Early goal, strikers scoring and Palmer starting superbly make Alonso happier than Arbeloa

Fulham (1) 2 v Chelsea (2) 3

Premier League

Matchweek 1

Talking Points

By Kaz Mochlinski at Craven Cottage

Has there ever been a more thrillingly promising start made by a new Chelsea manager than that produced by Xabi Alonso at Fulham? Rarely has such an immediate impact occurred with an opening goal after only 31 seconds.

It provided the platform for a 3-2 away victory as all three of Alonso’s new forward line of Cole Palmer, João Pedro and Morgan Rogers scored on their first appearance together in the 3-4-3 formation which he favours.

“It’s a good first day” emphasised Alonso afterwards. “I think it’s a good first day for us, for the team, for the fans as well. I saw that they were enjoying it.”

His summary was succint: “Early days; first day good one.” And his aim for the team now was also very simple: “Relax and carry on.”

But he cautioned that “it’s a performance to build from”, insisting that “the strikers, the midfielders, the defence, the goalkeepers, we want to do better in everything.”

Alonso’s former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Spain teammate, Álvaro Arbeloa, who is similarly settling into his new off-field role as Fulham’s head coach, lamented: “We conceded easy goals.”

Arbeloa mixed disappointment with positivity and realism in his analysis, as he pointed out: “We conceded goals in the first minute, at the end of the first half, and at the beginning of the second half.

“There are not worse moments to concede. But we showed character and personality, and I am very proud. We deserved a little more, but football is not about what you deserve, it is about what you take.”

João Pedro’s strike in the first attack of the match was the quickest ever goal in the opening game of a Premier League season. It also equalled the record for the fastest goal scored for a new Premier League manager.

That was originally set in David Moyes’s initial match in charge of Everton in March 2002, when David Unsworth found the net, identically after just 31 seconds, and likewise against Fulham.

On this occasion, Chelsea appeared to have the game won with goals four minutes before the break and four minutes after half-time, in the 41st minute and the 49th minute respectively.

Two Blues debutants combined as centre-back Maxence Lacroix smoothly transitioned into a silky right-winger with a skillful run and cross for Rogers to calmly claim his first Chelsea goal.

Palmer started the move, having already made the assist for the opener with a beautifully cushioned contact into João Pedro’s path, and Chelsea’s outstanding star got on the scoresheet himself by beating Bernd Leno through the goalkeeper’s legs.

However, Fulham remained in the contest as Josh King fired in, fittingly making up for his first goal in senior football being wrongly ruled out by a terrible VAR error last August at Stamford Bridge.

And Gonzalo García joined Rogers in scoring on his debut, like King taking advantage of two blunders by Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Robert Sánchez, which gifted the home side both their goals.

“The Premier League is fantastic because sometimes the games are out of your hands - you just can’t control them” admitted Alonso.

His fellow ex-Real Madrid coach, Arbeloa, was no less insightful in noting: “It’s the first game of the season. And I have been seeing all the games in the Premier League, and you can feel that no one is ready.”