Entertaining Chelsea ensure Alonso's first home match in the Prem is a happy one as Brighton fightback held at bay
- By Yann Tear at Stamford Bridge
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Premier League
Chelsea (3) 4 Lavia 4, Pedro Neto 14, Joao Pedro 32, Palmer 74
Brighton (1) 3 Yalcouye 35, Joao Pedro og 63 Gross 95
You can't get much more 'early days' in a new season than a first home league game of the campaign - but is it too early to get excited about Chelsea's prospects?
It can be argued that it has been a good decade since they seriously challenged for the Premier League title but the wind of change through the club this summer has palpably elevated expectations to a new level.
They started the season with that 3-2 win at Fulham on Monday and that front three of Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer looked silky smooth and dangerous. Throw in the acquisition of Maxence Lacroix at the back and World Cup winner Emi Martinez into the mix and suddenly anything seems possible.
Xabi Alonso should be able to juggle a massive squad without trouble given the lack of any European distractions and the extra time on the training ground for the Spaniard could yet see him achieve something to rival that magnificent unbeaten title-winning season with Bayer Leverkusen a couple of years ago.
OK, so perhaps it is a bit too early to be talking in those terms, and Chelsea were far from flawless, but the arrival of Martinez - making his immediate debut today as a replacement for the wobbly Robert Sanchez - seemed symbolic of the new surge of optimism which will be put to the test perhaps more than it was today when they visit champions Arsenal next Sunday.
The Blues took no time at all to exert their authority. Joao Pedro got his head to an inswinging corner that was blocked by Mats Weiffer but keeper Bart Verbruggen could only flap at the loose ball and Romeo Lavia poked home from a yard. It was the Belgian's first goal for the club since signing three years ago.
As well as being a flying start for Alonso, it was also a good start for set piece coach Austin McPhee - the man poached from Aston Villa. It may have been a mistake that brought about the goal but it was from a flag kick so maybe he claims a bit of credit.
Not long after and it was 2-0 as Pedro Neto fired in from six yards after Rogers had got past the last man to cross in from the left. "We've got our Chelsea back!" sang the Matthew Harding stands.
Albion fans, sick of the number of players Chelsea have taken off them in recent years retorted with a sombre chant of: "Do you want to buy as all?" In truth, on this showing the Seagulls now look fully asset-stripped.
Joao Pedro somehow contrived to shoot wide with the goal at his mercy following Pedro Neto's pull-back - the striker one of those to have abandoned the South Coast for the lucrative green, green grass of west London.
Pedro would soon make amends - finishing clinically after a brilliant run down the left and angled pass from Jarrel Hato, though there would later be some comfort from visiting fans, with their former hero putting through his own net.
The Seagulls got themselves into the game when Malick Yalcouye followed up to smash into the corner of the net after Martinez had smothered an attempt by Charalampos Kostoulas to clip the ball past him in a move instigated by the goalscorer.
The otherwise impressive Diego Gomez missed two great chances from headers either side of the break as Albion tried to find a way back but the Blues were never less than comfortable and ought to have extended the margin of victory.
Chelsea were perhaps guilty of coasting and nearly paid the price as Brighton reduced the arrears still further when Joao Pedro deflected a shot past Martinez for an own goal - just moments after Gomez had gone close to scoring with a strong angled drive parried out by the new Blues keeper.
It prompted Alonso into a triple substitution to try and wrest back control. If there is a worry at this stage it is that a bit of defensive frailty is giving unnecessary hope to opponents. The other negative of the day was sub Moises Caicedo having to go off only 14 minutes after coming on.
Cole Palmer shut the door of the Brighton comeback trail with a typical flourish, drifting past defenders before unleashing a low shot into the bottom corner. It made up for blasting one over from close in not long before.
Alonso's demonstrative, air-punching touchline celebration spoke of the sense of relief that the Blues had not let this one get away from them with their carelessness. It was just as well too, because they allowed Albion to sneak a third goal right at the death when Pascal Gross was given a free far post header.
Blues: (3-4-2-1) Martinez - Fofana (Acheampong 68), Lacroix, Colwill (Chavarria 72) - Gusto, Palmer, Lavia (James 68), Hato - Pedro Neto (Caicedo 68) (Barco 82), Rogers - Joao Pedro
Seagulls: (4-2-3-1) Verbruggen - Kadioglu, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli - Wieffer (Costinha 80), Gross - Gomez, Yalcouye (Osman 74), De Cuyper - Kostoulas (Promise 80)
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