Chelsea’s coaching overhaul under Xabi Alonso isn’t just upgrading the dugout, it’s about to turn summer signing Marco Palestra into a set-piece cheat code.
Chelsea signing Marco Palestra gives Xabi Alonso a really handy player for the right side. The 21-year-old comes in from Atalanta with high expectations after a top season in Italy.
Palestra mostly plays as a right-back or right wing-back, but he can also fill in on the left flank or play higher up as a wide midfielder if needed.
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That versatility fits perfectly into how Alonso likes to set up his team. He gives Chelsea great energy, solid depth, and plenty of options across the back line as the new season gets underway.
However, the pressure is firmly on Palestra after picking the number 2 shirt.
Marco Palestra is the perfect player for Austin MacPhee
Chelsea have added set-piece specialist Austin MacPhee to Xabi Alonso’s coaching staff. Known for his work with Aston Villa and Scotland, MacPhee focuses specifically on dead-ball routines.
His main job at Stamford Bridge will be making Chelsea far more dangerous from corners and free-kicks while tightening up their own box.
Austin MacPhee joining Chelsea makes the signing of Marco Palestra look even smarter. Last season in Serie A, Palestra was the most fouled player in the entire league, constantly drawing free-kicks in dangerous attacking areas.
Now, with MacPhee coming in as Chelsea’s new set-piece specialist, all those won fouls suddenly become huge goalscoring opportunities.
MacPhee built a top reputation at Aston Villa for turning dead-ball situations into lethal weapons, which led to the Villans scoring 29 goals from set pieces last season, the joint-most across Europe.
As well as this, standing at 6 foot 4, Maxence Lacroix gives Chelsea a massive physical presence at the back to turn MacPhee’s defensive set-piece structures into a brick wall. And up front, Morgan Rogers brings his set-piece delivery, having worked together at Villa Park.
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