The primary issue is the absence of midfielder Moises Caicedo.<\/p>\n
The Ecuador international is out with an unspecified injury for an unknown period after breaking down just 11 minutes into a substitute appearance against Brighton<\/a> last week.<\/p>\n It has left Alonso in almost uncharted territory for a Chelsea<\/a> boss. Aside from suspensions, Caicedo had missed only two matches during the previous three seasons, through a knock and illness.<\/p>\n Asked about Caicedo, Alonso said: “Not longer term, but it is about assessing the risk. Probably last week we brought him back too early and I don’t want to make the same mistake again.”<\/p>\n It remains unclear whether Chelsea<\/a> had concerns over Caicedo’s fitness while pursuing several central midfielders on transfer deadline day.<\/p>\n Monaco pulled the plug on Chelsea<\/a>‘s \u00a347m move for Lamine Camara at the last minute, leaving officials at Stamford Bridge furious.<\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> also had bids of up to \u00a364m rejected for Bournemouth<\/a>‘s Alex Scott earlier in the summer and were prevented from signing France international Manu Kone after Roma head coach Gian Piero Gasperini blocked the move.<\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> said they pursued Camara because of a market opportunity, adding that they were satisfied with their summer business and retained faith in their current options.<\/p>\n That was despite selling Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City<\/a> for a joint British-record fee of \u00a3125m on deadline day, without signing a direct replacement.<\/p>\n However, Caicedo’s absence means he joins Jordan Henderson on the sidelines, with the England international still recovering from a broken arm suffered after falling over an advertising hoarding while an unused substitute at the World Cup.<\/p>\n Natural midfielder Valentin Barco, who joined from Strasbourg in the summer, has been overlooked in favour of Gusto in all three of Chelsea<\/a>‘s Premier League matches.<\/p>\n With Gusto starting in midfield, Chelsea<\/a> recorded 25.6% possession in last weekend’s 4-3 victory over Brighton<\/a>, their lowest figure since records began in 2003-04.<\/p>\n