Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has urged his players to learn from their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, insisting the setback will be an important part of their development as they attempt to close the gap on the Premier League champions.
The Blues had made an impressive start under Alonso, recording high-scoring victories over Fulham and Brighton in the Premier League before also defeating Luton Town in the League Cup.
However, Chelsea faced a much tougher test against an Arsenal side that had won their opening three matches of the league campaign.
Chelsea made a dream start when Morgan Rogers fired them ahead after just 77 seconds, but Arsenal quickly settled into the contest and turned the game around.
More Read
Kai Havertz levelled the score before Martin Odegaard completed Arsenal’s comeback with the winning goal after the interval.
The defeat highlighted Chelsea’s defensive weaknesses, with Alonso’s side now having conceded seven goals in their opening three Premier League matches.
Their attacking threat was also largely neutralised after Rogers’ early strike as Arsenal gradually took control of the contest.
More Read
Speaking after the match, Alonso said the defeat had provided valuable lessons for his developing Chelsea team.
“I learnt about the game, about us, about what we are doing, what we are starting,” Alonso said.
“This is a process. It’s still early days for us. We want to start having clean sheets. They will come.
“The players are committed to working hard, to knowing that we’re on the way to compete in each game. Not happy that we couldn’t get anything but we need to keep calm and carry on.”
The loss was Alonso’s first in four matches in all competitions since he took charge during the close season.
The former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss admitted he was frustrated by Chelsea’s inability to build on their early advantage.
“It hurts because a defeat has to hurt. It was a very intense game. We had chances to equalise,” he said.
“After we scored, there were 15 or 20 minutes where we had to defend too much and we were struggling a bit to get control.
“Overall, it was a very tight, very intense game.
More Read
“We could do better with the second goal. You need to control the overloads on the right side.”
Alonso: Chelsea Must Keep Improving
Despite the disappointment, Alonso believes the experience will help his players as they continue adapting to his methods.
“The players have this attitude, this desire to compete better game by game to create something we believe in,” he said.
“It’s game three and this is going to be a long, long ride.”
While Chelsea are still in the early stages of Alonso’s rebuild, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has had seven years to develop his squad and establish his playing philosophy.
The Gunners finally ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, and the lifting of that pressure appears to have given Arteta’s side greater freedom at the beginning of the new campaign.
Arsenal recovered impressively after conceding the early goal, with Arteta particularly pleased by the way his players responded.
“It wasn’t the right start but we certainly reacted in an amazing way. I enjoyed the way we competed. We took risks, it was a joy to watch,” Arteta said.
“Chelsea have a great coach who can set them up in great condition. We constrained them well. Overall, it was an incredible performance.
“We are very happy and we need to continue to raise the bar and look to improve every single time.
“We need to enjoy the victory because it was a big one today.”
Odegaard Impresses Again
Martin Odegaard was once again at the centre of Arsenal’s success, continuing his strong start to the campaign after an inconsistent previous season affected by injuries.
The Norway international has now scored three goals in four matches across all competitions, including the Community Shield.
Arteta believes the midfielder is benefiting from greater stability and consistency in his personal and professional life.
“I think he is enjoying his football,” Arteta said.
“His personal life is settled, he is available, he is training, he has his routine and if he is intelligent, he can take a lot of benefits from the players around him.
“He was outstanding today.”
For Chelsea, the defeat represents an early warning rather than a crisis. Alonso’s side have shown attacking quality in their opening fixtures, but the performance against Arsenal demonstrated the level of organisation, discipline and consistency required if they are to challenge the Premier League’s leading sides.
With the season still in its early stages, Alonso will now look for his players to turn Sunday’s disappointment into a valuable lesson as Chelsea continue their long-term rebuild.
