Chelsea Falls to Portsmouth in Behind-Closed-Doors Friendly Amid Defensive Woes
Xabi Alonso uses tactical exercise to address team's worst defensive Premier League record.
Chelsea suffered a 2-0 defeat in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Championship side Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon. The match served as a tactical exercise for manager Xabi Alonso as the team prepares for the Premier League's return following the international break.
In addition to first-team players working back to fitness and some academy prospects, the friendly featured players who have been away on international duty. Notably, Morgan Rogers was part of England's 7-0 Nations League victory over Croatia.
Alonso used the match to focus on defensive strategies, an area of significant concern for Chelsea this season. The team currently holds the worst defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded 12 goals in their opening five matches. A key decision for Alonso ahead of their next league fixture against Bournemouth on October 10 will be whether to maintain a three-at-the-back formation or revert to a more traditional four-player defense.
Portsmouth, managed by John Mousinho, is currently 19th in the Championship standings and is set to face rivals Southampton in their upcoming fixture.
This is not the first time Alonso has utilized secret friendlies. He organized similar matches against Crawley and Bromley before the team's pre-season tour earlier in the year, though Chelsea did not secure a victory in this instance against Portsmouth.