Ahead of Chelsea's away match against Brentford in the fifth round of the Premier League, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso was interviewed by Sky Sports, discussing his performance since taking charge of Chelsea and his plans for the club, among other topics. The following is the second part of the exclusive interview.

Related reading: [Alonso: My relationship with Eboué is very close, he came to Madrid specifically to persuade me]

As I have repeatedly emphasized, your coaching career here has only just begun, and people indeed need time to adapt and build the chemistry you mentioned. But how far do you think the team is currently from the ultimate perfection you demand and desire to see?

So-called perfection... If I were to constantly demand perfection, I would probably be perpetually frustrated! What I truly pursue is to bring the team to a high level and maintain excellent consistency and stability. To become a team that knows what it's doing on the field, full of confidence and firm belief, no matter the opponent. We are in the process of refining this, and we will eventually reach that height. As for when it will be achieved? Some processes will be faster, others will take longer, but we are working hard for it, to find that feeling. When you see us step onto the field, we are convinced in our hearts that we know what to do.

Your conversations are always very frank and transparent. Chelsea is clearly a prestigious club with a rich heritage, influential both locally and globally. How big do you think the gap is between Chelsea and Arsenal and Man City, who are currently firmly in the top two of the Premier League?

Time will tell, time will provide the answers. It's still early in the season, only four games have been played. Frankly, I haven't focused too much on other teams. I am highly focused on my own team, my players, and the growth, evolution, and improvements we are about to experience and must make. We must learn quickly because the Premier League is incredibly competitive and fierce. I am certain that Chelsea at the start of the Premier League season will be vastly different from Chelsea at the end of the season, and will certainly be much better. As the weeks progress and games accumulate, the team will definitely get better and better.

As a player, you played for Liverpool and achieved great success in the Premier League. So, what has surprised you during your coaching career in the Premier League?

It's changed, it's changed a lot. I think the biggest change is that, in my playing days, the gap between the top teams and the mid-to-lower teams was much larger than it is now. Nowadays in the Premier League, the power gap between the top giants and other teams has almost disappeared; the differences between them have shrunk dramatically. You know that every game is incredibly difficult, and winning is never easy. You have to fight hard, and whether it's overall tactics or individual ability, the opponents you face are extremely well-prepared, and the Premier League managers are all outstanding. So the Premier League is now more balanced, one could say more even, with a more equal level of competition across all aspects.

Since you took over, injuries have been a persistent issue, such as the absence of Caicedo and others. How much help would it be for you to get these key players back and integrate them into the game?

Without a doubt, this would be a huge boost for everyone. When all players are healthy and fully prepared, you naturally have more tactical options. It's undeniable that we have indeed lacked some key players, that's a fact, but I never try to use it as an excuse or avoid the problem. I focus on leading the healthy players we have to fight. But once all key players return, we will certainly benefit from it, and the performance of the entire team will reach a new level.

I heard some interesting comments from you last week, and I think you were mostly joking at the time. You said you hoped Chelsea could occasionally be "boring," but I don't think you meant boring in terms of playing style, but rather hoping for clean sheets.

Haha, yes, that's right. What I wanted to express at the time was that sometimes games might not be so spectacular or open, but they can still be won in an extremely solid, efficient, and professional manner. This characteristic will definitely come, but for now, we still need to take it one step at a time towards that state.

Speaking of clean sheets, although Henderson is currently unavailable, you have signed Édouard Martinez. How much can his big-game experience and maturity at the highest level contribute to achieving this defensive goal?

Yes, I think it will help a lot. It not only motivates the entire team but also helps the young players to have such an experienced veteran with a strong presence next to them. They will benefit greatly from this, especially in difficult moments when the game doesn't go as expected – which is absolutely inevitable in the Premier League – his stability and resilience can help the team maintain a good level of performance.

The last key question, as the British often say, "the £60,000 question": In your opinion, when should the outside world really judge your Chelsea? When should people judge your work?

That's not for me to answer. I don't like to make demands of people; I prefer to let my actions speak. At the same time, I know that in the world of football, everything takes time to develop, and time will deliver a fair verdict. But I really enjoy this process, because I knew from the start that we had many problems to solve, many things to learn, and many areas that needed improvement. It's unrealistic to be perfect from day one. However, you must learn to enjoy everything about it, even if some changes make people temporarily uncomfortable, I still try to enjoy the process.

In the history of the Premier League, there are many examples of clubs giving managers great patience and ample time, ultimately reaping rich rewards. For any manager, is "time" really the most crucial key to success?

The environment we are in is extremely demanding; this is the Premier League, and the competition here is incredibly fierce. But there's no doubt that, over time, you can indeed sort things out better and have a more positive and profound impact on all aspects. Because as I said, some processes happen surprisingly quickly, while other things need a little more time to settle. But we really enjoy competing at the highest level, while also maintaining a high degree of awareness and self-reflection, eager to bring out the best in each of us.

Let's end on a very positive note, because for your sake, and for the Chelsea fans, we all hope the front three can always stay in good spirits. How excited are you about these three forwards? As the team gradually grows, what heights do they have the potential to reach in the Premier League in the future?

They are indeed crucial, but it's much more than meets the eye. They have extremely good chemistry with each other, they really enjoy playing alongside each other, and their coordination is incredibly smooth and fluid. So when they find that flowing feeling in a game, the whole team benefits. But to achieve that, we also need many other fundamental supports to build defensive solidity – establishing a solid defensive foundation allows them to shine. Therefore, we need that stability so they can roam freely in attack.

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