If Chelsea's opening-day performance at Fulham is anything to go by, the 2026-27 Premier League season is shaping up to be one of those wild, buckle-up campaigns that neutrals quietly love. A rollercoaster victory on Monday offered an early glimpse of what Xabi Alonso's side could deliver — and what could yet undo them.

Potent attack, porous defence

Chelsea showed genuine attacking quality at Craven Cottage, the kind that can trouble any defence in England on a given day. The forward line clicked with purpose, combining at pace and creating chances with a fluency that will excite supporters.

Yet the defensive side of the performance gave equal cause for concern. For every moment of attacking brilliance, there was a corresponding vulnerability at the back — the sort that opposing managers will already be circling in their notebooks.

Alonso's fingerprints

The match bore early signs of the approach Xabi Alonso intends to bring to Stamford Bridge. A clear commitment to attacking football was evident throughout, even if the structural balance that defines his best work at club level is still a work in progress.

Chelsea are a side packed with individual talent, and Alonso's task will be to harness that quality into something cohesive. Monday's match suggested the potential is real — but so are the risks that come with it.

A season to watch

Premier League seasons that open with this kind of chaotic, end-to-end drama tend to promise much for the months ahead. Chelsea may not be title favourites, but they look certain to be involved in moments that matter — for better or worse.

Whether Alonso can tighten the defence without dulling the attack will be the defining question of Chelsea's campaign. If Monday is the template, fans everywhere should clear their schedules on Chelsea matchdays.