Chelsea were beaten 2-0 by Championship side Portsmouth in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Cobham on Saturday. The match served as a training exercise for Xabi Alonso's squad as preparations intensify ahead of the Premier League resuming next weekend.
Friendly focused on rehabilitation and development
With several senior players away on international duty, the encounter focused mainly on rehabilitation work for injured squad members and tactical drills, according to football.london. The fixture also gave emerging talents the chance to feature alongside first-team players, with player development the key priority.
Alonso has already shown his willingness to use teenage players in matches when required. He said last month: "Yeah, with [it] 2-0 [to Brentford] we brought Madhi [Nicoll-Jazuli], that he has great energy, that at the moment in the middle we were short of numbers. The other ones are Geo [Quenda] and Estevao.
"Yeah, because they have been trained well, they are part of the squad, so everyone that is part of the squad but before we were playing for 75 minutes with a squad with experience and that we have had good things but not for long enough time to compete for the better result."
Defensive concerns persist
A further priority during the three-week break for Alonso would almost certainly have been addressing Chelsea's leaky defence, having shipped 12 goals, more than any other side in the Premier League this season. They have conceded at least two goals in every league fixture, and also let in three against Leeds United in the Carabao Cup.
The absence of Moises Caicedo has done little to shore up Chelsea's defensive resilience, with the midfielder joined on the injury list by Cole Palmer, Reece James and Marco Palestra. However, it remains likely, if not entirely confirmed, that all four featured in some capacity over the weekend.
Injury concerns and mixed start
Joao Pedro withdrew from the Brazil squad ahead of Chelsea's defeat to Brentford due to a knee complaint, with the forward understood to have been consulting a specialist throughout the extended international break. A number of Chelsea stars have been away on international duty over recent weeks, among them Jamie Gittens, who picked up a knock while representing England's under-21s, leaving the stadium on crutches as a result.
It has been a mixed start for Alonso at Stamford Bridge, with victories over Fulham and Brighton followed by defeats to Arsenal and Brentford, with a draw at home to Hull City in between. A place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup has also been secured after wins over Luton Town and Leeds United, though the Blues must now contend with the formidable challenge of facing Liverpool at Anfield.
Before then, Chelsea face Bournemouth, Everton and London rivals Tottenham in the Premier League, with Alonso's side currently sitting in 10th place after five matches.
