Chelsea have a giant €60m issue - and it's up to Alonso to fix it

Chelsea have a giant €60m issue - and it's up to Alonso to fix it Make us your Google favourite After a flying start to the Xabi Alonso era, Chelsea have hit a wall. And familiar failings are the reason. The Blues are now without a win in their last three Premier League matches after a 3-0 defeat to Brentford on Friday night, and they are currently on course to concede 91 goals across the 38-game English top flight season. For all of their attacking flair, that simply isn’t good enough. Of course, Moises Caicedo’s absence through injury is a major contributing factor to Chelsea’s woeful defensive record, while their inability to sign a replacement for Enzo Fernandez on Transfer Deadline Day has also significantly harmed the quality of their midfield roster. However, Alonso has to be criticised for failing to find a solution to these problems and, luckily for the Spaniard, he now has an extended international break to reflect on Chelsea’s fragility at the back and attempt a fix. One major issue that hasn’t been spoken about much, however, is Maxence Lacroix . Maxence Lacroix issue Lacroix joined Chelsea from Crystal Palace for €60.7 million in late July and he has immediately established himself as one of Alonso’s favourites, playing the entire 90 minutes in six of the Blues’ seven matches across all competitions so far this term. His arrival was greeted with much acclaim, following Chelsea’s struggles at centre-back last season, and his physicality was expected to help the Blues vastly improve their defensive solidity. However, the opposite has happened. Chelsea have conceded a whopping 15 goals in seven games this term and while Lacroix certainly isn’t solely to blame, he hasn’t been the reliable presence that many tipped him to be. He was the main culprit in Brentford’s second goal on Friday night, stepping up to attempt an intercept rather than tracking Kevin Schade’s run, and he hasn’t yet displayed the ability to successfully marshal Chelsea’s backline. The Frenchman has looked slow on the turn and fairly immobile when defending transitions, which was an issue whenever Tosin Adarabioyo played for Chelsea last season, while his on-ball quality is also an issue. Lacroix is an able passer, but he often looks nervous when playing out from the back, his technique is a clear level below Chelsea’s other centre-back options and any opposition analyst worth his salt would identify him as the perfect pressing trigger. Meanwhile, the Frenchman’s arrival has also had a negative impact on Levi Colwill’s form. The England defender has never looked entirely comfortable defending in wide areas and his immense passing range is also impacted by playing on the left of a back three. In Alonso’s current preferred system, Colwill’s best position is undoubtedly the one filled by Lacroix and yet he has been shifted to the left in order to accommodate the Frenchman. Not only has Lacroix affected Colwill’s form, he also doesn’t look particularly assured himself either. There isn’t an easy fix to Chelsea’s current defensive fragility, but Lacroix is becoming a clear problem for Alonso and it’s up to the Spaniard to find a quick solution otherwise the Blues’ season could soon spiral out of control.