Chelsea: Sturridge picks out big mistake Alonso made vs Spurs – ‘The manager got it wrong’
Former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge reckons Xabi Alonso should have started Danny Welbeck in the Blues’ 2-0 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday.
Spurs produced an accomplished away display to get all three points at Stamford Bridge with a Mike Penders own-goal and a stunning Mathys Tel strike settling matters.
Chelsea also went down to ten men when Cole Palmer saw red for a second bookable offence on ten minutes in a bad day at the office for Alonso’s men.
The Blues were without top scorer Joao Pedro, who missed out with a knock, and Alonso chose to give Geovany Quenda a Premier League debut instead of putting in Welbeck.
And former Chelsea striker Sturridge thinks Alonso “got it wrong” and should have started the more experienced Welbeck over Quenda.
Sturridge said on Sky Sports: “I think the manager got it wrong.
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“Quenda is a very good young player make no mistake but I think the way in which the team have played in the last couple of weeks, they were prepared to play with Joao Pedro.
“He doesn’t start and it seems like it made the whole formation change. Because of that, for Palmer and Rogers that has an impact on their way of playing for Chelsea.
“This season, having a focal point in Joao Pedro who is fantastic at that.
“Is Welbeck as fast as him? No. Is he as dynamic? He isn’t. Bit what we know is he is a very good, very experienced football player who could have come in and done a job.
“For me, Welbeck should have started today.”
Chelsea boss Alonso: ‘We win and we lose together’
Penders was also making his first Premier League start in goal for Chelsea and Alonso insisted that the Blues “win and we lose together” after the young goalkeeper’s mistake for the first goal.
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Alonso told reporters: “It’s part of the business; you need to deal with mistakes and we keep confidence in Mike and he will be in goal against Liverpool.
“We win and we lose together and it’s part of the job to deal with mistakes, myself as well as everyone.
“We support Mike and Geo (Quenda) as well, the guys starting their first [Premier League] games. He will want to prove he can do better – and we also have to show that.”
Alonso added: “We all take the blame for the result and for the performance. Today we were not at our best. I felt that in the second half, the game was even and could have gone either way. Once we conceded that first goal, and then with the red card, it was difficult.”
Alonso continued: “In the second half, it was tight, with some half-chances for them and half-chances for us. It was about taking a moment and once we conceded the first goal, it conceded everything. Then, when we wanted to have a reaction, we got the red card. Then it went the other way.
“We can do better. It’s one to reflect after this big game that it was against a good opponent. And the performance, it’s one to improve.”
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