New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso spoke to the media in Sydney on Monday, as the Blues begin their tour of Australia.
He spoke about Morgan Rogers‘ (£7.5m) availability, while being asked about imminent signing Maxence Lacroix (£6.0m) and his number one goalkeeper.
Over the next week, Chelsea have friendlies against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.
Playing “great signing” Rogers alongside Palmer
“I have a plan. I have an idea. I can see them linking really well. We need to have a good mix. If we get that balance right and those special players in the right positions with good control, then we will be more competitive with the ball and against the ball, we need to be good.” – Xabi Alonso
“One of his best qualities is that he [Rogers] is flexible. In that pocket position, close to the striker, close to our number 10, but he’s played as well on the right side, but more coming from the left. He feels he is enjoying his game, his flow, and I’m sure he will have good connections with the other players around him. If we get those connections right, that will be a great step forward in the quality of our game.” – Xabi Alonso
Rogers’ availability for Gameweek 1
“Yes. All the ones who come later because they reached the final stages of the World Cup, they will be ready. We have a few of them so they have to be ready.” – Xabi Alonso, via Football London
“When we started talking, we wanted to build a competitive squad, and you need players who can have that almost instant impact, and I’m sure Morgan won’t need much time to adapt to the club, to the system, to his team-mates. That was the idea that we wanted and to get a top player and Morgan is one of them.” – Xabi Alonso
The imminent addition of centre-back Lacroix
“We want to build a competitive team. We want a squad with the right balance between quality and mentality. Those things need to match in terms of maturity stage, where you are in your career, the moment that this point is coming for each player, the hunger, the desire, the commitment. But I think that we are starting in a new season with good energy. That’s important.” – Xabi Alonso, via Football London
If a ‘number one’ goalkeeper has been chosen
“All the positions. Everything is open. The competition within the squad is positive and I like that.” – Xabi Alonso, via Football London
“We need to know that probably there will still be some [transfer] movements. We need to be flexible and quick to act. The main thing is that we have a clear idea, a clear plan that we have built. Probably it will change until the last day of the market being open.” – Xabi Alonso, via Football London
Alonso on his tactical flexibility
“We will be flexible in our tactics, in our approach, in our game plans. We have our principles, what we want can be the same, but we have tried and we will try different ideas. It’s about updating, developing something they have done with new concepts, which each manager has.” – Xabi Alonso, via Football London
“We need to work hard to develop this team, with new players, a new coach, new ideas. Sometimes that takes longer. Sometimes it happens spontaneously quicker. Be ready to try to develop this idea we have, this plan. So far, we have good feelings. Gradually, the other players will be coming and we need to bring them into this dynamic as quickly as possible.” – Xabi Alonso, via Football London
