Three games in, Chelsea is having fun again

It's early days but the joy of football appears to have returned to Stamford Bridge.

After two Premier League victories and a League Cup win during the past week, Chelsea players look like they are having fun, despite some nervy moments in defense.

Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer, who spent much of last season struggling for form and battling injury, scored a sumptuous fourth goal in Chelsea's frenetic 4-3 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, and his broad grin matched the mood of the team and the stadium.

The London side produced some glorious, flowing attacking football to race into a 3-0 lead just 32 minutes into the game, with goals from Romeo Lavia, his first for the club he joined in 2023, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro.

It was such a contrast from last spring, when heads were down and fans subdued. Palmer and Pedro, who had been considered shoo-ins to play at the World Cup earlier in the season, failed to make it into the England and Brazil squads, respectively, for the tournament.

On Sunday Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti sat beside England coach Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, and both former Chelsea bosses watched their international hopefuls' demeanor transformed.

Chelsea finished 10th last season after coach Enzo Maresca left on New Year's Day and his successor Liam Rosenior lasted less than four months. It limped to the end of the season and an FA Cup final defeat under interim coach Calum McFarlane.

But the appointment of former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who managed Leverkusen and Real Madrid, has breathed new life into the squad, reinforced by some shrewd signings such as forward Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, who scored in Chelsea's 3-2 season opener at Fulham last Monday and produced an assist for Neto on Sunday.

Pumped-up fans sang Alonso's name on Sunday after unfurling a banner proclaiming that he was "Not Too Xabi".

And they have every reason to be happy. It's the first time in eight years that the team has started the domestic season with three consecutive wins. The last time was under Maurizio Sarri in 2018-19, with three Premier League victories. In 2016-17, under Antonio Conte, the team also started the season with two league wins and a League Cup victory.

Work to do

There is still a lot of work to do, however, particularly at the back. Chelsea has not kept a clean sheet in the league for 18 games, and, after its blistering start, conceded goals from 20-year-old Malick Yalcouye, Pedro, who put the ball into his own net, and a 96th-minute Pascal Gross header.

Alonso said his team would learn to manage the ebb and flow of the game better, enjoying the good moments and correcting the bad ones.

It will be bolstered by newly arrived Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was called upon more often than his Brighton counterpart Bart Verbruggen, and made key saves as the visitor grew in confidence in the second half.

"He is a World Cup winner ... experienced," Alonso said, adding that Martinez had said he felt ready to play, despite a quickly completed move from Aston Villa.

"He has been in the building just 48 hours. Day by day we will feel his presence, because he has this charisma, this aura, to influence and create very positive connections."

Martinez said it was not a perfect game, but "winning and moving on is what we need".

"The front three are amazing. When we go forward, we can hurt teams. We had a lot of chances to finish the game. Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro had chances to kill the game. At the back, we need to bring the goals down."

Last season's first-choice goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, who played against Fulham, is likely to be looking for a new club before the window closes on Tuesday after too many error-strewn performances.

He did not appear on the squad list on Sunday, nor did Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who could be making a move to Manchester City before the deadline if the two clubs can agree terms.

Enzo's future

Alonso said the club is preparing for "all scenarios" regarding Fernandez's future after the Argentina midfielder was left out again for the 4-3 win over Brighton.

Manchester City reportedly has an interest in signing Fernandez, with the summer transfer window closing late Tuesday.

Fernandez wasn't in the squad for the English League Cup win over third-tier Luton on Thursday, either.

Asked whether the midfielder had played his last game for Chelsea, Alonso said: "We'll see. We want the best for the team, and that's why we took the decision against Luton and today.

"We have to be aware (until) Tuesday evening what is going to develop. We're not sure. We are preparing for all scenarios. I'm sure that, whatever happens, from Wednesday we will have a good enough squad to compete in the Premier League."

Fernandez has played for Chelsea since moving from Benfica in 2023 for 106.7 million pounds (then $131.4 million), a British-record fee at the time.

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