Chelsea’s poor start from set pieces might not be as bad as first thought

Writer Connor Johnson analyzes Chelsea's early set-piece performance under new set-piece coach Austin MacPhee. While Chelsea have conceded a league-high five goals from set pieces, Johnson notes they are also joint-top with Brighton in scoring them, netting four goals from 1.8 expected goals.

The writer argues that defensive blame extends beyond MacPhee to manager Xabi Alonso's open tactical setup and inconsistent lineups. Johnson suggests that once key players return to full fitness, MacPhee's historically productive system will stabilize, starting with an upcoming fixture against Bournemouth.