Morgan Rogers and Chelsea's front three under Xabi Alonso

The debut that set the tone

Chelsea opened the Alonso era with a 3-2 win at Craven Cottage, and Rogers was on the scoresheet. His goal came in the 41st minute, from a cut-back by centre-back Maxence Lacroix [1]. João Pedro had scored within the first minute, flicking a pass from Cole Palmer over goalkeeper Bernd Leno, and Palmer added the third goal early in the second half after João Pedro held up the ball and fed him [1].

The goal was only part of Rogers's contribution. He created five chances in the opening weekend, the most of any Premier League player that weekend. Three of them were for Palmer and one for João Pedro [2]. The Analyst also reports that in the first half of his debut he had three or more shots and three or more chances created, a first for a Chelsea player in Opta's records since 2003-04 [2].

How the front three is meant to work

Alonso set his side up in a 3-4-2-1, the same shape he used to win the Bundesliga at Bayer Leverkusen [2]. Within that system, the front three do not have to stretch the pitch. The attackers are not required to provide width, so they can influence play through the centre [2].

Palmer has what the analysis calls "freedom" and "responsibility". He can roam into central areas, but he is also expected to contribute defensively [2]. Rogers was signed for his ability on the ball, his work rate and his movement, and the piece says he works well alongside a centre-forward who drops deep [2].

In the opener the three attackers each scored, and Rogers's chances went mostly to Palmer, so the split of roles shows up in who finishes and who creates [2] [1].

Season context

Chelsea signed Rogers from Aston Villa in July, and the club officially announced the move with a contract running through 2032 [3]. beIN put the value at around €137 million, without describing that as an official fee [3].

The Fulham game was the first match of Alonso's reign, which made the opening result a statement about the new shape [1]. Fulham scored twice in reply, through Josh King in the 24th minute and Gonzalo García in the 54th, and Chelsea held on for the win [1].

What to watch next

The first question is whether the chance creation in the opener holds up across a full season. Rogers created more than any other Premier League player that weekend, and his goal came from a move rather than a set piece [2] [1].

The second is how Palmer balances his freedom with his defensive job. The Analyst says he is expected to contribute defensively as well as roam into central areas, and that balance is likely to be tested in games Chelsea do not control [2].