According to a report by Football London on Wednesday November 11, 2026, disappointing as it was, Chelsea's 1-0 loss to Sunderland has not diminished their proximity to Premier League dream teams. Just two points separate Liverpool in fourth place and Xabi Alonso's team in fifth.

But there have been a number of players who have failed to deliver consistent results throughout the season. Five Blues players have a lot of work to do after the international break to prove they belong on Alonso's first-team roster.

1. Cole Palmer

Palmer got off to a promising start to the season, helping Chelsea to a 3-2 win over Fulham with a goal of exceptional quality. But he hasn't been as effective recently, and he hasn't made many key contributions in games.

There has been just one more open-play goal scored by the England international since August. Just when Chelsea needed his imagination the most, he had underwhelming performances against Tottenham and Arsenal.

Alonso expects more involvement from Palmer, even though there is no real competition for his position as Chelsea's attacking talisman. He needs to stop dropping deep to get possession so much and start influencing matches more regularly.

2. Levi Colwill

Against Sunderland, Colwill had a rough afternoon, especially in the first half of the match when he fought with Brian Brobbey. The goalkeeper's physical confrontation with the striker led to the incident that resulted in Sunderland's penalty.

Colwill is currently enjoying a lack of competition for his position as Chelsea's preferred left-footed center-back. But reports suggest that Alonso is looking for another left-sided defender, which could put more pressure on the Englishman.

To avoid being taken advantage of by strong attackers, he needs to become better at making decisions, like knowing when to confront and when to stay back.

3. Wesley Fofana

When faced with Brobbey, Fofana fared better than Colwill, winning multiple fights on her own. However, there is cause for concern regarding his reliability due to his inconsistent overall performances throughout the campaign.

The French defender isn't perfect; he still has trouble focusing and makes careless defensive errors from time to time. Especially when facing physically demanding opponents in important Premier League encounters, Alonso expects him to show more discipline.

4. Marco Palestra

Ever since he returned from injury, Palestra hasn't been able to match the thrilling playing he did in preseason. There is a clear decline in his offensive vigor and once-impressive movement down the flank.

More contributions are anticipated from the Italian defender, given that Chelsea spent around £47 million on him. He needs to show that he can improve both defensively and offensively to justify being preferred over Malo Gusto.

5. Malo Gusto

Due to his poor play in midfield and right back for Chelsea, Gusto is in a precarious position regarding his future with the club. Alonso is still not convinced that he deserves a starting role based on his performances.

Not only does Reece James's return provide an additional obstacle, but the Frenchman is also up against Pedro Neto, Josh Acheampong, Marco Palestra, and others.

To keep his starting role at Stamford Bridge, Gusto needs to improve his defensive reliability and show more intelligence when giving the ball to teammates.