New system, same problems - Alonso not happy with 'soft' Chelsea
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Chelsea's defensive frailties were laid bare once again in a 2-2 home stalemate against Hull, marking the first occasion in 11 years that the Blues have let in at least two goals across their opening four league fixtures. Despite boasting 10 goals this term, only Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace have shipped more than their nine, while a 20-game league streak without a clean sheet dating to January represents their poorest defensive run in 65 years.
The hosts scored through Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro—both setups involving Cole Palmer—but lapses by Jorrel Hato, who was substituted tactically at the break, and a poorly defended corner that yielded Mohamed Belloumi's second strike forced the home side to share the points.
Xabi Alonso, who experimented with three distinct tactical formations across games against Arsenal, Leeds, and Hull, voiced frustration over his team being overly fragile in challenges and lacking control during transitions. Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic hailed Chelsea shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez as the standout performer after vital saves thwarted Oli McBurnie, Mohamed-Ali Cho, and Lucas Herrington.
Alonso defended deploying a four-man backline that featured Malo Gusto, maintaining that the adjustments were intended to complement player profiles rather than serve as a quick remedy for an ongoing structural issue.
