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Xabi Alonso leaves Chelsea star's agents 'in fear' after Arsenal defeat

Xabi Alonso has left a Chelsea star's agent fearing that the player might struggle for regular first-team game time this season following Sunday's defeat at Arsenal Estevao's camp are worried that Xabi Alonso will continue to use him at right wing-back for Chelsea, it has been claimed. The 19-year-old, who joined the Blues in a £29million deal from Palmeiras last summer, made 38 appearances during his first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring eight goals and providing three assists. But Estevao's game time has been reduced so far this term following Xabi Alonso's appointment as the club's first-team manager. Alonso has started with a three-at-the-back formation in each of his first two Premier League matches with two defensive-minded midfielders, two attacking midfielders and one centre forward. Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, who signed for the Blues in a club record £117million deal earlier this summer, have operated in the No.10 roles with Joao Pedro up front. ...
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What Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard did after Arsenal heartbreak in contrasting reactions

 

Martin Odegaard has been heavily scrutinised for his role in Aston Villa's late winner against Arsenal


Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard reacted very differently when Aston Villa netted a late winner against Arsenal. Emiliano Buendia fired Unai Emery's side to a 2-1 win over the Gunners at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon, smashing the ball past David Raya in the dying embers of stoppage time.


The Aston Villa midfielder, who replaced Matty Cash towards the end of the second half, pounced on a loose ball in the box following a goalmouth scramble. Jurrien Timber blocked Buendia's initial effort from close range before he and Ben White dived into a tackle on Boubacar Kamara.


Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi raced onto the scene as the ball broke free, but the Argentine managed to lift the ball into the top corner. As Buendia wheeled away in celebration, every Arsenal player in the box fell to their knees, apart from two: Myles Lewis-Skelly and the Gunners captain.


Raya, Rice and Piero Hincapie began pounding the ground with their fists, Zubimendi and White buried their heads in the turf, while the Hale End graduate pulled his shirt over his face. Still standing, Odegaard just shrugged his shoulders.


The contrast in reactions spoke volumes as Aston Villa dented Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners could have gone eight points clear, but following defeat and Manchester City's 3-0 victory against Sunderland, they now only have a two-point cushion.


Speaking to reporters after the game, Arteta slammed his players for their lax performance. The Spaniard said: "Obviously, we are extremely disappointed with the way we lost the game.


"But first of all, congratulations to Villa, because they are a really good side and they are really good at what they do. We had some difficulties in the first half, especially with very unusual giveaways that we had given after regaining the ball, which is a really dangerous moment against them.


"But apart from the Watkins situation, which is a foul, I don't recall anything apart from the goal. In the second half, we started really well, much more positive, we generated chances to score the goal.


"My feeling was that we were going to go and win the game. "e could have lost it before, again, with two very dangerous individual giveaways. And we didn't.


"We had two chances to score, the last one when the ball crossed Declan and we didn't capitalise on that. The next ball kicked long, it was their second ball, we put it away for a throw-in.


"They play fast, a lot of chaos in the box and they managed to put the ball in the top corner, which is the quality of this league. That’s the summary."


https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/declan-rice-martin-odegaard-arsenal-33019522

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