The defeat against Tottenham ended the run of Xabi Alonso's Chelsea, but the Blues' difficulties do not end there. In view of the Carabao Cup match against Andoni Iraola's Liverpool, the Spanish coach will have to do without Joao Pedro, one of the pillars of the attack. The Brazilian will remain injured for several weeks, as the coach confirmed: "We will miss him, but we must be ready to overcome this situation, win matches and be competitive with the players we have available. We must look for solutions, not excuses."
Joao Pedro had already been forced to miss the match against Tottenham due to a physical problem and his absence was felt. For the second time this season Chelsea remained goalless: the previous one dates back to the away match against Brentford, another match played without the Brazilian on the pitch. After being excluded from the World Cup with Brazil, the former Brighton player has become the main offensive reference for the Blues. Last season he finished as the team's top scorer with 20 goals and this year he started on the same line, with five goals in his first eight appearances.
Chelsea struggled to create chances against Tottenham, with just seven shots in total, and Xabi Alonso was criticized for giving few minutes to Danny Welbeck, who arrived in the summer specifically to alternate with Joao Pedro. The other available center forward, Emmanuel Emegha, has not yet made his debut for the Blues. Now, against Liverpool, the manager will have to find new offensive solutions.
With the absence of Joao Pedro, Chelsea will have to rely on Welbeck and Emegha to try to compensate for the loss of a top-quality striker. The club is therefore faced with a crucial moment: maintaining competitiveness in the cup and in the Premier League despite injuries and the need to find effective alternatives in attack. The next match against Liverpool will be a decisive test for Alonso's ability to adapt the team and bring out new protagonists.