Fulham – Chelsea: Xabi Alonso’s Blues Start New Era With Frantic Win At Craven Cottage (2-3)

Chelsea started their 26/27 campaign with a 3-2 win at Craven Cottage against Alvaro Arbeloa’s Fulham side. Xabi Alonso’s tenure started with an important win as the Chelsea front three fired on all cylinders.

Tactical analysis and match report by Gaurav Krishnan.

It’s been a summer of rebuild behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge. Xabi Alonso’s appointment by the Chelsea hierarchy signalled their intent to get the club competing for top honours once again after a mediocre 10th-placed finish last season amidst managerial turmoil.

Chelsea have been rather busy in the transfer market, getting in the players Alonso wanted to fit his system and style of play. And there has certainly been a huge upheaval with several players coming in and going out in the revolving door of transfer business at Stamford Bridge

On a summer’s evening at Craven Cottage, the Blues strutted their stuff with their fabled front three of Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and new record signing Morgan Rogers asserting their claim for being one of the most dangerous front three lineups in the league this season.

All three of Chelsea’s goals also came from their new front three. An early goal by Joao Pedro after just thirty seconds followed up by goals from Morgan Rogers & Cole Palmer were enough to sink Fulham who themselves scored a couple from Josh King and new Fulham recruit Gonzalo Garcia making this a tight game, in which Chelsea’s quality ultimately shown through.

Arbeloa will perhaps feel a bit hard done by, as Fulham rather surprisingly dominated possession with 62 . . .