Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso believes an increase in quality and tempo saw his side overcome Leeds United in the second half.
Alonso made 10 changes to his Chelsea side for the Carabao Cup and while Daniel Farke also made eight, it was his Leeds side who looked far more ready. They went 1-0 up through a Tarik Muharemovic header and doubled their lead through Brenden Aaronson early in the second half.
Four half-time changes saw Alonso introduce Reece James, Pedro Neto, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer with the latter scoring twice in two minutes. Chelsea eventually scored four in 12 and six across the second-half.
“For sure, I take responsibility for all of them,” Alonso said. “No, no player is to blame, it is the decisions that we took. For sure, in the first half things were not going the way we wanted.
“When you haven't had time, and when you don't have this time to work with them, it's difficult to compete at this level, so it's my responsibility. We had to take decisions at half-time, and we have seen another second half with more quality, more tempo, and we need to analyse.
“But happy that we are going through, happy with the reaction, but as well analytical about what we have done.”
Chelsea will have questions to ask about those on the fringes who couldn’t compete with a rotated Leeds side in the first half. Alonso shouldered the blame for introducing such out-of-favour stars against a ‘strong’ opponent in Leeds.
“I will have a deeper assessment about how I can help players that are not playing that much to have a better impact, to have a better feeling, and today it was difficult for them,” he added. “Maybe I made it too difficult because Leeds were a strong side.
“But overall you need to to react. You need to make decisions, and the impact was good from the players that came on.”
- Kyle Newbould
