Chelsea lose 1-0 to Sunderland for Stadium of Light, and di defeat don make Xabi Alonso frustration clear as di team continue to struggle for identity under am. For di first time dis season, Chelsea line up with three-man midfield, but dem still no get recognised striker for second match in a row, and Pedro Neto again struggle to lead di line.
Sunderland, wey also dey struggle, use target man Brian Brobbey well. Brobbey win penalty for 36th minute after Levi Colwill bring am down, and Enzo le Fee convert di only goal from di spot.
Di penalty come moments after Chelsea think dem suppose get penalty when Cole Palmer go down under challenge from Luke O’Nien. But di video assistant referee rule say contact start outside di box. Di two incidents in quick succession make Alonso and im coaching staff look angry for touchline after Sunderland goal.
But Alonso refuse to criticise di officials after di game. Instead, him give brief answers wey change subject and criticise im players for not carrying out di gameplan well. When dem ask am whether Brobbey na unstoppable, Alonso, 44, tok say Brobbey no be unstoppable, but Chelsea suppose defend di situation better than dem do.
Alonso add say out of almost nothing Brobbey get chances and penalty, and him no happy with how dem defend di situation. Him talk say na something wey dem work on during di week, and say to concede penalties no good for Chelsea.
Di defeat leave Levi Colwill with nowhere to hide. Dem substitute am at half-time, and Moises Caicedo fill in at centre-back even though him barely complete a full training session all week and dem need careful management of im fitness issues. Chelsea also create few clear chances. Aside from headed opportunity wey £117m signing Morgan Rogers squander, Palmer also struggle days after dem leave am out of England squad.
Before season start, Alonso talk say him want Chelsea to dey “unpredictable”. Although injuries dey beyond im control, im side don achieve unpredictability but to dia own detriment. Only Tottenham don make more line-up changes than Chelsea for Premier League dis season, with 28 against Chelsea 24. For early part of campaign, Chelsea at least get settled and exciting front three of Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Palmer.
