Xabi Alonso’s team-talks are the secret behind Chelsea’s rapid starts, says Morgan Rogers

By all accounts, Rafa Benitez’s half-time team talk in the 2005 Champions League final was not remarkable. There was no Churchillian speech. He was calm, analytical, and talked tactics, including how Dietmar Hamann was replacing Steve Finnan to switch to three at the back.

Ghanamma

October 11, 2026Ghana

By KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER 22:30 11 Oct 2026, updated 22:30 11 Oct 2026

However, Benitez added one other instruction before sending his side out of that tunnel in Istanbul, and, according to the man himself, this was the main message. He told them: ‘Try to score early.’

Liverpool’s players listened. They were 3-0 down at the break. By the hour mark, it was 3-3, a six-minute blitz getting them back into the final. As we all know, they then won it via penalties.

Xabi Alonso was in that Liverpool changing room. He scored the equaliser. Now, he is Chelsea’s manager, and the 44-year-old in charge of a side that have turned into kick-off bullies themselves.

They beat Bournemouth 5-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and were 2-0 up via Jordan Henderson and Morgan Rogers within two-and-a-half minutes. Joao Pedro made it 3-0, just 29 seconds into the start of the second half. So naturally, we asked Alonso what he is telling his team.

Alonso claimed he does not have a clue as to why Chelsea are scoring so early, so often. ‘I have nothing to do with it,’ he said. ‘I have no explanation,’ he added. ‘No credit to me,’ he insisted.

However, Rogers dispensed with that false modesty from his manager when speaking with the media in the mixed zone. Of Chelsea’s six goals scored inside the opening seven minutes of matches this season, this £117million summer signing has accounted for three.

Rogers had his own theory when asked for one, and said: ‘I put it down to the manager’s team talks. He gets us firing, gets us going. We always want to start off on the front foot.

‘It’s about starting well and getting the lead. A lot of games, especially at home, we have won after jumping on the back of early goals. It’s a good trait to have which we need to keep going.’

While Benitez was the unemotional type, we are told Alonso is capable of much more animation in the changing room than that which he projects in his press conferences.

Chelsea’s manager has been calling on his players to start their games with ‘good energy’, and he is said to have used this intriguing early scoring trend to his advantage of late in his speeches.

He has reminded his side of their record for ruffling opponents from the get-go and that they have an extraordinary attack which should spread confidence throughout the entire team.

He encourages them to push up the pitch from the first kick, and Chelsea’s supporters know now they cannot be tardy, lest they want to miss their side scoring a goal, or two in Saturday’s case.

Ironically, there is one Premier League fixture in which Chelsea tried the kick-off gimmick of booting the ball straight out for a throw-in to box the opposition inside their own defensive third, and that was in their 3-0 loss at Brentford before the international break. That was the only outing in which they have not scored inside the opening seven minutes.

Yet Chelsea brought back their speedy start for Bournemouth. There was already additional belief within the changing room. Against Fulham, they led after 38 seconds. Against Brighton: three minutes and 39 seconds. Against Arsenal: 77 seconds. Against Hull: six minutes and 15 seconds.

So even if it did not happen away at Brentford, when they went into this home game with Bournemouth, there was said to be excitement within the group, almost at who will get the first goal this time. It went to Jordan Henderson after 66 seconds, set up by Cole Palmer. Then followed Rogers with their second after 149, assisted by Henderson.

While there are still some concerns surrounding overall control, Chelsea have been helping themselves by starting games with a goal advantage. While Bournemouth were threatening, they saw this lead through, capping it with Henderson’s 25-yard free-kick.

It will be intriguing the next time Chelsea win a foul close to the opposition’s box. While Rogers was away with England, his team-mates practised them by order of set-piece coach Austin MacPhee, and Henderson was scoring more than Palmer. Hence why the 36-year-old won the right to take this one for 5-1.

Henderson even revealed how Palmer said to him as they were positioning the ball: ‘Which corner are we celebrating in when you score?’ In front of goal, the Chelsea confidence is clearly high.

Rogers added: ‘It was worked on this week before I was here. They did it behind my back and then when I got back, I’m off free-kicks all of a sudden, which I wasn’t best happy about! But as long as we score, that’s the most important thing.’

Rogers was certainly happy to celebrate Henderson scoring and not only this goal but his first, as Chelsea yet again led mere moments after kicking off.

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