Chelsea fans notice big ‘problem’ with new player as Xabi Alonso issue shows up in game against Real Sociedad
Even though Chelsea finished their pre-season with a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad, some problems with Xabi Alonso’s system became clear. The Blues put on a great show against the LaLiga team in Alonso’s first game at Stamford Bridge, with Joao Pedro shining once again. Pedro scored twice on Saturday, bringing his pre-season total to eight goals, showing why he’s the key player for West London.
Morgan Rogers also scored his first goal for Chelsea after his record £117 million transfer from Aston Villa in July. Rogers joined up front with his England teammate Cole Palmer and Pedro, forming a strong attacking trio that looks ready for the Premier League opener against Fulham next weekend.
Others in Alonso’s squad impressed too, like new signing Marco Palestra, who cost £44 million. Playing as a left wing-back in the 3-4-2-1 formation, the young Italian caught attention with his energetic runs down the left side. Though he hasn’t scored yet, Palestra showed promise with six carries, drawing three fouls, and maintaining 90% passing accuracy.
However, defensively he showed some weaknesses. He was often out of position, and one of his clearances led to a goal by Jon Aramburu that leveled the game before half-time. Chelsea fans noticed this and shared their thoughts on social media. One wrote, “Marco Palestra looked shaky in defense and struggled against Sociedad’s attacks. He needs to work on his positioning and awareness.” Another said, “Palestra looks like the worst 1v1 defender I’ve seen. He’s not a fullback and could be a big problem.” Others weren’t happy with the wing-back setup, calling it “not good for our health,” and hoped for improvements.
At just 21, Palestra still has lots to learn, but that’s exciting for Chelsea supporters. He’s already shown flashes of great skill during pre-season, and Alonso is especially impressed by his flexibility. Palestra has played both right and left wing-back since joining, and Alonso praised him after the win over AC Milan last weekend.
“He’s making a great impact,” Alonso said. “He’s eager to improve and is getting better every game. I knew from his time in Italy that he’s very flexible. We’re happy he’s adapting well to Chelsea.”
Palestra has strong competition too. On the right, he’s up against Malo Gusto and Reece James. On the left, Pep Chavarria and Jorrel Hato can also play wing-back, giving Alonso some great choices as the new season approaches.