Alonso Slams 'Soft' Chelsea After Hull Draw: Defensive Woes Deepen
Xabi Alonso criticised his Chelsea side as 'soft' after a 2-2 draw with Hull City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 12 September 2026. The Blues scored twice but conceded twice more, extending their run without a clean sheet to 20 Premier League matches.
- Match: Chelsea 2-2 Hull City
- Venue: Stamford Bridge
- Competition: Premier League
- Goals: Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Mohamed Belloumi x2 (Hull), Joao Pedro (Chelsea)
- Manager's verdict: Alonso said Chelsea were 'soft' and got what they deserved
- Next fixture: Brentford away on Friday, before the international break
Confirmed line-ups
Neither side's full starting line-ups or substitutes were provided in the source article. The following players are explicitly named as involved in the match:
Chelsea
Named players: Emiliano Martinez, Malo Gusto, Jorrel Hato, Moises Caicedo, Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer.
Hull City
Named players: Mohamed Belloumi, Oli McBurnie, Mohamed-Ali Cho, Lucas Herrington.
Selection notes
Alonso made a tactical decision to substitute Jorrel Hato at half-time. Malo Gusto was also substituted, a change celebrated by some Chelsea fans inside Stamford Bridge. Moises Caicedo was absent through injury. New defensive signing Maxence Lacroix was left out of the matchday squad.
What was said
"We had one or two good chances to get the winner, but you're still open. Not happy. We can do better. We got what we deserved."
"We need to be more solid and be more controlled. [We have] new players and new staff. This is the process. In a few months I'm sure we'll be able to control better."
"It's all maybe entertaining, but I hope that one day you say it was a boring game and we win and we don't give these entertaining moments. But for sure it kind of repeats some patterns that we are making."
"It will take time or it will take moments to fix them when we get the lead and you still need to be competing and not to give the chance so easily for them to come back. Especially in the first goal, we can do much better."
"It was too soft to give them this hope because until then we were controlling, we were creating chances, but that momentum that we had changed the mood and the score of the game and it's something that we need to be talking [about], we address and we will get better, but it's having an impact on our performances at the moment."
"Overall, I think that we are attacking better than defending in every part. We know that it's a big topic and a big theme for us. For sure it's just four games, but the dynamic in terms of conceding, I don't like it and we need to do much better. Open play, set-pieces, long balls, this toughness, this competitive sense, we can do better."
"Chelsea are all over the place in transitions. When they lose the ball, they are wide open. The goals they conceded are just basic errors. Both individually and as a defensive unit, they are so far off it and are shipping goals. They are not going to achieve what they want this season defending like that."
"[Emiliano Martinez was the] man of the match."
Alonso's words reveal a manager frustrated by recurring mistakes rather than a lack of attacking quality. He pointed to individual errors, such as Jorrel Hato misjudging a cross before Hull's equaliser, and a failure to clear a corner for Mohamed Belloumi's second goal. The Spanish coach also rejected the idea that switching to a back four was the solution, framing it as a question of player profiles and qualities.
Ashley Williams' assessment was more damning, highlighting structural issues in transition and basic defensive errors. With Chelsea's attack in blistering form, the pressure is on Alonso to fix the defence quickly.
The numbers
- Chelsea have scored 10 goals this season.
- Chelsea have conceded two or more goals in each of their opening four league matches for the first time in 11 years.
- Chelsea have conceded nine goals in the top flight so far this season.
- Only Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town have conceded more than Chelsea's nine goals.
- Chelsea are without a clean sheet in 20 league matches stretching back to January.
- This is Chelsea's longest run without a clean sheet for 65 years.
- Alonso changed shape in three successive matches this week: the defeat at Arsenal, the 6-3 Carabao Cup win over Leeds, and the draw with Hull.
Why Chelsea's defensive problems run deeper than formation
Xabi Alonso has tinkered with shape, moving from a back three to a back four, but the issues persist. The goals conceded against Hull came from a misjudged cross by Jorrel Hato and a failure to clear a corner for Mohamed Belloumi's second. These are individual and collective errors, not structural ones. The absence of Moises Caicedo in midfield has left Chelsea short of protection in front of the defence.
Alonso's comment that 'we are attacking better than defending in every part' is telling. With Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro in fine form, Chelsea can outscore most teams, but their inability to hold leads is costing them points. The decision to leave out new signing Maxence Lacroix suggests Alonso is still searching for the right defensive combination.
The trip to Brentford on Friday will be a stern test, given the Bees' threat from set-pieces. Chelsea's defence must improve quickly, or their season could unravel before the international break.
Talking points
- Is Xabi Alonso's constant tinkering with formation actually hindering Chelsea's defensive cohesion, or are the players simply not good enough?
- Should Chelsea have prioritised signing a defensive midfielder over attacking players in the summer transfer window?
- Emiliano Martinez was named man of the match by Hull's boss — does that highlight how poor Chelsea's defence was?
- With no clean sheet in 20 league games, can Chelsea realistically challenge for the title this season?
What happens next
Chelsea travel to Brentford on Friday, their final fixture before the three-week international break. Brentford are known for their danger from set-pieces, an area where Chelsea have struggled. Alonso has no new signings to call upon until the January transfer window, so improvements must come on the training pitch. A positive result is needed to steady the ship.
Frequently asked questions
What was the score between Chelsea and Hull City?
Chelsea drew 2-2 with Hull City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 12 September 2026.
Who scored for Chelsea against Hull?
Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro scored for Chelsea, with Cole Palmer involved in both goals.
When is Chelsea's next match?
Chelsea travel to Brentford on Friday, their last match before the three-week international break.
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