Xabi Alonso is running out of excuses but three Chelsea players can save him from the sack

Chelsea have already shipped a brutal, league-high 12 goals early in this campaign and Alonso has clung to his hybrid back-three system. It was supposed to be a defensive safety net and plug the leak.

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Instead, Brentford ripped it wide open. Now, the word coming out of Cobham is that pressure is mounting on Alonso to finally drop the tactical gymnastics and just play a traditional, flat back four.

But this isn’t just about fixing a leaky defence. The real catalyst for change is a 19-year-old Brazilian who is simply becoming too good to ignore: Estêvão Willian.

Alonso is starting a war he cannot afford to lose with Estêvão

You just cannot leave a player of Estêvão’s caliber sitting on the bench when he’s tearing it up on the world stage. His latest performances for Brazil weren’t just good – they were an emphatic statement.

Yet, back in London, he’s still being fed cameo roles, like that useless four-minute run-out against Brentford. Reportedly, Estevao is frustrated and does not want to change roles or his physique.

The problem is purely structural. Right now, Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers have locked down the attacking slots behind striker João Pedro. For an out-and-out winger, there isn’t much space.

Alonso is basically playing tactical musical chairs, and one of the most exciting young talents in world football is the one left standing. Switching to a 4-2-3-1 fixes this instantly.

By dropping one of the centre-backs, Alonso frees up the exact vacancy he needs to unleash a terrifying frontline of Rogers, Palmer, and Estêvão sitting right behind João Pedro.

It would also end any doubts regarding Estevao’s future. Liverpool have been linked with the Chelsea star, who got a goal and an assist for Brazil against India. Barcelona have made him a £111m priority.

Estêvão is not the only issue; Levi Colwill needs a system change

A back four would also sort out the mess at the back. Look at Levi Colwill. He looks ten times better when his defensive responsibilities are crystal clear in a traditional pairing.

Right now, he’s being shoved out to the left side of a back three alongside Maxence Lacroix and Wesley Fofana, which isn’t doing him any favors.

Without natural full-backs, wing-backs like Pep Chavarría and Pedro Neto have to cover an unsustainable amount of grass – acting as primary wingers in possession and scrambling back as defenders out of it.

It’s exhausting, and it leaves the channels completely open for any team with a bit of pace on the counter.
So why the hesitation? According to club insiders, it all comes down to Moisés Caicedo.

Chelsea need Moisés Caicedo back yesterday, but it will take time

Caicedo is the engine room of this team, and the extra centre-back acts as an insurance policy for him, letting him break up play without worrying about a massive ocean of space behind his back.

When Alonso tries to tinker with that balance – like partnering Caicedo with a more forward-thinking midfielder – Chelsea looks rather fragile. Alonso’s fear is that a back four leaves Caicedo totally isolated.

If he makes the gamble, he’ll need to commit to pairing Caicedo with a highly disciplined, stay-at-home partner like Roméo Lavia to anchor the middle. Alonso isn’t stubborn, but he is a tinkerer.

Adapt and thrive, or be stubborn and fail: What will Alonso do?

Don’t expect him to completely tear up his playbook overnight; he’ll likely try a hybrid approach first where they look like a back three with the ball but drop into a rigid four without it.

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You can choose anyone!

Either way, the clock is ticking. Gary Lineker might suggest the pressure isn’t on Alonso just yet, but another defeat or two like Brentford, and it certainly will be. Chelsea fans expect much better.

If Chelsea can get Colwill back to his best, Caicedo back into the team after his calf issues and Estevao feeling confident again, the Blues have the foundations of a good season. But Alonso has to change.

Chelsea have a brutal run of fixtures coming up, and patience in the boardroom evaporates fast when you’re dropping points while generation-defining talents watch from the sidelines.

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