Chelsea head into their meeting with Leeds United knowing they have work to do after another disappointing result exposed some of the problems in their attacking play.
The Blues suffered a defeat in their latest Premier League outing, struggling to break down a stubborn defensive setup. With the trip to Elland Road approaching, their manager has already identified an area where his side need to improve if they are to avoid another frustrating afternoon.
Xabi Alonso admits Chelsea are struggling against low blocks
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso admitted his team lacked the speed, patience and creativity required to break down Sunderland after their defeat.
The Blues struggled to create clear opportunities against a well-organised defence, with Alonso acknowledging that his players were nowhere near doing enough to threaten their opponents.
“I was trying to find solutions. We were missing a little bit of speed on the ball, a little bit of patience.
Playing against a low block we didn’t create enough chances. We didn’t have enough patience and creativity to create chances. That is why we were not close to scoring.
“This is the Premier League. To be consistent in these blocks, we are still developing, still improving and today for sure the feeling is not the best but we will have time to reflect and come back for November and December progressing.”
It was a revealing assessment from the Chelsea boss, who made no attempt to disguise his frustration at the lack of attacking ideas. His comments also suggest that breaking down teams who defend deep remains an area of development for his side.
Leeds could look to exploit Chelsea’s weakness
The timing of Alonso’s admission will offer Leeds something to consider ahead of their meeting with Chelsea.
Daniel Farke’s side will know that frustrating the visitors and denying them space could make life difficult for a team that has just struggled to create chances against a low block.
Leeds will still need to be disciplined and make the most of their opportunities, but Alonso has effectively highlighted a weakness his next opponents may look to exploit.
Chelsea have time to work on the problem before travelling to Elland Road, and Alonso will expect a response from his players. However, if Leeds can reproduce the defensive organisation that troubled them at Sunderland, the visitors could face another difficult test.
