Xabi Alonso’s Premier League managerial debut kicked off with an absolute banger, a five-goal thriller where Chelsea snatched a win over rivals Fulham! And get this, it took just 31 seconds for Joao Pedro to get the party started, slipped in by Cole Palmer, with the Brazilian deftly dinking Bernd Leno. What a way to launch the Alonso era, right?
Debut Dreams and Playmaking Surprises
This game felt wild from the jump, and frankly, a couple of new faces absolutely brought it for Chelsea. We’re talking about centre-back Maxence Lacroix, who wasn’t just solid in defense but seriously stepped up when Chelsea needed to flip the script. He looked like a straight-up playmaker, sending his man, pulling a ball back from the byline, and setting up fellow debutant Morgan Rogers for a simple slot-home goal. Seriously, Lacroix turning into a maestro out there for Rogers’ debut goal? That’s the stuff you dream about. Then, after the break, Palmer came through again, slotting one right through Bernd Leno’s legs to give the Blues some breathing room. What a performance from Lacroix, earning an 8/10, and Rogers, who sealed a debut goal!
Sanchez’s Shocker and Defensive Woes
But hold up, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. While the attack was cooking, Chelsea’s defense had some major brain farts, especially Robert Sanchez. The guy looked his notoriously unreliable self. He bafflingly let Josh King beat him at his near post for Fulham’s first goal, flipping the whole game on its head. And then, after parrying Castagne’s shot straight into the danger area, he gifted Gonzalo Garcia a way back into the contest. A late save on Sessegnon barely kept his rating from hitting rock bottom, but a 4/10 says it all. Levi Colwill, too, had a shaky night, getting booked early and misjudging a ball that led to Fulham’s second. Josh Acheampong had a huge block at 1-1, which was critical, but the defensive sloppiness has got to be a concern for Alonso moving forward.
Reece James, on the other hand, was out there mopping up possession, composed in midfield, and pushing the team forward, earning himself a 7/10 despite getting booked. Malo Gusto had an unremarkable night, and Romeo Lavia rated a 5, but honestly, the headlines here are all about the two debutants making a massive impact and Sanchez’s nightmare in net. This win means Alonso gets off to a perfect start, but the team’s going to need to tighten things up in the back if they want to keep this early momentum rolling. Can they build on this debut magic and sort out the defensive jitters? We’ll find out soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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