Alonso pleased with Palmer and Rogers' relationship; Caicedo not yet ready

On September 12, Chelsea will host Hull City in the Premier League's 4th round. Ahead of the match, Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso attended a press conference. This article covers the first part of the press conference.

Hi Xabi, great to see you. After the last match against Leeds United, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers have been debating over who was the standout player. Can you help settle the dispute?

Well, for me, it's a positive thing that both of them feel they deserve the award. What's certain is that both of them thoroughly enjoy playing for the team and alongside each other. When the other makes an excellent contribution, they genuinely feel happy for each other, and we greatly respect that. I'm really pleased to see this happening and that we've built such a strong partnership so quickly. You can see the chemistry between them on the pitch, which is a huge advantage for us.

How much do you think the strong relationship they've built off the pitch has helped them build chemistry on it?

I'd say it helped a lot, because even before they truly played together, a very close bond had already formed. In the weeks leading up to the transfer, we were actively fostering this connection. Cole was very influential and played an important role in it, as did Morgan and the club. We're very happy that things have developed so ideally.

Did Morgan's quick adaptation and settling in exceed your expectations?

He adapted very well and quickly, that's beyond doubt. This was indeed our goal and a strategic decision—to sign several players who are ready to compete and can make an immediate positive impact. Morgan was undoubtedly our top target, and we had expectations for him. But the way it all happened has been fantastic, and he's feeling very good right now. He's enjoying his football and his connection with the entire team.

Hull City's manager jokingly said the only way to stop your frontline is to kick them. In your opinion, when your frontline is at its best, are they truly unplayable?

Let's not use such exaggerated language; "unplayable" is too strong a word in football. For tomorrow's match, we will approach it with the same respect we had for Arsenal last week. Hull currently have 7 points and haven't conceded a goal. They will be very difficult to beat and have their own strengths, such as transitions and set-piece tactics. They're full of belief, and their coach has done an excellent job. So tomorrow will be a tough match, and we must perform at our best to beat them.

You previously mentioned wanting the team to be more solid and balanced. Can the team maintain strong attacking power while improving the defense?

That is our goal. This is where our focus lies, and it's our daily work and development process. We want to be more competitive and equally good—or even better—in attack, as I believe there's still room for improvement there. At the same time, we want sufficient balance to feel solid and strong defensively. We want to concede fewer goals, and that requires collective effort from the strikers all the way to the goalkeeper.

Regarding team injuries, is Moises Caicedo likely to play tomorrow?

No, not yet. Let's see about Brentford, but unfortunately, this is not the time to risk him. We're not at that stage yet.

One last question—it looks like the club's ownership structure might change soon. How much do you know about this? Do you anticipate any changes that would affect your working environment?

I'm not the person to give you that information. There's nothing relevant in what I know, so my work continues normally. Since we started working together, I've been very satisfied with how all parties coordinate, and that's all I can say for now.

Hi Xabi, I believe there are three other injured players. I was wondering if any of them might be available—for example, Jordan Henderson?

No, those players are not available.

One more thing I wanted to ask—in some of your recent matches against Premier League opponents, your possession hasn't been particularly high. How much of that is due to tactical adjustments versus how you want to play?

Well, I believe in having a mindset that can adapt and compete. You have to recognize that every match will be difficult and each game has a different context. We scored early goals in all our matches, so we didn't feel the need to change our strategy significantly. But given that we're in the midst of many developments, I think it's too early to say what this team will ultimately become. I believe we'll show and develop many things, and as important players join and become available, we'll continue to improve. We feel the team is competing well now, but there are certainly areas where we can do better.

Is possession a key part of what you just described? Like trying to have all the possession?

It's a key part, but for me, the most important thing is creating chances, having the opportunity to win the match, and limiting the opponent's opportunities. Sometimes possession gives you better control of the game, but sometimes you can control the match without the ball. The opponents are strong, and the competitive environment is very intense.

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