Chelsea faced a 2-1 defeat against Arsenal on Sunday, raising concerns about their midfield depth despite a staggering £349m spent during the summer transfer window.

In a surprising turn of events, Reece James, who began his career as a right-back, found himself in midfield, struggling to track Martin Odegaard, who scored the winning goal for Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Following the match, Chelsea's new manager Xabi Alonso expressed optimism about James's potential in midfield, though the defeat highlighted significant gaps in the team's composition.

Key observations from the match include:

• Malo Gusto replaced midfielder Romeo Lavia in the second half, showcasing Chelsea's lack of options.
• Ashley Young criticized the midfield setup, noting that two right-backs were playing in key positions against the champions.
• The absence of Moises Caicedo, sidelined with an injury, left a noticeable void in Chelsea's midfield. Alonso confirmed the injury risk for Caicedo, who had recently returned from a previous setback.

Chelsea's attempts to bolster their midfield on transfer deadline day fell short, with last-minute rejections for Lamine Camara and Alex Scott. Despite selling Enzo Fernandez for a British-record fee of £125m, they did not secure a replacement, relying heavily on star attackers like Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro.

With Chelsea managing only 25.6% possession in their previous match against Brighton, the team's defensive vulnerabilities shone through, as they conceded seven goals across their first three matches. Alonso acknowledged the need for a tighter defense moving forward.