Chelsea
Chelsea’s unsettled shape leaves Xabi Alonso with multiple problems to solve
Chelsea drew with Hull, but set pieces, possession and structure left Alonso facing more questions.
At Chelsea, change is rarely far away, and this season has already carried the familiar sense of a team still taking shape. Saturday’s draw at Stamford Bridge only reinforced that feeling. Against Hull City, a side whose lineup has also been heavily altered since their earlier FA Cup meeting with Chelsea, Xabi Alonso is still searching for his most reliable structure.
Before the game, Alonso admitted the picture was not yet clear. “We are still in the early days to know what this team, for sure, is going to be,” he said ahead of Chelsea’s fourth Premier League fixture. After a chaotic 2-2 draw, the only obvious certainty was that the front three may be the least likely part of the side to change again.
Set pieces remain one of the sharpest concerns. Chelsea used a deep defensive line on Hull corners, keeping several players high up the pitch and using the space to threaten on the break. That approach helped create Morgan Rogers’s 18-second counter-attack goal in the first half. But the same logic worked against them when Hull attacked from the other side, with Mohamed Belloumi finishing after Chelsea failed to deal with the second ball.
The broader issue is that Chelsea’s set-piece record has already become a problem. They have now conceded three times from such situations in four league matches. Alonso did not hide his frustration. “I don’t like it,” Alonso seethed.
The match also underlined how willing Chelsea are to allow opponents more of the ball. Hull had only 32% possession, yet managed to create enough to leave Alonso with more questions than answers. Chelsea were outplayed in key moments, and their first-half defensive work was described by Alonso as “soft.”
Tactically, there was another round of adjustment. Alonso again resisted the obvious solution of a major system change, instead using Malo Gusto, Reece James and Pedro Neto in unusual roles. The idea had logic, especially against a compact opponent, but it brought little penetration. Chelsea managed only three shots before half-time and trailed 2-1.
Moisés Caicedo’s absence has clearly forced Alonso to think differently in midfield. Yet the front line has not needed the same level of experimentation, and that may be the one area he can finally leave alone.
Chelsea
Clearlake takes full control as Boehly exits Chelsea role
Clearlake have taken full control of Chelsea after buying out Todd Boehly and Mark Walter.
Chelsea’s ownership picture has shifted again, with Clearlake Capital now holding full control after buying out the shares previously owned by Todd Boehly and Mark Walter.
The deal has been completed, and The Times reported that Clearlake paid close to £1 billion, or $1.3 billion, to remove Boehly and Walter from their stakes. Boehly’s departure comes after years in which he had been the most visible figure in the club’s ownership structure, despite owning only 12.8% of Chelsea’s shares.
In a statement, Boehly said: “It has been an honor to serve as Chairman of Chelsea Football Club,” Boehly said in a statement. “I would like to thank the many who helped secure a bright future for the Club, including the English Premier League, the coaches and players, the talented leadership and staff at Chelsea , and the legions of dedicated fans.
“I have valued my partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment we have made to support the immediate and long-term success of the Club. I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake’s leadership.”
Clearlake co-founders Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano responded by praising Boehly’s role and underlining the direction they intend to take. They said: “Todd has been an important partner throughout our ownership of Chelsea, and we thank him for his time and contribution as Chairman. He will always be a part of the Chelsea story and family.
“Clearlake has served as Chelsea’s majority owner since 2022, and as we move to full control our focus is to continue investing in the Club’s infrastructure, sporting performance, player development and delivering long-term success for Chelsea and the Club’s supporters.”
The split appears to have been driven by two separate issues. Walter’s involvement became complicated by an investigation into financial misdealings, while Boehly had long been linked with disagreements inside the ownership group, something repeatedly denied by those in charge.
Boehly is not facing any allegations connected to the accusations against Walter, but his exit has now ended his role as chairman. Clearlake can now make decisions directly rather than relying on boardroom votes where major issues had previously divided the group, including Stamford Bridge and its future.
On the football side, little is expected to change. Clearlake are set to continue their recruitment model, while manager Xabi Alonso retains full backing. The owners have also stated there will be “no changes to the day-to-day operations, leadership or strategy at the club.”
Arsenal
KMI backs referee after Gabriel incident in Chelsea clash
KMI backs the no-red-card call for Gabriel after the chaotic Martínez incident.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incident panel has backed the decision not to send off Gabriel for the first-half clash with Emiliano Martínez in Arsenal’s win over Chelsea in early September.
The incident came during a frantic scramble inside the box after Calafiori’s shot was blocked. With several players on the floor and the ball loose, the scene quickly became tangled, as bodies converged and each side tried to clear, finish, or simply claim possession. In that melee, Gabriel swung at the ball but instead caught Martínez near the eye with his boot. The goalkeeper required treatment, and Chelsea players immediately called for a red card.
Neither Chris Kavanagh, the referee, nor the VAR official judged the challenge to merit a dismissal. Arsenal went on to recover from being behind and won 2-1, one of the early headline matches of the 2026-27 Premier League season.
The KMI panel, made up of five independent members who assess major refereeing calls from every game, ruled unanimously that the on-field decision was correct. “The panel unanimously supported the referee’s call of no red card,” the panel’s ruling stated. “Multiple players were on the ground competing and challenging for the loose ball, and the action of Gabriel was not deemed to be an act of violent conduct or serious foul play.”
That conclusion aligns with the FA’s definition of violent conduct, which covers the use or attempted use of excessive force or brutality when not challenging for the ball, or against other individuals.
In the panel’s view, Gabriel was trying to direct the loose ball toward goal in a crowded sequence, rather than making a deliberate act of excessive force. Despite the contact with Martínez’s face, the referee, VAR and KMI all reached the same conclusion: no red card was required.
Chelsea
Premier League Matchday Four: a chaotic ranking of every club’s weekend
Matchday Four delivered VAR noise, red cards, late goals and several worrying displays across the Premier League.
Matchday Four brought a familiar mix of controversy, frustration and the occasional moment of quality, with VAR once again framed by talk of a “lighter touch.” Yet beyond the debate, the football itself produced a wide range of performances across the division.
Newcastle’s momentum under Matthias Jaissle disappeared at Elland Road on Monday, where they were passive and out of sorts on what their manager described as a “tough night.” Crystal Palace also came away dissatisfied, even if Pierre Sage felt his side “deserved at least a point” against Ipswich Town. That view was not widely shared after Axel Disasi’s red card left Palace exposed before stoppage time completed the damage.
Brighton ultimately pulled clear, but Coventry began well and made Bart Verbruggen work hard before the interval. Frank Lampard admitted, “We did some good stuff,” before adding, “then the game became very, very difficult for us.”
Manchester United’s display against Manchester City was another case of wasted opportunity. They struck the post twice and Bryan Mbeumo even saw a close-range effort kept out by Gianluigi Donnarumma, yet they still allowed the match to be decided by a refereeing mistake after being given favourable conditions.
Aston Villa’s problems under Unai Emery deepened in another home defeat, while Chelsea remained thrilling and chaotic in equal measure. Xabi Alonso summed up the feeling with, “I hope one day you will say it was a boring game and we won,” as the brilliance of the front three continued to coexist with serious defensive problems.
Arsenal survived a tense contest, with Mikel Arteta praising Sunderland: “They are a really, really good side,” he said, “and in any other moment we could’ve conceded.” Bournemouth and Brentford produced one of the most disjointed but competitive games of the round, while Tottenham’s second straight goalless draw left Roberto De Zerbi joking, “In Italy, I should be the best coach, no? Two games, two clean sheets.”
Everton were solid rather than sparkling, Liverpool under Andoni Iraola were alarmingly blunt, and Nottingham Forest ended a long wait for victory at Villa Park with a coordinated display. As for Brighton, Lewis Dunk’s long-range finish summed up a day when things simply fell their way.
