Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso was replaced at half-time during the 3-3 draw against West Brom yesterday after an abject performance.
The Spaniard’s poor header led to Callum Robinson’s opening goal while he lost his marker at a corner to allow Kyle Bartley to score the Baggies’ third goal of the afternoon.
Alonso’s ineptitude as a defender is well known, and supporters on Twitter have been questioning manager Frank Lampard‘s decision to start him in the first place:
I said it once and I’ll say it again, how is he still starting in 2020
— Elizabeth Helenek (@elizabethhhh_28) September 26, 2020
Awful decision to play him instead of Emerson.
— . (@bazzlebear77) September 26, 2020
baffles me how tf he still in our club?
— ? (@CFCLamps_) September 26, 2020
It's one of those things that deffo puts a question mark against Frank…. ?
— Miiiiike (@gavphotography) September 26, 2020
Chelsea need a good LB back up asap
— BlueSky (@BlueSky_ion) September 26, 2020
Keeping azpi on bench and Emerson not even in the squad ?
— Prateek Pandey (@prateekpandey) September 26, 2020
That is down to the poor selection choices made by the manager
— Lewis Connolly (@Lconnolly2020) September 26, 2020
Should have been one of the 1st out the door. Has his moments but a liability down the left. Far too slow
— David Patterson (@DPatz13) September 26, 2020
That is where the only question arises for Lampard as a coach
— Yogesh Jadhav (@yogjadhav5) September 26, 2020
Looking at this team his selection is poor
Starting Alonso is a big mistake— De June Guy (@otumadu_ibezim) September 26, 2020
Even if Ben Chilwell wasn’t fit to start the match, Lampard had two other perfectly good options in Emerson Palmieri and club captain Cesar Azpilicueta who could have done a better job on the left-hand side.
Lampard corrected his mistake by replacing Alonso with Azpilicueta at half time but the damage had already been done. It remains to be seen whether the left-back will still be at Stamford Bridge when the transfer window closes following such a woeful display.
