Chelsea may have given their supporters an early glimpse of a serious Premier League title challenge, but Monday’s 2-3 victory over Fulham also exposed a weakness that could prove costly over the course of the season.
Xabi Alonso’s side showed plenty of attacking quality at Craven Cottage, with Joao Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer all finding the net in an impressive opening performance. Palmer, in particular, looked sharp and heavily involved as Chelsea repeatedly threatened Fulham.
But while the attack looked capable of carrying Chelsea through difficult games, Robert Sanchez raised fresh concerns between the posts.
The News Chronicle reports that both Fulham goals were heavily influenced by mistakes from the Chelsea goalkeeper. Sanchez was beaten at his near post for Josh King’s equaliser before spilling a shot that allowed Gonzalo Garcia to head Fulham back into the game.
That is the worrying part for Alonso
Chelsea have the firepower, creativity and depth to compete with the best sides in England. Their front three already look dangerous, and Alonso appears to be building a team capable of playing aggressive, exciting football.
However, title-winning teams cannot afford to repeatedly give opponents cheap goals.
If Sanchez continues to make costly mistakes, Chelsea could find themselves dropping crucial points in matches where their attacking players have done enough to win.
The 2-3 victory was an encouraging start for Alonso, but it also delivered a warning: Chelsea may have everything needed for a title challenge, except reliability in goal.
