In the London derby on 6/9, Chelsea opened the scoring after just 77 seconds through Morgan Rogers, but ultimately came away empty-handed. The team has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 19 Premier League matches and has conceded seven goals in the first three rounds this season.

"When I watch Chelsea's three-man defense, I feel like their legs aren't connected to their hips, and their hips aren't connected to their bodies. Everything seemed quite disconnected and disorganized", Neville commented on the Gary Neville podcast.

The former English player cited the once-renowned three-man defense of Juventus and the Italy national team, comprising Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, and Giorgio Chiellini, as an ideal model. "That was probably the best three-man defense I've ever seen", he said. "They worked as a unit, knew how to position themselves, were strong in aerial duels, and understood when to push up and when to drop deep. They also organized the players in front of them effectively".

Maxence Lacroix, Reece James, Wesley Fofana (in blue, from left) look dejected during Chelsea's 1-2 loss to Arsenal in the third round of the Premier League at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 6/9/2026. Photo: AP

Maxence Lacroix, Reece James, Wesley Fofana (in blue, from left) look dejected during Chelsea's 1-2 loss to Arsenal in the third round of the Premier League at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 6/9/2026. Photo: AP

Against Arsenal, Chelsea deployed three center-backs: Maxence Lacroix, Wesley Fofana, and Josh Acheampong, with only one option, Levi Colwill, on the bench. Neville believes Chelsea must reinforce their defense within one or two years under Xabi Alonso if they aspire to reach new heights. "Alonso has achieved a lot, but what he needs now is to build a solid three-man defense. Currently, they don't give that impression, and things are still a bit disorganized. This is the main issue right now", the former Manchester United defender stated.

Despite this, Neville highly rates Chelsea's other positions, particularly wingers Pedro Neto and Jorrel Hato. The 51-year-old player believes the London club possesses a quality midfield and attack, provided key players maintain good fitness. Therefore, he expects Chelsea to finish at least third and potentially even compete for second place, based on the team's performance since the start of the season under Alonso.

"I think they can finish second. Third is the lowest position I think Chelsea can finish the season", Neville said. "That would be very positive. I am more optimistic about Chelsea than at any point in the last three, four, or five years, because I believe they are heading in the right direction. Things are not perfect, and Chelsea were not expected to beat Arsenal. But I think they performed to the best of their ability in this match".

Alonso himself acknowledged that defensive capability is an issue Chelsea needs to improve quickly. According to the Spanish head coach, the team must play more tightly, balanced, and effectively if they want to win. However, he suggested that these changes will take time, as he only took over in May. "My priority is to win matches. Usually, you win when you don't concede many goals", he stated.

The 44-year-old head coach affirmed that Chelsea was not far inferior to Arsenal and expressed regret that the team could not capitalize on opportunities to extend their lead to 2-1. Alonso emphasized that Chelsea's approach is not passive defense but rather active pressing and control of the game. He also noted that these are only the first matches of the season. Thus, Alonso praised the players' attitude and effort, though he admitted the team still has much to improve to achieve top-level effectiveness.

Regarding personnel, Alonso stated that Moises Caicedo missed the match against Arsenal because he had not fully recovered from an injury sustained in the 4-3 victory over Brighton in round two. According to Alonso, the central midfielder does not have a long-term issue, but he was forced to return to play too early after missing most of the pre-season.

By Hong Duy (via Sky Sports, ESPN)