Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso says Arsenal defeat was ‘painful’ despite creating chances

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said his side created more opportunities than expected against Arsenal but admitted their 2-1 defeat at Emirates Stadium was painful.

Chelsea made a fast start when new signing Morgan Rogers put them ahead after only two minutes. Arsenal responded through Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard to complete the comeback and secure victory.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Alonso said: “The loss is painful. It was a very intense match, with different moments. We had chances to score, especially in the first half. Nobody feels happy when losing.”

Chelsea were forced into a prolonged defensive spell after taking the lead, according to Alonso, who said his players struggled to regain control before improving as the game progressed.

“After we scored, we had to defend too much for 15-20 minutes and we struggled a little to regain control,” he said, as reported by the BBC. “Then things improved a little afterwards.”

Alonso described the contest as closely fought and entertaining, but felt Chelsea could have dealt with Arsenal’s second goal more effectively.

“Overall, it was a very close and very exciting game,” he said. “We could have dealt with the second goal we conceded better. The players gave everything and tried with all their strength. There is no doubt the loss is painful.”

The Spanish coach said Chelsea’s focus now had to be on preparing properly for the demands of the campaign, which he described as a long and difficult journey.

“It is about preparing in the best possible way to compete in the best possible way,” Alonso said. “You have to control the attacking pressure. These actions are part of the game. We will continue. This is the third match, and it will be a long and hard journey.”

Alonso also explained Chelsea’s approach to defending and attacking from corners and other set-piece situations. He said the team wanted to remain proactive, whether pressing high or defending in deeper areas.

“We make decisions and take the initiative to attack,” he said. “We want to be effective and take the initiative. Sometimes it is from set-pieces, and sometimes we press strongly in high or low areas. I think this is what we need to compete in all phases. Today we came here to compete in the best way possible, and now we have to continue in this manner.”

Asked what he had learned from the match, Alonso said the performance had given him further insight into his players and the work they were beginning together.

“I learned about the game, about us, about what we are doing and what we are starting,” he said. “The players have this spirit and this desire to perform better from one match to the next to create something we believe in. So far I am happy. We want to win matches; that is the ultimate goal.”

Chelsea were also missing midfield players because of injury, but Alonso praised those available to him for their efforts.

“You have to deal with injuries because the team misses the injured player,” he said. “The players who were with us gave everything. Today they tried with all their strength and gave everything they had.”

On Chelsea’s chance creation against Arsenal, Alonso added: “It was not expected that we would create 12 chances in the match. It is difficult to beat them and difficult to create chances against them, but we had three or four opportunities to score more than one goal. This is an ongoing process. We are still at the beginning.”

He said Chelsea’s next objective was to become more secure defensively and begin keeping clean sheets.

“We want to start keeping clean sheets, and that will happen,” Alonso said. “The players are committed to working hard and they know we are on the right path to compete in every match. We are not happy, but we have to stay calm and move forward.”

Alonso rejected any early conclusions about whether Chelsea would continue to score and concede heavily.

“It is too early to predict,” he said. “The days will reveal that. We want to keep improving in certain aspects and continue to produce the same strong performances. Every match is a real battle, and we fought fiercely until the final moment. It is very important to have this spirit and for the team to feel it. It gives us the strength to win matches.”