Xabi Alonso's Chelsea reign is only two Premier League games old, but the early signs suggest the Spaniard has already made several important changes at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have won both of their opening league games, while Alonso has also made some bold tactical and selection decisions that could define the season.
With Arsenal next, however, his biggest test is about to arrive. Nonetheless, here are the five biggest achievements of Xabi Alonso at Chelsea so far.
1. Helping Romeo Lavia overcome his fitness fears
When Chelsea signed Romeo Lavia, he was viewed as one of the most exciting young midfielders in Europe. The Belgian had immense potential, but his Chelsea career quickly became dominated by injuries.
Lavia simply could not stay fit consistently. His repeated injuries meant that fans increasingly wondered whether he would ever get the opportunity to reach his true potential. It was difficult to become an important player when he was spending so much time unavailable.
Alonso has already taken a major step towards changing that.
During Chelsea's pre-season Game over AC Milan, Alonso made the bold decision to keep Lavia on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes. It was a significant moment because Lavia had struggled to complete full matches for Chelsea. Alonso later explained that the midfielder had developed a psychological barrier around playing 90 minutes after his long history of injuries.
The decision appears to have worked.
Lavia looked increasingly confident during pre-season and now looks like a player who could be integral to Chelsea's success. If this becomes a breakout season for him, Alonso deserves enormous credit for helping him overcome both the physical and psychological obstacles that had held him back.
2. Identifying Pedro Neto's potential as a wing-back
Pedro Neto was heavily linked with a move away from Chelsea during the summer, with Manchester City and Saudi Arabian clubs reportedly among the teams interested in him.
Instead, Alonso appears to have found a completely different way to use him.
The Chelsea manager deployed Neto as a right wing-back against Brighton, and the experiment was spectacularly successful. Neto provided attacking threat, pace and intelligent movement from the position, while also showing that he could contribute defensively. He scored in Chelsea's 4-3 victory as well.
This could become one of Alonso's biggest tactical discoveries.
Neto's natural speed allows him to attack space while starting from deeper positions, potentially making Chelsea extremely dangerous during transitions. Rather than seeing Neto simply as another winger competing for minutes, Alonso has created a role where his pace and attacking instincts can become even more valuable.
If this experiment continues to work, Neto could become an important part of Chelsea's season.
3. Bringing back the old Cole Palmer
Perhaps the most exciting development for Chelsea supporters has been Cole Palmer.
Palmer looked like a shadow of his best self last season. Injuries disrupted his campaign, while his performances under Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior were nowhere near the extraordinary level he had previously shown.
The difference under Alonso has already been noticeable.
Palmer appears happier, more confident and much closer to the player Chelsea fans fell in love with. Most importantly, he looks like he is playing with a smile again.
That matters because Chelsea's entire attacking ceiling changes when Palmer is performing at his best.
The Palmer who flourished under Mauricio Pochettino was capable of deciding matches almost single-handedly. If Alonso can restore that version of him consistently, Chelsea suddenly have one of the Premier League's most dangerous attacking players.
After only two league matches, it is still too early to declare Palmer completely back to his best. But the early signs are extremely encouraging.
4. Making the ruthless Robert Sanchez decision
One of Alonso's boldest decisions has been in goal.
Robert Sanchez remained Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper through multiple managerial regimes, despite supporters repeatedly questioning his consistency. Mistakes and questionable decision-making had made him one of the most criticised players in the squad.
Alonso has now shown that reputations will not protect players.
Following Sanchez's disappointing performance against Fulham on the opening weekend, Chelsea moved decisively in the transfer market and signed Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa. Martinez brings experience, leadership and a winning mentality after playing a major role in Argentina's international success. To make things worse for Sanchez, he was forced to leave the club & ended up joining Italian side Como on loan.
The important point is not simply that Chelsea signed another goalkeeper. It is that Alonso has demonstrated a willingness to make a decision that previous managers had avoided.
For years, fans wanted Chelsea to address the goalkeeper position. Alonso has effectively said that past decisions and reputations mean very little if a player is not performing.
That ruthlessness could become one of his defining characteristics.
5. Breaking BlueCo's flawed transfer philosophy
Perhaps Alonso's most important achievement has happened away from the pitch.
Chelsea's transfer strategy under BlueCo became heavily focused on signing young, high-potential players with significant resale value. While that approach could make financial sense, it also created a squad that sometimes appeared short of experience, maturity and leadership.
Too many decisions seemed to be viewed through the lens of future value rather than immediate footballing needs.
Alonso appears to have helped change that philosophy.
Chelsea have moved towards adding experienced leaders, including Emiliano Martinez, Danny Welbeck, Maxence Lacroix, and Jordan Henderson, alongside established players who can provide greater maturity to a young squad. Martinez's arrival in particular has been viewed as part of a wider shift towards bringing proven winners into the team.
That balance could be crucial.
Chelsea have no shortage of talented youngsters. What they needed was leadership around them — players capable of controlling difficult moments, guiding younger teammates and maintaining standards when results turn against them.
In that sense, Alonso's influence could extend far beyond tactics.
Arsenal is Alonso's biggest test yet
In just two Premier League games, Alonso has already made Chelsea more fascinating to watch. The Blues have won both matches and produced highly entertaining football, with plenty of goals at both ends.
Chelsea now face Arsenal, meaning Alonso will come up against Mikel Arteta, a childhood friend from their time growing up in Spain.
But friendship will disappear once the ball starts rolling.
This will be Alonso's biggest test yet. Arsenal represent a far greater challenge than Chelsea's opening opponents, and the result could provide the clearest indication yet of how far Alonso has taken this transformation.
The early signs are promising. Now, Alonso has to prove that they are more than just early-season optimism.