{"id":874354,"date":"2026-08-30T23:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T23:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/874354\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T23:06:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T23:06:24","slug":"chelsea-hold-off-brighton-in-4-3-win-but-remain-chaotic-under-xabi-alonso-premier-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/874354\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea hold off Brighton in 4-3 win but remain chaotic under Xabi Alonso | Premier League"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the fullness of time Chelsea\u2019s surrender against Brighton in April <\/a>may be seen as the turning point. The humiliation accelerated Liam \u00adRosenior\u2019s demise and forced the Stamford Bridge hierarchy into a \u00adreckoning leading to the appointment of Xabi Alonso, a shift in \u00adtransfer \u00adstrategy, the birth of the JP\u00a0Morgan front three and the end of \u00adRobert\u00a0S\u00e1nchez\u2019s time in goal.<\/p>\n

For now, though, the argument that Emiliano Mart\u00ednez is the final piece in the jigsaw seems a touch \u00adpremature. With seven goals scored and five conceded while winning their first two league games, it is not hard to see where Chelsea<\/a> need to improve in order to sustain a title challenge. They have to be savvier when ahead, and although the good has so far outweighed the bad Alonso could do with his side not dropping their guard when they have the \u00adopposition on the ropes.<\/p>\n

Alonso\u2019s cool disappeared as \u00adChelsea\u2019s focus dipped after they went 3-0 up against an injury\u2011hit Brighton inside 32 minutes. \u00adStamford Bridge was anxious when a Jo\u00e3o\u00a0Pedro own\u2011goal cut the \u00adadvantage to one just after the hour.\u00a0Alonso was \u00adshouting at his bench and it was only when Cole Palmer scored with 16\u00a0minutes left that calm was restored.<\/p>\n

Xabi Alonso has won his first two league games as Chelsea manager, but neither have been what you would call relaxing. Photograph: David Klein\/Reuters<\/p>\n

Not for long, mind you, given that Brighton still managed to grab a consolation through Pascal Gross deep into added time.<\/p>\n

It was that kind of game, Mart\u00ednez conceding three despite playing well on his debut after joining from Aston\u00a0Villa for \u00a37.5m. \u201cWe can hurt teams,\u201d the Argentina goalkeeper said. \u201cAt the back, we need to bring the goals down.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alonso agreed. Chelsea have been thrilling in transition \u2013 they beat Fulham with 37% possession last Monday and had only 26% against Brighton \u2013 but they must tighten up when they visit Arsenal next Sunday.<\/p>\n

Equally, few sights will be more captivating this season than Palmer combining with Jo\u00e3o Pedro and \u00adMorgan Rogers in attack. Palmer looks refreshed after a summer off and Chelsea will be dangerous when games turn into shootouts. They have so many ways to score. The hope is that there will be more stability with Mart\u00ednez in position.<\/p>\n

Alonso did not hesitate to start Mart\u00ednez, even though the \u00adArgentinian lacks match \u00adpractice and joined on Friday. \u201cHe felt ready,\u201d Alonso said of Mart\u00ednez, the first 30\u2011something player to start for \u00adChelsea since \u00adThiago Silva in May\u00a02024. \u201cWe will feel his \u00adpresence because he has this charisma, this aura to influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chelsea, again in a 3-4-2-1 system, are getting serious. S\u00e1nchez was not even on the bench against his old side and needs to leave. There was a huge ovation for Mart\u00ednez before kick\u2011off and it was followed by the focus switching to Brighton\u2019s No\u00a01 in the fourth minute, a handling error from Bart Verbruggen allowing Rom\u00e9o Lavia to put Chelsea ahead after Mats\u00a0Wieffer had cleared a Jo\u00e3o\u00a0Pedro header off the line from a corner.<\/p>\n

It was a lovely moment for Lavia. It was four years to the day since the Belgian\u2019s last goal, against Chelsea coincidentally enough. His luck with injuries is hopefully turning.<\/p>\n

Rom\u00e9o Lavia was on hand to punish Bart Verbruggen\u2019s early handling error and put Chelsea 1-0 up. Photograph: Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Lavia starting his second consecutive league game was important with Chelsea light in midfield. Mois\u00e9s Caicedo limped off after coming on in\u00a0the second half, Reece James started on the bench and Enzo\u00a0\u00adFern\u00e1ndez was off \u00adpining for a move to \u00adManchester City, so Malo\u00a0Gusto moved in from right wing-back to partner Lavia.<\/p>\n

Chelsea\u2019s selection issues were nothing compared to Brighton\u2019s problems, though. Fabian H\u00fcrzeler did not use the absence of Jack Hinshelwood, Yasin Ayari, Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh as an excuse, but it had an impact.<\/p>\n

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Chelsea were rampant. Rogers \u00adcontinued his fine start after joining from Villa, creating the second goal with a powerful surge away from Luka\u00a0Vuskovic in the 14th\u00a0\u00adminute. Brighton were caught cold by a throw\u2011in and Rogers crossed for Pedro Neto to score.<\/p>\n

Linked with a move away this summer, Neto has been repurposed by Alonso as a wing-back and was bright. Jo\u00e3o Pedro missed a chance after strong pressing from the \u00adPortugal international. The away end jeered but Jo\u00e3o Pedro converted his next opportunity, when a Rogers flick sent\u00a0Jorrel Hato flying down the left to set the former Brighton striker up.<\/p>\n

Jo\u00e3o Pedro rather summed up Chelsea\u2019s start under Xabi Alonso with a goal, an assist and an own goal. Photograph: Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Chelsea\u2019s mistake was thinking it was over. Brighton responded before half\u2011time, Malick Yalcouy\u00e9 \u00advolleying in after Mart\u00ednez made a brave block from \u00adCharalampos\u00a0\u00adKostoulas. \u201cThey showed belief in their quality,\u201d \u00adH\u00fcrzeler said of his players.<\/p>\n

The German thought Brighton deserved more. Chelsea were wobbling when Jo\u00e3o Pedro diverted a Gross cross past Mart\u00ednez. Diego G\u00f3mez then lashed a shot wide and Mart\u00ednez denied Olivier Boscagli the equaliser.<\/p>\n

Alonso needed his big players to step up. Palmer, who had earlier sidefooted over from close range, delivered when he took a Jo\u00e3o\u00a0Pedro flick and bent a shot past Verbruggen. Chelsea will be anything but dull.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the fullness of time Chelsea\u2019s surrender against Brighton in April may be seen as the turning point.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":874355,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[563],"tags":[64,63,596,85],"class_list":["post-874354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-football","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=874354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874354\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/874355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=874354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=874354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=874354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}