Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has spoken about the intensity of the Premier League, his team’s defensive concerns, the importance of giving attacking players creative freedom and Cole Palmer’s preferred role as a central attacking midfielder.
Washington: Chelsea have made a positive start to the 2026–27 Premier League season, collecting 16 points from nine matches to sit fourth in the standings. In an interview shared by JioStar, Alonso discussed the challenges of competing in English football and the areas his team needs to improve as the season progresses.
Q: How would you describe the demands of the Premier League, and how has the competition influenced your team’s preparations?
Xabi Alonso: The Premier League is an extremely demanding competition. I knew that before joining Chelsea, but experiencing it first-hand gives you a different understanding of the quality of the teams and players. Every match presents a different challenge. There are no easy fixtures, whether you are playing a title contender or a team fighting to avoid relegation.
You have to approach every game with complete concentration. You cannot switch off for a moment because the quality across the league will punish you. That is what makes English football so competitive. It keeps you alert and pushes you to improve every week.
As a coaching staff, we have to study every opponent carefully and ensure that our players are prepared both mentally and physically. The schedule is demanding, but that is part of the challenge. We have a squad with quality and depth, and managing those resources properly will be important throughout the season.
Q: Chelsea have conceded a number of goals this season. What do you think is behind the defensive problems?
Xabi Alonso: There is no single reason why we have conceded so many goals, but improving defensively is certainly one of our priorities. We are working on it and making progress, although we need to become more consistent and understand that conceding fewer goals is essential.
We have been working on our defensive shape and positioning without the ball. Many of the goals we have conceded have resulted from small mistakes rather than the opposition completely breaking through our defence. That gives us confidence that we can correct these problems.
We need to stay compact, win our individual battles and make better decisions in the final third. The players understand their responsibilities and are taking ownership.
Defending is not just the job of the back four. It starts with the attacking players, how they press and how quickly they recover possession. It may be impossible to prevent every goal, but reducing the number we concede is absolutely achievable. If the entire team gets its defensive responsibilities right, the clean sheets will follow.
Q: How important is it to give attacking players the freedom to express themselves on the pitch?
Xabi Alonso: It is about finding the right balance between freedom and discipline. Players need the freedom to express themselves, but they must also understand what the team requires from them.
Our attacking players have an important role, and when they enjoy their football, the team generally performs better. That gives us a stronger chance of winning matches.
However, freedom cannot mean playing without structure. There have to be clear instructions and control. Some players provide stability, while others bring creativity and the ability to produce something unexpected.
Players like Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Estevao are important to us. We need their creativity and attacking qualities, while ensuring that the team maintains its overall balance.
Q: Where do you see Cole Palmer’s best position in the Chelsea team?
Xabi Alonso: For me, Cole Palmer is at his best as a central attacking midfielder. When he receives the ball between the opposition’s midfield and defensive lines, particularly behind the forwards, he can make a real difference.
From that position, he can deliver the final pass, take on defenders, score goals and make intelligent runs into the box. His ability to operate between the lines is one of his greatest strengths.
He can receive the ball on the half-turn and eliminate two or three defenders with a single pass. He also knows when to arrive in the penalty area. That is a special quality, and we have to make sure he gets the ball in those positions.
Our midfielders and defenders must recognise those opportunities and find him quickly. Once Cole receives the ball in the right areas, he becomes extremely difficult for opponents to contain.
We have a strong attacking line, but we also need stability behind it to connect the different parts of the team. Cole contributes to that balance as well. He works hard without the ball, closes down spaces and helps link the play. His contribution goes beyond creating chances and scoring goals.
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