Photo: Giovanni Batista Rodriguez / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has reflected on the club's pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, saying the squad improved significantly over two weeks of travel and five matches.
"My feeling is we have improved a lot over the past two weeks – and also learned important things about the players," Alonso said. "The flow of the team and energy has always been good, and we are seeing the principles that we want in the team."
Alonso identified versatility and unpredictability as key targets for the squad's continued development. "We want to be versatile and unpredictable in our approach and the more options we have, the different threats we have, the better team we will be," he said, adding that work would continue at the club's Cobham training base upon their return.
The Chelsea head coach confirmed the squad will be ready for the Premier League opener at Fulham, though he stressed development would remain an ongoing process. "Our development as a team will not stop there. It is a process that takes months and every game will help."
Alonso also highlighted the personal value of the tour, noting that time spent together had helped new arrivals integrate into the group. The return of Misha — whose first name was not further specified in the club's release — was described as "an emotional moment for everyone at the club."
Chelsea played matches in Sydney, Hong Kong, Jakarta and Johor during the tour. Alonso thanked supporters in each location for their receptions.
The squad returns to Cobham this week before a pre-season fixture against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, 15 August — Alonso's first home game as Chelsea manager.