Xabi Alonso can surprisingly learn something from Liam Rosenior after Chelsea vs Hull
Liam Rosenior did not get much right at Chelsea, but he deserves some credit for Jorrel Hato’s development.
Hato was a £37m signing from Ajax, and there were high expectations for the young defender when he arrived at Stamford Bridge.
Dropped points against Hull… Does Xabi Alonso need to make some serious changes?
Who would you drop from today’s XI?
However, he barely featured until Enzo Maresca left and was replaced by Rosenior. The current Paris FC manager gave Hato opportunities, and he took them.
That is not to say that Xabi Alonso is not doing that right now. He is, handing the 20-year-old starts in each of Chelsea’s four Premier League games so far.
Alonso is using Hato very differently to Rosenior, though. While the Dutchman is playing as a left wing-back right now, he started many games as a centre-back last season.
The left-sided centre-back role is arguably his best position. Hato has not looked entirely comfortable defending out wide. Against Arsenal, he took a real hammering down his flank.
Ironically, Hato was actually in a more central position when Hull City scored their first goal against Chelsea in a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon, letting the ball bounce instead of dealing with it.
Whatever the case, the Netherlands international has shown in the past that he can make important blocks in the box and step up and make crucial interceptions. Technically, Hato is also very good on the ball and can pass it out of central defence.
Alonso is obviously not getting that while using Hato in the left wing-back position and instead has someone who can find it difficult to defend one-v-one out wide.
Levi Colwill is currently playing on the left side of Chelsea’s defence, and he is not someone you would drop. But it is just something for Alonso to think about going forward. Play Hato in a position more suited to him or wedge the former Ajax star into the left wing-back role?
Hato has not been a complete disaster there. In total, he has provided two assists in four top-flight outings, making an incredible bursting run against Brighton & Hove Albion for his first. However, his future is likely to be in central defence, whether that is at Chelsea or somewhere else.
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