A tour that ended in chaos, not clarity
Chelsea drew 3–3 with Johor Darul Ta'zim on Sunday, and then the weird part happened. A penalty shootout was written into the contract, Kevin Campello, Chelsea's head of first-team operations, was heard saying as much pitchside, and both teams simply walked off anyway (1)(8). No shootout. No explanation. A pre-season tour that was supposed to build momentum ended with a club official muttering about clauses while players disappeared down the tunnel.
That is where Alonso finds himself a week from the season. Three wins in six pre-season friendlies, ten goals conceded in the last four, and a squad still visibly under construction. The 3–0 dismantling of AC Milan showed what this team can do when it clicks. The 1–0 loss to Juventus and this Johor mess showed what it looks like when it does not.
Delap makes his move
Liam Delap scored twice against Johor and looked like a striker who expects to start the opening day (1)(4). Sharp, direct, punishing. Alonso changed the entire XI for this match, so Delap was effectively playing with the B team, and he was the one who made things happen (16).
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The contrast with Danny Welbeck is hard to ignore. Hooked off against Milan after what The Sun called a wasteful performance, barely involved, outshone by every attacking player around him (14). Welbeck arrived as a veteran presence. Right now he looks like a gap-filler. Delap looks like the real thing.
Anselmino breaks down, again
The worst image of the day was Aaron Anselmino leaving the pitch in tears with a hamstring injury (3). He has had similar problems since joining Chelsea, and Kinsella reports the setback could derail a loan move that was taking shape (3).
This is not just bad luck. Chelsea's defence has been the unresolved problem all summer. Alonso admitted as much after the Juventus defeat, and now another option is gone before the season even kicks off. Sarr and Adarabioyo started against Johor, but the depth chart behind them is getting uncomfortably short (16).
Palestra shines, Zubimendi waits, Jorgensen leaves
Marco Palestra has been the standout newcomer of pre-season. Alonso described his impact as "great" and the £47m summer signing is already a fan favourite (13)(19). He gives Chelsea something they lacked last season: a wing-back who genuinely attacks space.
On the transfer front, Alonso wants Martin Zubimendi from Arsenal and reports suggest the door is open (6). Whether Chelsea can get it done before the deadline is a different conversation. What is certain: Filip Jorgensen is joining Strasbourg on a straight loan with no buy option (9), and Ishe Samuels-Smith is close to a season-long move to Notts County (11). The squad trimming continues.
Lavia and the system beneath the mess
The most significant 90 minutes of pre-season did not happen on Sunday. Romeo Lavia played a full match against AC Milan, his first in two years, and Alonso refused to substitute him despite obvious fatigue (12)(20). That is a manager investing in a player he believes will be central to his system.
Lavia spoke afterwards about the work under Alonso (12). Ruben Amorim, whose Milan side lost 3–0, was struck by Chelsea's pressing intensity (17). There is a plan here. Pre-season simply did not let anyone see it for more than 45 minutes at a time.
What to watch
Fulham at home. The season opener is a week away, Anselmino is out, and Alonso has maybe two training sessions to decide whether Delap or Welbeck leads the line. The squad is still incomplete, but the real football starts now. No more friendlies, no more excuses.
