{"id":11151,"date":"2026-05-20T07:30:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=11151"},"modified":"2026-05-20T07:30:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T07:30:56","slug":"enzo-maresca-didnt-fancy-him-but-chelsea-ace-will-play-major-role-under-xabi-alonso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=11151","title":{"rendered":"Enzo Maresca didn’t fancy him but Chelsea ace will play major role under Xabi Alonso"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Xabi Alonso will have kept a close eye on Chelsea\u2019s 2-1 win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge, with one player standing out in particular. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Watching Chelsea\u2019s 2-1 victory over Tottenham from afar, Xabi Alonso will have gathered invaluable insight about the squad he is inheriting. Reverting to a balanced four-back system provided immediate defensive structural reassurance, proving the Blues can look organised and compact under pressure. <\/p>\n

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Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto proved they can efficiently pull opposition lines out of shape, while Enzo Fernandez demonstrated his ability to dictate tempos and arrive dangerously late in the final third. And Andrey Santos added a crucial second goal, underlining the hidden depth at Alonso\u2019s disposal. <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s not get ahead of ourselves, but it seems as if the players have been spurred on by the incoming Xabi Alonso, especially with Cole Palmer sharing his excitement. <\/p>\n

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Who was your Man of the Match tonight?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Jorrel Hato was brilliant once again vs Tottenham<\/h2>\n

Jorrel Hato delivered a standout, mature performance at left centre-back during Chelsea\u2019s 2-1 victory over Tottenham. <\/p>\n

Despite his age, the defender looked incredibly composed moving out from the back with the ball, ultimately securing the three points with a brilliant, game-winning block to deny a late James Maddison equaliser at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n

He made one tackle, three interceptions, one block, four recoveries and one clearance. Misplaced just four passes out of his 64, had 74 touches and created one chance, as well as winning two out of six duels.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s crazy to think that Enzo Maresca lost faith in Jorrel Hato following his difficult performance against Qarabag, severely restricting his first-team minutes afterward.<\/p>\n

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What formation do you want to see Xabi Alonso deploy at Chelsea?\ud83d\udc40<\/h3>\n

Feeling a 4-2-3-1!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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What kind of role would Jorrel Hato play in Xabi Alonso\u2019s system?<\/h2>\n

Jorrel Hato is perfectly profiled to thrive as the left-sided centre-back in Xabi Alonso\u2019s signature three-man defensive system. <\/p>\n

Mirroring how Piero Hincapie functioned at Bayer Leverkusen, Hato possesses the passing range, intelligence, and recovery pace required for this specialised role. His calmness on the ball allows him to step aggressively into midfield during sustained possession, safely progressing play from deep areas. <\/p>\n

Defensively, his agility gives Chelsea the security to maintain a high defensive line, knowing he can comfortably cover wide spaces when the wing-backs push forward into attack.<\/p>\n

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