Chelsea have appointed former Real Madrid and Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso on a four-year deal. The Spaniard will take over at Chelsea from next season as the Blues aim to restart after a terrible campaign domestically and in Europe.
The former Real Madrid gaffer will have to hit the ground running to instill confidence in the Chelsea squad and supporters. Here are three things he must do to set a good standard and foundation that will lead to success and trophies from next season onwards in West London.
TRIM THE SQUAD
Chelsea have a massive squad, way too massive, and Alonso’s first task should be to trim the big Chelsea squad down to players he trusts and players that can help execute his plans to the maximum. Chelsea have plenty of fringe players who are average, and more are already coming in this summer.
Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Essugo, Marc Guiu, Sarr, Lavia, Aaron Anselmino, and plenty of other young footballers sit on the outskirts of the team. Chelsea must fix all of that so they can have a solid core that is reliable and truly elite.
IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL PROFILE OF THE TEAM
Whether Chelsea like it or not, the Premier League this season has indicated that physicality is non-negotiable. Teams like Arsenal, Brentford, Sunderland, and more have shown that the EPL has moved away from the all-technical era back into set-piece domination, aggressive defending, and aerial battles.
Chelsea have one of the shortest teams in the league in terms of height. Opponents have also outrun Chelsea in almost every match this season, so the athletic profile of the squad needs an upgrade. Xabi Alonso needs to get Chelsea to sign tough, physical players, especially defenders, to improve Chelsea’s profile in that aspect.
SET THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE GOALS
Alonso should set the goals and standards so high that even a failure to achieve such goals will still result in some level of success. Chelsea’s target next season should be to win the Premier League, and falling short of that goal should still mean UCL qualification for the following season.
The Blues have to tap back into the standards that top managers set at the club. If Xabi Alonso sets high standards, trims Chelsea’s squad, and improves the physical profile of the team, he will set a brilliant foundation for a long and fruitful stay at the club.
