Xabi Alonso's Chelsea to-do list becomes clear as Liverpool defeat lays issues bare

With shootout defeat at Anfield, Chelsea’s frustrating week wears on, leaving Xabi Alonso in an increasingly unenviable position.

On Saturday, a dreadful home defeat by Tottenham. On Wednesday, the latest in a long line of cup defeats by Liverpool.

On signing for Chelsea in the summer, Alonso trotted out all the traditional platitudes of his goals with the club, which included the promise to win as much silverware as possible - starting immediately.

With Chelsea now out of the Carabao Cup, the odds of Alonso delivering on that promise seem increasingly slim, not simply due to the fact that there is only one cup left to win, but also the manner in which they were beaten. Intrisic problems with the selection left the Blues on the back foot from kick-off.

There was nothing to separate these sides at full time after they had each scored a penalty before the break, meaning their fates were left entirely up to chance. The flipped coin fell in Liverpool’s favour after Wesley Fofana launched an appalling effort high into The Kop.

Wesley Fofana missed the crucial spot-kick for Chelsea

PA

It did not have to be like this. As with Saturday’s loss to Tottenham, where the Blues were overrun in the centre of the park, Alonso’s setup can again be questioned.

Andoni Iraola left the door ajar to a Chelsea win as he named four younger players to his squad Alonso, meanwhile, named a team of entirely senior talent, decorating the bench with a couple of academy talents - just in case.

Of course, they were never called upon as Chelsea clung on in the late stages at Anfield

Alonso did deliver on his promise to experiment with a midfield three, today comprising Jordan Henderson, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.

That trio operated with concerning inefficiency. It was a partnership completely without rhythm tactical cohesion - three individuals playing their own matches as opposed to a well-drilled unit.

They were not helped by Caicedo’s off night. Henderson’s deployment as the main creative player was also an odd call.

Moises Caicedo had an off night at Anfield

Getty

The fact of the matter is that Chelsea’s central three, comprising a £100m man in Caicedo, a living great of the English game in Henderson and a precocious talent in Lavia, was upstaged by 19-year-old Trey Nyoni is not a good look for the Blues.

Chelsea arrived at Anfield full of intent but failed to get the job done. The contributing factor of Fofana’s bizarre first-half handball, without which they would have led at half-time, did not help.

Alonso’s persistent refusal to utilise the talents of Estevao, one of the game’s brightest talents, remains baffling. It could not have been better exemplified than by Emmanuel Emegha, the debutant striker preferred off the bench, seeing a weak spot-kick saved.

The conversation would have been different had Chelsea come up trumps in the shootout. This was not a disastrous performance by any means, but it will have implications for the Blues and it will sting.

The onus now falls on Alonso to arrest the slide, and he has a prime opportunity to do so as a suffering Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Chelsea’s problems are clear. Solutions may be harder to come by.