EPL: Alonso’s Bright Start Overshadowed By Chelsea’s Leaky Defence
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| Odegaard shines as Arsenal edge Chelsea in lively London derby |
Xabi Alonso concerned as Chelsea concede seven goals in poor defensive start.
Chelsea’s defensive woes continue under Alonso with worst top-10 record...
Martin Odegaard netted his first decisive goal since the final day of 2024/25 to inspire Arsenal’s 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea at the Emirates.
The Gunners weathered more shots on target than in their opening two PL games combined.
Arsenal’s watertight defence was finally broken inside two minutes. Morgan Rogers volleyed home from close range after a chaotic free-kick fell to him in the box.
The opener was historic for Chelsea, it meant they became the first Premier League team to score in the first five minutes of each of their opening three games.
The early lift didn’t last long though. Arsenal almost hit back straight away from a set-piece. Odegaard whipped a smart near-post ball in, but Riccardo Calafiori failed to connect cleanly. Emiliano Martinez gathered it, despite taking a painful-looking boot to the head from Gabriel Magalhaes.
Martinez looked less commanding at the following set piece. Calafiori bundled in what he thought was the equalizer, but VAR ruled it out after spotting Ezri Konsa’s touch from an offside position.
Arsenal kept pressing. Bukayo Saka stung the keeper at the near post with a sharp shot, while at the other end Cole Palmer and Reece James forced David Raya into action with two good long-range attempts.
An equalizer felt inevitable, and it arrived through ex-Chelsea man Kai Havertz, who bundled his shot past a shaky Martinez.
Chelsea nearly retook the lead before half-time. Joao Pedro released Pedro Neto with a brilliant pass on a rapid counter, but Neto’s shot crashed against the post.
Arsenal came out with more intensity after the break, and it paid off within five minutes. Odegaard slipped in unmarked to finish after a smart dummy from Havertz put him through.
Havertz looked to prove a point to his former club, pulling off a clever flick to find Saka. The England winger forced a strong save from Martínez to keep Chelsea in it.
Chelsea did create one last chance to snatch a draw. Substitute Estevao Willian struck a fine effort, but David Raya pulled off an excellent save to preserve Arsenal’s lead and the three points.
The win leaves Arsenal with three straight PL victories to start the season, only the second time they’ve done that in the last 22 years. It also stretched their unbeaten run vs Chelsea to 12 games, with 9 wins and 3 draws.
It’s been a promising beginning for Xabi Alonso in his new job, but he’ll be worried by his side’s defensive record. They’ve already let in seven goals, more than any other team in the top 10.
Chelsea’s search for a clean sheet goes on too. It’s now 19 games without one, dating back to Liam Rosenior’s first match in charge.
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