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Alonso on Chelsea latest ahead of Everton trip
16/10/2026
Cobham training centre, Surrey, UK
16/10/2026
Cobham training centre, Surrey, UK
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:24Okay, good afternoon and thank you for joining us.
00:27We will take the usual format today, beginning with Sky Sports News and James Vundra.
00:33Away you go, James.
00:34Hi, Jamie. Good to see you.
00:36A significant update on Rhys James this morning.
00:39What can you tell us about his injury?
00:42Yeah, we are all disappointed, especially for him.
00:47He wanted to have a good start after the international break,
00:52but in the last training he picked an injury.
00:55We wanted to be cautious and to wait to know the result of the tests.
01:01But now the surgery has been well, has been successful.
01:07Keep supporting him.
01:08He will be close to the team.
01:09He's a great influence, even when he's not available,
01:12and wish him the best recovery.
01:16We don't set timelines, but he will be out for several weeks.
01:20How long are you expecting him to be out for?
01:23Because there's a suggestion that it could be three months, perhaps.
01:27We don't have the exact...
01:28It will be several weeks, for sure.
01:29It's not going to be short.
01:30It's not going to be two or three weeks things.
01:32It's going to be longer.
01:33And after we will see before Christmas.
01:36After Christmas, time will tell.
01:38But things have to be done properly, that he feels right,
01:44and that that knee is in the best possible condition.
01:48It's a disappointment for everyone, for him.
01:53But we have a squad to do for that, to deal with injuries.
01:58How do you feel about the options you now have in central midfield
02:03for this next period of time?
02:06Yeah, we have, until the next break,
02:09four more Premier League games, a cup game as well.
02:13So I think that we will be able to manage well with the players that we have,
02:17with the options that they have been playing,
02:21other ones that are available.
02:22So we feel good.
02:24Will Writz's injury impact the way you approach the January transfer window,
02:28in terms of potentially looking to sign with him?
02:30No, I don't think so, because we expect for that time that he's back.
02:35Some weeks before, some weeks, let's say,
02:37it's not exact the timeline with him, so it doesn't affect him.
02:44Rijs is clearly a hugely important player for you,
02:47but as a manager, how challenging is it?
02:49Because there have been issues over the last few years
02:52when it comes to his availability.
02:54He's still a very important player, and he's the captain.
02:57He's a great influence, and hopefully, after recovering from this injury,
03:02he will be available for many games, that he works hard,
03:05he has a good mentality, and we need him.
03:07Are there any new injury updates this week?
03:10No.
03:11How much do you read into expected goals?
03:14There's been a lot made of that this season,
03:15that Chelsea are over-performing when it comes to your XG.
03:19Is that sustainable?
03:20Can you keep scoring at this rate?
03:22I hope so.
03:24Our goal is to keep doing that, and for sure,
03:27we haven't talked a lot about not conceding that many.
03:30If we improve or we continue the level of scoring
03:34and we decrease the numbers of conceding,
03:39we will be in a better way, but we need to go game by game,
03:42and tomorrow it's going to be tough in Everton.
03:45But we are looking forward to this game, intensity,
03:50high demand game, high tempo, good.
03:54I haven't been in the stadium, but they've told me
03:55it's a nice one with good atmosphere,
03:57so we are looking forward to it.
04:01You said it's going to be a tough game.
04:04It's your first away match since Brentford.
04:06How much do you hope your side has learned
04:08from that experience at Brentford,
04:10and what do you want to see tomorrow?
04:11I want that we compete,
04:13that we know what it takes to win Premier League games away
04:17in tough stadiums,
04:20that they create a great energy, emotional,
04:24that we are able to deal with that playing,
04:27but as well competing well,
04:29and for sure the experience for Brentford is not forgotten.
04:34Thanks, James.
04:34Soraya?
04:37Against Bournemouth, we sort of saw a 4-4-2 off the ball,
04:40it seems, which was kind of new in the Premier League,
04:42but we've seen it from you in Friesingdon.
04:45How do you think the players have performed?
04:46It seems like it fit them a bit better,
04:48and why did you make that formation choice?
04:51Well, we want to be flexible,
04:56but as well that we are solid
04:58whenever we are pressing high,
05:00a little bit lower,
05:01but we think that the distances are right,
05:05that the balance is the right one,
05:08and we chose that way against Bournemouth.
05:13Everton is going to be different.
05:15They do many good things,
05:18many very good players that they have the experience.
05:21So those principles are important.
05:27It can be in a 4-4-2,
05:29it can be in a 5-3,
05:30but the distances,
05:31how you help and how you have a good balance,
05:33this is what you need to defend,
05:35and after with the ball is another thing.
05:37And more specifically,
05:38your midfielders off the ball,
05:40it seems like they covered a lot
05:41for the centre-backs and the full-backs,
05:43especially when the team went forward.
05:45What do you want to see
05:46from your midfielders off the ball primarily?
05:50The midfielders,
05:52they need to take,
05:53for me,
05:54in a game,
05:56many, many, many, many decisions.
05:59Small ones,
06:00that they mean,
06:01they look meaningless,
06:02but they are very significant.
06:03So that means that
06:05they are always thinking
06:07one step ahead of the game,
06:09and I think that Moy,
06:11Hendo, Rom,
06:13Barco,
06:13we are working for that.
06:15And when that works,
06:17normally the team works better,
06:18they did really well
06:19the other day
06:19with Hendo and with Moy,
06:23and that they choose
06:25the right decision
06:26because normally
06:28when they do things well,
06:32they help the teams around
06:33because they are
06:33in the middle of everything
06:35and you need to be enjoying
06:36that responsibility
06:37that you have there in the middle.
06:39A lot of the players
06:40have mentioned your team talks.
06:43More specifically,
06:43Norman Rodgers said
06:44you perfectly know
06:46how to get the team motivated
06:47and wild up.
06:48Now,
06:49some managers are different,
06:50they're very specific
06:51about how they communicate
06:53with the team.
06:53Your team talks,
06:54do you plan them?
06:55Is it very natural
06:56in the moment?
06:57How do you approach them?
06:58It's in the moment
07:00and it's...
07:02I don't take credit for that.
07:04For me,
07:04it's for the players
07:05who say that
07:05after the press conference.
07:07So I don't think
07:09because sometimes you talk
07:10and you lose the game.
07:12So it was good,
07:13but not for the good
07:15and not for the bad.
07:15But for sure,
07:16you need to have an impact
07:17because the emotional part
07:18of the game
07:19is really important
07:20and sometimes it's more
07:22natural,
07:23sometimes it's more tactical.
07:25So it depends
07:25on the momentum.
07:27It's the feeling I have.
07:29It's not something
07:30that I know tomorrow
07:32what's going to be
07:33the team talk of
07:34right before the game.
07:35So we will see
07:37once I get to the stadium
07:38how I smell it
07:40in...
07:42Goodison,
07:43no,
07:43it's the...
07:44Hildikinson.
07:47What?
07:47Old-fashioned.
07:52Thanks, Sarai.
07:53And Izzo?
07:53Hi, Xavi.
07:54Obviously,
07:55Rhys James is your captain
07:56and Enzo Fernandes,
07:57who left,
07:58is your vice-captain.
07:59So how does it now work
08:00with your captaincy group?
08:02It works well.
08:03We have Moy,
08:06we have Levi,
08:08we have players
08:09that they take
08:10their responsibility
08:11and that they take
08:14the role
08:14in a perfect way.
08:16They have the...
08:17you know,
08:19the support from the rest
08:20that they see them
08:22with their armband
08:23and it's no problem.
08:25So when Mies James is out,
08:26who's going to
08:27take responsibility now?
08:28You know,
08:29you mentioned Levi and Moy,
08:31how do you want them
08:31to take responsibility now
08:33when you're away?
08:34You can be captain
08:34without armband.
08:35For me,
08:36that's not a problem,
08:37for sure.
08:38Once you wear it,
08:39you have to be proud
08:40and you take a responsibility.
08:41But as well,
08:42you can have that
08:44leadership without it
08:45is important
08:46and that's why
08:46we have this group
08:47of captains
08:48that they are
08:50the ones
08:50that they need
08:51to pull from the rest,
08:52not just on match day,
08:54even during the week,
08:55they need to deal with that.
08:57So who else is the captain?
08:59And what did they bring?
09:00So what's Levi bringing?
09:01What's Moy bringing?
09:02And what's whoever else,
09:03you know,
09:04maybe Jordan or Cole
09:05bringing to Riz?
09:07Their own personality.
09:09Each one is different.
09:11Levi is different from Riz,
09:12Moy is different,
09:14Cole,
09:15Hendo.
09:17each one is different.
09:19Dio as well.
09:21So that's why
09:22it's so important for me
09:23to have a good mix
09:24of personalities,
09:27of qualities,
09:28of stages of their career
09:31that they help
09:32and that we are in a good place
09:36I think in that way.
09:37So just to be specific,
09:38why was Levi wearing
09:39the armband
09:39and not Moy for the last game?
09:41I can't be very specific
09:43with that.
09:45Thanks, Nizar.
09:46Simon?
09:47Can you just clarify
09:49if Emiga
09:50is available at all?
09:53He's not yet for tomorrow.
09:54He felt something yesterday,
09:58a little thing.
09:59He should be,
10:00he's going to be training
10:01next week,
10:01but he's still not
10:03100% fit
10:05to be playing
10:07in the game.
10:08You obviously haven't
10:10had much of a chance
10:10to work with him
10:11so far.
10:13No, but I know,
10:15sorry, sorry.
10:15What can he bring?
10:16What will he add
10:17to when he is fit?
10:18When he's fit,
10:19he's very special
10:21because he's
10:28195 meters.
10:29He's quick,
10:30he attacks the space,
10:32he's a threat,
10:33so he needs to fit fully fit
10:35and at this moment
10:35he's having little things
10:37and unfortunately
10:38he's not being available
10:39but we are looking forward
10:40that he feels good
10:42and that he can help
10:43the team
10:43but he's a very,
10:46very,
10:47it's going to be
10:47difficult for the defenders
10:49when he's in good shape.
10:51And just on getting to,
10:53I think you said last week,
10:55have you got a date in mind?
10:57Not yet,
10:58but it's still a few weeks,
10:59still a few weeks,
11:00yes.
11:00Okay,
11:01time for two more,
11:01Rob and then Martin.
11:02A previous Chelsea manager
11:06suggested that
11:07whilst Ries was out
11:08in June for a few years ago,
11:10he expected more
11:11than he got from him
11:13as his captain
11:14in terms of leadership
11:15around the squad.
11:17I think the suggestion
11:18was that maybe
11:18Ries wasn't,
11:20maybe fulfilled.
11:20Who said that?
11:22Who?
11:24It was Enzo Marekka.
11:26Okay.
11:27How confident are you?
11:28I mean,
11:28that was several years ago now
11:29and obviously Ries has
11:31revolved a lot.
11:32How confident are you
11:33that you'll get
11:33what you need
11:34from your captain
11:35during this period?
11:37I'm very confident
11:38because I think that
11:40he,
11:42he's so proud
11:43to be playing
11:44for this club.
11:45He's so proud
11:46to,
11:47to,
11:48to reach this moment
11:49because he's,
11:50he's played many years
11:51so he's gone through
11:52different stages
11:53and now to take
11:54that responsibility
11:55in a,
11:55in a very natural way
11:57with his own,
11:58the way,
11:59the,
11:59his own way of leadership
12:00but he's so respected
12:02by his teammates
12:03and,
12:03and as well,
12:04he has the support
12:05from the other ones.
12:06And we'll finish
12:07with Martin.
12:08Hi, Cervi.
12:08Hello, Martin.
12:10Watching your team
12:11has been really exciting.
12:13I'm sure in the dugout
12:14it's not quite as exciting
12:15as a,
12:15a bit worrying
12:16at the time.
12:17Yes.
12:18Have you been
12:18getting your clean sheets
12:19with everybody
12:20says Chelsea's going
12:21to get clean sheets?
12:22You'll have to sacrifice.
12:24Will you be able
12:24to score as many goals
12:25and play on the front?
12:27Is that the conundrum
12:28you're trying to build
12:29in the first few weeks?
12:30No,
12:30we need to,
12:32I think it will come
12:33so we don't,
12:35it's no obsession.
12:36The obsession
12:36is to,
12:37to win
12:38and to compete
12:39the best possible way
12:40and the clean sheets
12:41will come
12:41and I'm pretty sure,
12:43I'm pretty sure
12:44of that
12:45because we want
12:46to play
12:46with good balance,
12:47with good control
12:48but because
12:50we will create chances
12:52the attacking power
12:54that we have
12:54is fantastic,
12:56they connect well,
12:57they have chemistry
12:58so we need to keep
12:59maximizing that
13:01and as well
13:02you know,
13:03be more consistent
13:04and I think that
13:05till now
13:06we're not happy
13:08and I'm positive
13:09that
13:10we will find
13:11in this next period
13:12a better performance
13:13in that way.
13:15Thank you, Martin.
13:16Thank you, everyone.
13:17Cameras off, please.