Gary Neville: Chelsea's defence is chaotic and may need further reinforcements

After Chelsea suffered a 1-2 away defeat to Arsenal, England legend Gary Neville criticised the Blues' chaotic defence, but he still believes Xabi Alonso's team has a chance to finish second or third in the Premier League this season.

Gary Neville said on his own podcast: “Looking at their back three, it feels like the legs and hips, and the hips and the body, are disconnected. The whole thing is completely out of order.”

“Among the best back-three combinations I have seen, Juventus and Italy's trio of Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini are definitely among the best. They were a true defensive three-man wall.”

“The three worked seamlessly together, understood positioning, were excellent in the air, knew when to step forward and when to drop back, and could also organise the teammates ahead of them.”

Gary Neville said: “As Xabi Alonso continues to move forward with Chelsea, over the next one or two years, the team may indeed need to bring in more players. He has already done a lot of work, and now he needs to build a solid back three. Chelsea's defence is not currently stable and looks somewhat chaotic. This is the biggest problem at the moment.”

Gary Neville also praised players in other areas of Chelsea's team, including wing-backs Pedro Neto and Hato. He said that as long as the key players stay fit, Chelsea's midfield and attacking options are very strong.

Based on Chelsea's start under Xabi Alonso, Gary Neville believes the club can at least finish third in the league and even has the potential to challenge for second place.

Gary Neville said: “I think they can finish second, and third is the lowest position I can imagine. That would already be very good. If you had told me this a year ago, I could not have seen the direction this team was heading in.”

“This is the most optimistic I have been about Chelsea in three, four or five years, because I think they are moving in the right direction. Of course, the process is not perfect, and facing a team like Arsenal is always difficult. I did not expect them to win this match, but their performance was the best they could produce at this moment.”

“When they go home tonight, they can take confidence from this defeat. That may sound a little strange, because they lost a match in a top-level competition.”

“But I think Chelsea fans who travelled from Stamford Bridge will think this way: ‘Yes, I can see the changes in the team, and I like this current side.’”