Xabi Alonso Thread

[Tomo 21,754]

11 hours ago, Pizy said:

I’ve said it before but I get the impression that those in the club LOVE Sanchez and rate him much higher than any of us supporters do. I would be genuinely, pleasantly surprised if we sold him. 

Problem is, he at the annoying reverse sweet spot (for want of a better word) where we need an upgrade for titles but can do a lot worse (as we've found out twice).

[Pizy 19,320]

37 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Problem is, he at the annoying reverse sweet spot (for want of a better word) where we need an upgrade for titles but can do a lot worse (as we've found out twice).

Yep. That’s kind of my worry if we throw Penders into the fire too early. He may be super talented and the next Courtois but what if he comes in and makes even more mistakes than Sanchez because he’s so young?

We’re in kind of a tricky place with keepers. We go sign a world class, super expensive keeper and that’s curtains for Penders’ chances here after we spent a huge amount of money on. We stick with Sanchez and we’re never going to be a truly top side. We put Penders in straight away and we risk him producing howlers as he’s getting up to speed.

 

[Blue Armour 4,745]

20 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

My mates son playing up front for Sunday league is way better than Delap

But can he barge into players like a tractor?

[maxlev 57]

I am glad we now have what I consider as an experienced coach who plays attacking style of football far more than delightfully counting how many passes his players make before remembering that goals win matches. Good attacking play will bring out the best from this squad even as it is but I did like him to do a total clearout of our center backs. Only Colwill and Achempong should be considered to stay while they bring in 2 too level experienced quality cb. We kind of lack creativity as we don't have skillful ball carriers. Our players tend to lose possession easily when under pressure except Joa Pedro who has really improved on this. Delap, Guiu, should be sold. Let's bring in another top striker like Laurato Martinez or Osimhen. With the right signings, only 4 or 5 incomings can set us up as title contenders. 1 or 2 experienced quality centerback (s), 1 ball carrying creative central midfielder, 1 top class winger, 1 top class striker.  

[Special Juan 28,828]

8 hours ago, Pizy said:

Yep. That’s kind of my worry if we throw Penders into the fire too early. He may be super talented and the next Courtois but what if he comes in and makes even more mistakes than Sanchez because he’s so young?

We’re in kind of a tricky place with keepers. We go sign a world class, super expensive keeper and that’s curtains for Penders’ chances here after we spent a huge amount of money on. We stick with Sanchez and we’re never going to be a truly top side. We put Penders in straight away and we risk him producing howlers as he’s getting up to speed.

 

Simple, buy Maignan and bring back Penders, Maignan won't cost the earth, gives us a quality keeper and can teach Penders everything he knows.

[Fulham Broadway 17,787]

3 hours ago, maxlev said:

I am glad we now have what I consider as an experienced coach who plays attacking style of football far more than delightfully counting how many passes his players make before remembering that goals win matches. Good attacking play will bring out the best from this squad even as it is but I did like him to do a total clearout of our center backs. Only Colwill and Achempong should be considered to stay while they bring in 2 too level experienced quality cb. We kind of lack creativity as we don't have skillful ball carriers. Our players tend to lose possession easily when under pressure except Joa Pedro who has really improved on this. Delap, Guiu, should be sold. Let's bring in another top striker like Laurato Martinez or Osimhen. With the right signings, only 4 or 5 incomings can set us up as title contenders. 1 or 2 experienced quality centerback (s), 1 ball carrying creative central midfielder, 1 top class winger, 1 top class striker.  

yes, people forget that defenders need to also be creatives, they can set the rythym of play from the back

[maxlev 57]

5 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

yes, people forget that defenders need to also be creatives, they can set the rythym of play from the back

Exactly 

[Reddish-Blue 2,694]

4 hours ago, maxlev said:

Only Colwill and Achempong should be considered to stay while they bring in 2 too level experienced quality cb.

Hato hasn't done too much wrong of recent times for a young CB/LB who's still learning and developing. 

Between Reece, Colwill, Hato you have a starting base for the backline but we need reinforcements badly. 

I fear that keeping Josh here would be ruining his development, at his age, he needs regular games, not bench warming duties.   He should have been on loan somewhere in the PL this season. 

[Reddish-Blue 2,694]

2 hours ago, Special Juan said:

Simple, buy Maignan and bring back Penders, Maignan won't cost the earth, gives us a quality keeper and can teach Penders everything he knows.

Knowing Joe Shields he'd be on the phone to City asking for Trafford's price. 

[Reddish-Blue 2,694]

11 hours ago, Tomo said:

Problem is, he at the annoying reverse sweet spot (for want of a better word) where we need an upgrade for titles but can do a lot worse (as we've found out twice).

To think this all started with the Courtois - Kepa shit show

Petrovic - Sanchez was interesting because you could see some potential in Petrovic and Bournemouth took that chance. 

[Tomo 21,754]

25 minutes ago, Reddish-Blue said:

To think this all started with the Courtois - Kepa shit show

Petrovic - Sanchez was interesting because you could see some potential in Petrovic and Bournemouth took that chance. 

Maybe in hindsight it was more Pochs system causing this but I honestly thought Petrovic was really bad for us and the advanced data backed that up.

I think the desperation for anyone but Sanchez caused it to go under the radar, similar to the ageing Ivanovic/Baba Rahman situation.

[Mhsc 1,150]

Slowly letting myself get excited about Xabi, albeit I worry that expectations are a little too high for him with the way the media are talking about him (as if we've appointed Prime Jose).

If we go and sign 2 top CBs and a GK then I might actually get excited for a new era. If we don't, its just more of the same shit with a new coach, the ceiling will always be low.

[Pizy 19,320]

3 hours ago, Special Juan said:

Simple, buy Maignan and bring back Penders, Maignan won't cost the earth, gives us a quality keeper and can teach Penders everything he knows.

That would be cool in theory but top keepers can play at their best level well into their 30’s and Maignan is only 30. If he were to come here and perform amazingly then Penders is locked out for at least a few years.

I think what I would probably do is just take the risk and make Penders our #1 this summer. What I think will actually happen is the club will convince Alonso to give Sanchez one more season before Penders takes the job after another Strasbourg season of development.

[maxlev 57]

2 hours ago, Reddish-Blue said:

Hato hasn't done too much wrong of recent times for a young CB/LB who's still learning and developing. 

Between Reece, Colwill, Hato you have a starting base for the backline but we need reinforcements badly. 

I fear that keeping Josh here would be ruining his development, at his age, he needs regular games, not bench warming duties.   He should have been on loan somewhere in the PL this season. 

I wasn't actually considering Hato as a centerback atleast for now. He is young and likely to make mistakes if played as a Cb in a fast, quality tempo league like the premier League. I feel the fullbacks we have currently will do well under the right system. Centerback is where our major problem is. We don't have a central defender who organizes the backline well especially in terms of positioning like Thiago Silva used to do. The likes of Tosin, Badashiele, Disasi, Fofana, Chalobah etc are not good in that. That's the first issue we have, poor positioning before talking about good decision making.

[Vesper 31,142]

Xabi Alonso to bring four ex-Real Madrid coaches to Chelsea, Calum McFarlane set to stay

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7287865/2026/05/18/xabi-alonso-Chelsea-coaches/

Xabi Alonso’s long-term assistant coach Sebastian Parrilla is one of four members of his Real Madrid backroom staff who are set to join him at Chelsea.

Assistants Alberto Encinas and Benat Labaien, plus fitness coach Ismael Camenforte Lopez are also expected to move to Stamford Bridge with Alonso.

Interim head coach Calum McFarlane is set to remain at the club and be part of the new manager’s backroom staff. Chelsea set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva and goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts are both also expected to stay on under Alonso.

Alonso gave the Madrid backroom staff an extensive refresh upon his appointment last summer and there remains a possibility that he could bring more coaches to Chelsea.

The 44-year-old was appointed Chelsea manager on Sunday on a four-year deal. The job marks his return to management after being sacked by Madrid in January. All four coaches departed Madrid alongside Alonso at the beginning of the year.

The former midfielder has worked with Parrilla since the beginning of his coaching career, dating back to the pair taking charge of Madrid’s under-14s in 2018.

Parrilla had spent two decades working in Madrid’s academy, before joining Alonso at Real Sociedad’s B team in 2019, and then Bayer Leverkusen, where they guided the club to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24 after going the entire domestic campaign unbeaten.

The Athletic reported in June that Alonso relies on Parrilla in particular for defensive work and set-pieces.

Encinas is a former coach at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, who first worked with Alonso during his successful spell at Leverkusen before he brought him to Madrid.

Labaien joined Alonso at Madrid, returning to the club where he worked in the youth set-up between 2011 and 2014. A video analyst and assistant coach, he has also had spells at Atletico Madrid, Leeds United, Real Sociedad, Al Wakrah and Real Zaragoza, in addition to a stint in charge of Japanese side Tokushima Vortis in 2023.

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Camenforte Lopez first worked with Alonso at Leverkusen, before joining him at Madrid as the club’s head of fitness preparation. His focus was on the style of play of Alonso’s teams, planning players’ loads and on-pitch work. He previously spent eight years at La Masia, followed by spells at New York City and Denmark’s national team.

McFarlane moved to Chelsea from Southampton in the summer of 2025 as Under-21 coach, and has had two spells in interim charge this season following the departures of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

The 40-year-old confirmed on Monday that Alonso has been in touch with him since Chelsea officially announced he is the club’s next permanent manager on Sunday morning.

“I haven’t spoken to him, but I’ve had a brief conversation with him via text yesterday,” he said in a press conference. “I’ll keep that private, but (it was) mainly just around the final.”

Alonso will not officially start work until July 1, but McFarlane has revealed the players have reacted very positively to the news.

When asked if he has noticed the players are excited about Alonso coming in, he replied: “Yes, everyone has been excited. He’s had a really good career so far. Won major trophies, a great playing career. He will have a lot of respect from everyone.

“He is a great coach, with a massive pedigree. We are all looking forward to working with him.”

Chelsea take on Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and midfielder Romeo Lavia is a doubt after picking up a minor injury in training last week which caused him to be left out of Saturday’s FA Cup Final.

Mario Cortegana|Football Writer, Real Madrid

Simon Johnson|Chelsea Correspondent

[mkh 780]

🙌💣🔵According to ESPN Brasil journalist, Bruno Andrade, Chelsea have already made Thiago Silva an offer to become part of the club’s wider structure once he decides to retire.

The plan would see Thiago Silva working as part of Chelsea’s general coaching staff.

[Special Juan 28,828]

Thiago Silva would be a great addition, blokes a born winner

[Reddish-Blue 2,694]

1 hour ago, mkh said:

🙌💣🔵According to ESPN Brasil journalist, Bruno Andrade, Chelsea have already made Thiago Silva an offer to become part of the club’s wider structure once he decides to retire.

The plan would see Thiago Silva working as part of Chelsea’s general coaching staff.

This would be huge....from a defensive point of view!