With a transfer ban in place and less than spectacular performances in defence, you’d have thought Chelsea would move mountains to retain the services of young defender Jay Dasilva. However, last night, Bristol City confirmed the signing of the youngster on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee, and it could prove to be one of Chelsea’s biggest regrets.
The defence was a weak point for Chelsea last season, as heavy losses to Bournemouth and Manchester City showed. After Maurizio Sarri switched Chelsea’s defence from a back five to a back four, Alonso’s struggles were very noticeable. The Spaniard’s refusal to track back meant that Chelsea were often left short in the left-back area, exposing the blues horribly. In attacking areas, Alonso was far from the player he was under Antonio Conte, often losing the ball due to misplaced passes. This was also very noticeable as the 28-year-old had a meagre 85% passing accuracy across all competitions last season.
Emerson didn’t fare much better, with the Italian struggling to displace the underperforming Alonso in the Premier League side. Emerson only made seven appearances in the Premier League and produced horrible attacking and defensive statistics in those games. The 24-year-old only averaged more than one in tackles made and in successful dribbles for Chelsea last season.
As well as the struggle on the pitch, there remain rumours about the future of both players at Stamford Bridge. Alonso was quoted as saying he could consider a move away from the Blues, and Emerson is said to be part of the Chelsea players former boss Sarri wants at new club Juventus. Letting Dasilva leave Stamford Bridge with both left-backs underperforming is beggars belief. The England youth international is only 21-years-old and could go on to have a great career, something Chelsea may live to regret.
