Soccer-Alonso hails Caicedo’s impact as Chelsea crush Bournemouth

Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - October 10, 2026 Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso reacts Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs

LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Chelsea manager Xabi ⁠Alonso has had to wait until October to see what his side can do with midfielder Moises Caicedo ⁠properly back in the team and he was delighted with his role in the 5-1 demolition of Bournemouth ‌in the Premier League on Saturday.

Alonso – who oversaw two victories in his first two matches in charge of Chelsea before failing to win any of the next three - gave Caicedo his first start of the season after being sidelined with a calf problem.

The Ecuadorian, 24, provided a stronger shield for Chelsea's defence ​that has looked shaky since the campaign began and he formed an effective ⁠partnership with 36 year-old Jordan Henderson who scored ⁠twice.

Alonso stressed the importance of Caicedo's return after a brief appearance in August when he lasted only 14 minutes as a ⁠substitute ‌before having to limp off.

"With him we have a better midfield area and when you are better in the middle you have a more complete team and something to build around," the Spaniard told reporters.

"I am so happy that Moi ⁠is feeling better because he is going to be a key player for ​us. We knew that and we ‌have seen (it) today."

In further encouragement for Chelsea fans, right back Marco Palestra - who signed from Atalanta in Italy in ⁠the close season but ​was injured soon after - made his debut as a substitute.

The two goals from Henderson and another two from Joao Pedro – both players who have also been in the medical room – and a Morgan Rogers strike underscored Chelsea’s reputation as one of the Premier League’s entertainers this season.

They added ⁠to their tally of early goals as they rushed into a 2-0 ​lead within 149 seconds and got their third a little more than 30 seconds after the start of the second half.

Cole Palmer celebrated signing a contract extension by providing two assists, adding to the signs that he is getting back to top form.

The only ⁠worries for Alonso were Chelsea's failure to keep a clean sheet for a 22nd Premier League game in a row when Bournemouth striker Evanilson briefly gave the visitors hope in the second half, and the absence of captain Reece James.

Alonso said James - who has missed long spells in recent seasons due to hamstring problems - had suffered a knee injury in training on Friday.

Chelsea will face ​stiffer tests this season than Bournemouth who have not won any of their six games ⁠so far under new manager Marco Rose and were missing key players including England midfielder Alex Scott and strikers Eli Kroupi and ​Justin Kluivert.

Alonso said Chelsea lost control of the game briefly when Bournemouth pulled a ‌goal back through Evanilson to make it 3-1 in the ​51st minute, but he took encouragement from the way they finished off the game with two goals in three minutes later on.

"From today we take positives for the future," he said.

(Writing by William Schomberg, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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足球 - 英超联赛 - 切尔西对阵伯恩茅斯 - 斯坦福桥球场，伦敦，英国 - 2026年10月10日 - 切尔西主教练哈维·阿隆索做出反应。（图片来自路透社/保罗·查尔兹）

伦敦，10 月 10 日（路透社）——切尔西主教练哈维·阿隆索不得不等到 10 月份才能看到中场球员莫伊塞斯·凯塞多真正回归球队后球队的表现，他对凯塞多在周六英超联赛 5-1 大胜伯恩茅斯的比赛中的作用感到非常高兴。

阿隆索执教切尔西的前两场比赛取得两场胜利，但在接下来的三场比赛中一场未胜。在凯塞多因小腿伤势缺阵后，阿隆索给了他本赛季的首次首发机会。

这位 24 岁的厄瓜多尔球员为切尔西的防守提供了更坚固的屏障，切尔西的防守自赛季开始以来一直显得摇摇欲坠。他与 36 岁的乔丹·亨德森（梅开二度）组成了有效的搭档。

阿隆索强调了凯塞多回归的重要性。凯塞多曾在八月份短暂出场，但作为替补上场仅 14 分钟就因伤离场。

“有了他，我们的中场实力就更强了，中场实力增强了，球队整体实力就更强了，球队也有了可以围绕其建队的基础，”这位西班牙人告诉记者。

“我很高兴莫伊的身体状况好转，因为他将是我们队的关键球员。我们之前就知道这一点，今天也看到了这一点。”

对于切尔西球迷来说，更令人鼓舞的是，右后卫马尔科·帕莱斯特拉（Marco Palestra）——他在休赛期从意大利亚特兰大加盟，但不久后就受伤了——作为替补球员完成了他的首秀。

亨德森梅开二度，若昂·佩德罗也梅开二度——这两位球员此前都曾因伤缺阵——再加上摩根·罗杰斯的一粒进球，切尔西本赛季巩固了其作为英超联赛最具观赏性球队之一的地位。

他们在比赛初期就取得了进球，149 秒内就取得了 2-0 的领先优势，并在下半场开始 30 多秒后又打入了第三球。

科尔·帕尔默在庆祝续约时送出两次助攻，进一步表明他正在重返巅峰状态。

阿隆索唯一担心的是切尔西连续第 22 场英超联赛未能保持零封，伯恩茅斯前锋埃瓦尼尔森在下半场一度让客队看到了希望，以及队长里斯·詹姆斯的缺阵。

阿隆索表示，詹姆斯（近年来因腿筋问题缺席了很长时间）在周五的训练中膝盖受伤。

切尔西本赛季将面临比伯恩茅斯更严峻的考验，伯恩茅斯在新任主教练马尔科·罗斯的带领下，至今六场比赛未尝胜绩，并且缺少包括英格兰中场亚历克斯·斯科特和前锋埃利·克鲁皮和贾斯汀·克鲁伊维特在内的多名关键球员。

阿隆索表示，切尔西在第51分钟被伯恩茅斯凭借埃瓦尼尔森的进球扳回一球，比分变为3-1，一度失去了对比赛的控制权。但他从切尔西在三分钟内连入两球锁定胜局的方式中得到了鼓舞。

他说：“从今天起，我们以积极的态度展望未来。”

（William Schomberg 撰稿，Pritha Sarkar 编辑）

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