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Chelsea returned to winning form in Xabi Alonso's first preseason campaign, cruising to a convincing 3–0 win over AC Milan in Jakarta on Saturday.
The opening half provided plenty of entertainment as both teams pushed aggressively for the first goal. Milan had their chances, but Chelsea were clearly the dominant side and deserved to be ahead well before João Pedro bundled in a scrappy header just before the break.
Pedro doubled his tally barely 30 seconds into the second half, finishing from close range, and the crowd had hardly settled before Moisés Caicedo thundered home a volley from a corner to seal a 3–0 scoreline in the 50th minute.
It was a polished all-round display from Chelsea, who return to action in under 24 hours when they face Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim.
Alonso Changes Formation
Since Alonso's arrival, much debate has surrounded his preferred tactical setup. A 4-2-3-1 had been the go-to shape until Saturday, when he unveiled the 3-4-2-1 that brought him such success at Bayer Leverkusen—and gave his former rival Ruben Amorim so many headaches at Manchester United.
The attacking trio of Pedro, Cole Palmer and Danny Welbeck showed impressive fluidity in the first half, with Chelsea also looking noticeably more settled with three natural center backs—Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato and Josh Acheampong—deployed across the backline.
Whether this formation will be Chelsea's starting setup for the new season is yet to be determined, but it is evident that Alonso is willing to experiment and tailor his system to suit different opponents.
Big Calls at Wing Back
The switch to a 3-4-2-1 also handed summer recruit Marco Palestra the perfect stage to justify his signing, and he made the most of the opportunity.
Palestra burst forward at every chance and frequently made his mark in central areas, but perhaps most notably, he did so from the left side of Chelsea's midfield, showcasing the versatility that made him such an attractive acquisition.
On the right, natural winger Pedro Neto earned the starting berth. The Portugal international worked tirelessly and made a meaningful contribution with a well-delivered cross that led to Chelsea's second goal of the afternoon.
Geovany Quenda came on for Neto with around 30 minutes remaining. Well-versed in the role from his days under Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP, he linked up effectively with Palestra to demonstrate that Alonso has a wealth of options should he commit to this system.
Acheampong Proves His Worth
Operating within a three-man defense also appeared to bring out the best in young Acheampong, whose ability has long been evident despite some uncertain outings when called up to the first team.
Acheampong lined up on the right of Chelsea's back three, tasked with containing the threat of Rafael Leão. Seemingly buoyed by the added cover around him, the teenager delivered a standout performance, highlighted by a superb tackle to stop the winger in his tracks during the first half.
Alonso appears ready to place considerable trust in Acheampong. With displays like this, it is easy to understand why.
Chelsea's Set-Piece Threat
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Chelsea's appointment of set-piece specialist Austin MacPhee has attracted significant attention, and he will have been thrilled to watch the Blues convert twice from corners in this fixture.
Pedro was left completely free to head home the opener, while Roméo Lavia's decision to whip a corner directly to Caicedo on the edge of the box was a tactical wrinkle that was nowhere to be seen last season.
Caicedo's volley was a reminder that set-piece goals can be spectacular, but Alonso will be equally satisfied with scrappier efforts like Pedro's opener. At the end of the day, they all count the same.