Chelsea warned they cannot sustain season with Xabi Alonso's open defence
Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has warned that Xabi Alonso’s side cannot sustain a full season playing the way they currently are defensively.
The Blues have looked vulnerable at the back under Alonso, with the former Real Madrid manager opting to use a back three since taking charge.
Leboeuf believes Chelsea’s defensive structure needs to change, particularly with Wesley Fofana struggling to look comfortable in the system.
Maxence Lacroix Chelsea tactical analysis: How he fits in 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.
Premier League news: Man Utd go third after Benjamin Sesko sinks Crystal Palace at Old Trafford
Manchester United edged past Crystal Palace thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Šeško doing the damage for the hosts.
Maxence Lacroix had given Palace the lead in the first half, but it was not enough for Oliver Glasner’s troops as United found their footing in the second period to take the three points.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Robert Bore reviews the action.