Regular readers of this site will know that Si, myself and others have been concerned about the lack of proven players, and some experience in the squad, for several years. Multiple articles and tweets, all arguing the same thing. Not to mention a countless list of ex players and pundits. My perspective was not to get experience for its own sake, but get good experience. PL proven players, ready made players with the right mentality, and quality players with leadership qualities who’ve been there and done it. Even potentially a veteran who maybe doesn’t play much, but is there to provide an older, wiser head.
Well in Keiran Gill’s recent article in the Mail about Xabi Alonso and this summer’s recruitment, it says this:
“It is true that Alonso aired certain concerns during his initial interview process to become Chelsea’s manager.
Those talks in May were understood to include him expressing the need for better balance, specifically via more maturity within the squad, to succeed.”
Kieran Gill
So, lets get this straight. After literal YEARS of fans and ex-players diagnosing this problem and asking for it to be rectified and being ignored by the football people at the club., Xabi Alonso diagnoses it on day one.
As much as its frustrating it took this long, fair pay to the owners and directors, they finally acknowledged this and took action. This summer we’ve signed 4 players who are 26 or over. Jordan Henderson, Maxine Lacroix, Danny Welbeck and Pep Chavvaria. All excellent professionals, 3 of whom have won major trophies at club level. 3 of them have leadership qualities and experience of captaining sides as well.
Jordan Henderson, seen as one of the best leaders and professionals still playing the game, who’s captained Liverpool to PL and CL titles, probably the best example of all. Xabi Alonso wanted a culture setter. Someone who knows what’s needed in terms of culture, mentality and team spirit, to win games and trophies and deal with pressure, and brings that to our squad. Xabi’s voice in the dressing room, who won’t let standards slip and can support players when things get tough - and call out bad eggs and help deal with challenging situations in the dressing room.
To me, this is exactly what’s been needed for years. The club promised this even before Xabi was appointed but Xabi’s arrival definitely accelerated it. Xabi knows exactly what is required to win major trophies in terms of squad composition, mentality and everything else. He’s done it as a player and as a manager.
It is frustrating in one sense, as the need for this has been obvious for a while. But the ownership and directors have listened and acted decisively. The deals have been done around two weeks before the season starts and outside one or two players from the current squad - Enzo Fernandez and Pedro Neto - our squad is largely settled. There’s still a few players who need to be shipped out, but the squad is near enough decided and they won’t be part of it.
This is all a huge improvement on the past, and absolutely what was needed. The culture at the club wasn’t positive at all. Players often disappeared when things got tough, heads went down and there were disciplinary problems. Change was needed, and its come. I feel fairly confident we’ll have a good season this year. Of course, we’ll lose a few games, play badly in a few and have bad runs, but frankly unless you’re seriously challenging for the league that’s going to happen to most clubs. Hopefully given we have less games, some key players have had a summer off and we have an elite manager, these will be less and we can get 70-75 points at least, which would probably see us finish 3rd/4th, and maybe win a domestic cup.
If we’d taken some of these steps earlier a lot of pain could have been avoided, but at least they’ve finally learned from their mistakes and taken them now. This will benefit Chelsea in the short and the long term, in my view, and it was absolutely needed.
The Score