Chelsea on Sunday escaped Brighton scare with a narrow win of 4-3.
Chelsea might just be this season’s Premier League entertainers and yet head coach Xabi Alonso seemingly believes less is more when it comes to possession.
Alonso has started with two wins from two League games in charge of Chelsea, with seven goals scored and five conceded. So far, it has been a lot of fun – if not entirely convincing. 
But perhaps the most interesting numbers are around how much – or how little – Chelsea are having the ball. Having finished their 3-2 victory over Fulham with 38.5 per cent of possession, Chelsea had just 25.6 per cent in the 4-2 success over Brighton.
Chelsea’s third goal, scored in the 32nd minute, best summed up the London club under Alonso to date. It took the home side three passes to go from the edge of their own penalty area to Joao Pedro scoring against his former club.
Jorrel Hato passed the ball to Morgan Rogers, he then released Hato down the left and the wing-back slid the ball across for Pedro to finish. It was a devastating counter-attack and should have put Chelsea on course for a much easier win.
Romeo Lavia and Pedro Neto, from a Rogers cross, had already put Chelsea two goals up before Pedro got on the scoresheet. But the home side made life difficult for themselves before Cole Palmer – in front of England head coach Thomas Tuchel – made sure of the three points.
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez could not keep a clean sheet on his Chelsea debut, as he was first beaten by a stunning volley from Malick Yalcouye and then watched a Pascal Gross cross deflect past him off Pedro.
But with the home fans panicking and Chelsea threatening to throw their advantage away, Palmer produced a brilliant goal against the run of play to keep up his team’s perfect start to the season.
Pascal Gross scored a third for Brighton but it came in time added on for stoppages and too late to change the outcome of the game.
Manchester City target Enzo Fernandez was once again missing from the Chelsea squad. The Blues are interested in signing Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara and an injury to Moises Caicedo, who was forced off 14 minutes after being introduced as a substitute, may accelerate that deal.
