First defeat under Alonso
Chelsea lost 2–1 at Arsenal on Sunday. Morgan Rogers volleyed you ahead after 77 seconds, but Arsenal hit back with two goals to take the London derby at the Emirates (1) (4).
It is Chelsea's first defeat since Xabi Alonso took charge. The defensive problems that cost the points need addressing, Alonso admitted after the match (1).
Alonso: "it hurts"
Alonso did not hide from the result. "It hurts. It hurts because a defeat has to hurt," he said (7).
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But he kept the long view. "We continue. It's game three, and it's a long, long ride" (7).
Why Caicedo and Colwill missed out
Alonso explained the lineup calls after the match. Moises Caicedo missed the Arsenal clash entirely, and Levi Colwill was left on the bench (3).
Tottenham eyeing Mudryk buy option
Spurs could trigger Mykhailo Mudryk's £75m buy option. Whether they do depends on coach Roberto De Zerbi (6).
Chelsea paid around £62m for Mudryk back in 2023, so a deal would nearly recoup the outlay (6).
Chelsea watching De Jong
Chelsea are monitoring Frenkie de Jong as a midfield partner for Moises Caicedo, with Barcelona's financial situation keeping the door open (8).
The 29-year-old is targeting an October return after an ankle injury (8).
Hull City next
You sit 4th with 6 points from 3 games after the loss. Hull City come to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Sep 12, with kickoff at 16:00 CEST.
Brentford away follows on Friday, Sep 18.
Fan-reaktioner
Chelsea fans found positives despite the defeat. Wesley Fofana's performance out of position drew heavy praise, with his 20 carries and 10 clearances flagged as standout numbers. Others pointed to the 2016–17 3-4-3 turnaround under Conte after an Arsenal loss as a hopeful parallel, while Morgan Rogers' post-match message about staying focused and working on the training pitch landed well. The Fofana thread gathered the most reaction.
