Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has turned to rugby, not football, to sharpen his squad for the upcoming high-profile Premier League clash with Arsenal. The Chelsea FC players were put through padded tackle-bag drills at Cobham this week, a clear nod to the physical battle expected against the Gunners’ formidable set-piece unit. With Alonso facing former teammate Mikel Arteta as a manager for the first time, the build-up carries extra intrigue both tactically and personally.
Xabi Alonso’s Rugby Bags Drill Ahead Of Arsenal vs Chelsea
Xabi Alonso’s session saw defenders Valentin Barco and Pep Chavarria hold heavy crash pads while teammates barrelled into them, replicating the kind of contact Chelsea expect at corners and free-kicks.
Former All Black Willie Isa, now a culture coach at the club, oversaw the drill, lending genuine rugby know-how to the exercise. Arsenal finished last season as the Premier League’s most lethal set-piece side, netting 22 times from dead-ball situations.
Alonso is clearly leaving nothing to chance. Chelsea hold an aerial trump card of their own, sharing the division’s tallest average squad height with Leeds United, giving Alonso’s men a genuine physical match for the Gunners’ aerial threat.
Unbeaten Arsenal Await Alonso’s Chelsea
Chelsea FC head into the weekend full of early-season momentum, having won both opening Premier League fixtures and scored seven goals along the way. However, they have conceded five times, meaning defensive fragility remains a concern.
Arsenal, on the other hand, managed clean sheets in their two matches, presenting a stern test of Chelsea’s attacking sharpness. Arteta’s side will be without Bruno Guimaraes and Cristian Mosquera, both absent from training since the narrow win over Aston Villa.
Speaking after that victory, Arteta explained the defensive alarm bells that prompted Ezri Konsa’s arrival. He also said that Jurrien Timber’s injury had already stretched his back line thin and Mosquera’s fitness scare underlined the need for squad depth.
The Arsenal vs Chelsea EPL meeting also reunites two old friends turned rivals. Whether Alonso’s rugby-inspired preparation pays off at the Emirates remains to be seen, but the Chelsea boss has clearly left nothing to chance heading into the heavyweight showdown.
