Chelsea need Marcos Alonso at LWB more than Barcelona needs him at CB

First Victor Moses, now Marcos Alonso. Chelsea are becoming a wing-back transfer rumour feeder club for Barcelona. Alonso is more valuable to the Blues and as a wing-back than he would be in the back-line for Barcelona.

Real Madrid’s academy made Marcos Alonso a professional full-back. Chelsea made him a star wing-back. Now Barcelona supposedly want him as their next centre-back to replace Gerard Pique. However, Barcelona can attract and afford nearly any centre-back they desire. Chelsea should remind them of that if the blaugrana do show any serious interest.

Marcos Alonso spent his first season at Chelsea becoming one of the most reliable and imporant players in Antonio Conte’s XI. This season he truly has become one of the world’s best wing-backs. Throughout 2017/18 he has expanded his repertoire on the left flank, adapting to whichever players, formation and tactics Conte sends out. Whereas last year he ran the flank (too slowly, at times) to connect the defence to Eden Hazard, this year he is using position to compensate for his speed and is coming inside for a more balanced support to Hazard and Alvaro Morata.

Alonso has the raw materials to be a centre-back, and he would not be the first player to make the switch. Paolo Maldini and Barcelona’s Sergio Ramos started their careers as full-backs before taking station in the centre later in their career. Similarly, Alonso could go on a similar trajectory as Cesar Azpilicueta, who in turn is following the example of Javier Zanetti. These players are utility men par excellence, playing full-back, centre-back and defensive midfield as if each were their natural position.

Alonso’s defensive statistics in his two seasons as Chelsea’s wing-back are closer to the centre-backs’ than to Victor Moses’. Alonso averages 1.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per game. His aerial prowess – particularly in defence – is one of the strongest aspects of his game, and is a key component of being a centre-back. He has the height Azpilicueta lacks, while being sharper in the tackle than a “classic” centre-back like Gary Cahill.

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Playing at centre-back would reduce the liability of his slow speed. Centre-backs need positional discipline and the ability to read the game in every direction. These qualities mark Alonso’s play on the flank this season. And as a left-footed player, he could more effectively clear and play the ball out of the box than a right-footed defender playing on the left. His biggest short-coming may be the rugged physicality necessary in a centre-back (even in La Liga).

For as much potential as Marcos Alonso has at centre-back, he can have a greater impact for his club as wing-back. He has gone from being one of the few who can fill the position to one of the rare players who can play it as it is meant to be played.

At the end of last season Victor Moses seemed to have a better grip on his place at Chelsea than Alonso. The search for depth at left wing-back had greater urgency than it did on the right. But the Blues bought a right wing-back – Davide Zappacosta – and had no one to reinforce Alonso.

As this campaign has gone on, the roles reversed. Neither Moses nor Zappacosta are at Alonso’s level, and both are vulnerable if the club buys a new option for the right. Meanwhile, Emerson is a solid back-up for Alonso, but so far poses no real threat for the starting XI.

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Wing-backs are already in short supply, and left wing-back is one of the areas where Chelsea do not have any needs this summer. Alonso would be nearly impossible to replace given the specificity of his position and the level he has achieved. Barcelona-calibre centre-backs are not exactly common, but there are many more than there are wing-backs.