacking freedom with his defensive responsibilities when Chelsea lose possession and opponents counter-attack.
If he can maintain that discipline while acting as an extra playmaker, he can transform Chelsea's build-up play.
He may not always command the back-page headlines or match the numbers of Chelsea's attacking stars, but his ability to influence the game from back could make him an important player of Alonso's project at Stamford Bridge.
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