Coach Xabi Alonso's debut as Chelsea captain closed with a 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers. However, the result only reflects a part of what the London team showed. This performance also partly reveals how the Spanish strategist will build Chelsea in the new season.
The brightest star on the field is Joao Pedro. The Brazilian striker scored a hat-trick in just 9 minutes, making a great contribution to helping Chelsea overwhelm the A-League representative. After missing the opportunity to participate in the 2026 World Cup with the Brazilian national team, Joao Pedro showed determination to regain his position with a performance full of speed, strength and sharp finishing ability.
Alonso praised his student when affirming that Joao Pedro is very eager to prove himself and aims for an explosive season.
Besides Joao Pedro, young talent Dastan Satpaev also left his mark when he scored his first goal under Alonso after only 6 minutes of play. The 17-year-old Kazakh striker has not yet officially become a Chelsea player due to waiting to complete the transfer from FC Kairat on August 12.
Meanwhile, Liam Delap continues to disappoint. The striker who was once recruited by The Blues for 30 million pounds has not been able to regain confidence and is facing the risk of being pushed away this summer.
Chelsea is therefore promoting negotiations to bring Danny Welbeck to Stamford Bridge. The 35-year-old striker is seen as an option to add experience to the attack, while the team is also pursuing Jordan Henderson to strengthen his bravery and leadership ability in midfield.
When asked about the plan to recruit older players, Alonso emphasized that Chelsea needs to build a balanced squad instead of just focusing on youth.
I am sure that from today until the last day of the transfer window, there will be a lot of rumors and speculation. Therefore, commenting on all targets will be a difficult task. But we definitely need balance in qualities, in position, in everything" - the former Real Madrid captain shared.
In terms of tactics, Alonso uses a 4-2-3-1 formation, a familiar system under Enzo Maresca. Because many key players are still resting after the World Cup, the Spanish coach gives opportunities to a series of young players.
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli, Reggie Walsh, Reggie Watson and Landon Emenalo all had positive performances. In particular, Watson was the only player to play the full 90 minutes, while Walsh made many marks in the attacking midfielder role.
Alonso also praised Satpaev, a player he had followed while working at Real Madrid. According to the Spanish strategist, this young striker possesses speed, intelligent mobility and is very dangerous when entering the penalty area.
In addition to Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens also maintains high form when extending his scoring streak in the pre-season period. Positive signals from young players and rookies help Chelsea have more basis to expect a new look under Alonso, although they still have many points to improve before the official season kicks off.
