Chelsea's Identity Crisis: Can Xabi Alonso Find a Solution?

After five wins in ten, Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea seem to have hit a brick wall in terms of having a distinct style of play.

Make no mistake that this is really a really talented side, but Alonso is yet to really stamp his authority on this team.

Despite having 10 shots at Robin Roefs’s goal in Sunderland on Sunday, the Dutchman was barely forced into a decent save.

You could also argue that Morgan Rogers should have scored with his free header in the 25th minute, after Brian Brobbey had also missed a similar chance earlier.

As for the foul on Brian Brobbey by Levi Colwill, you can see why it’s initially been given, as Colwill is continuously grabbing Brobbey, but isn’t Brobbey doing the same?

How much grappling is deemed acceptable?

Brobbey initiated the contact on Colwill first and continued to do so whereas Colwill joined in soon after.

So while Colwill made the biggest mistake in allowing Brobbey to move past him, that shouldn’t be a penalty.

Palmer, Rogers, Pedro, or nothing?

While Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro were proving to be a formidable trio at the front of the pitch for Chelsea, since Pedro has been out with a thigh injury (sustained prior to Tottenham). Chelsea have looked lacklustre in attack.

Pedro Neto playing as a False 9 clearly does not work, Alonso, so why are you doing it?

To be fair. He did put Estevão Willian on at half-time yesterday, but even he was ineffective.

The speed of play wasn’t there, and barring the Rogers chance, Sunderland’s backline had an easy day at the office.

Make no mistake, when Chelsea are up against a high block, then this attack looks terrifying, but as soon as it faces a wall, they just look out of ideas.

This is why the international break is pivotal for Alonso to find a way of making Chelsea a more cohesive team both on and off the ball.

He also needs to find a backline he can trust, because it looks a little flimsy.

On paper, you would say that Chelsea’s strongest backline is Pep Chavarria at left-back, Maxence Lacroix at Left-Centre-Back, Josh Acheampong at right-centre-back, and Reece James at Right-Back.

I get James is going to be out for three weeks with knee surgery, but if Acheampong. Lacroix are fit, play them as the central pairing, put Chavarria at left-back and Palestra at right-back.

Leeds, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa are tough games for Chelsea leading up to Christmas.

During the international break, Alonso must come up with a system that not only nullifies the threat of those teams but also makes Chelsea a much more potent force

Will he succeed?

Find out on World in Sport.