Xabi Alonso: We failed to show up, and the red card made life even harder

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso cut a deeply disappointed figure following his side's 2-0 defeat to Tottenham at Stamford Bridge. The Blues boss admitted his team failed to live up to their potential, falling short both collectively and individually.

"We are all disappointed with the result. Our performance wasn't at the required level, neither as a team nor individually. Their first goal was the turning point in the match. Going down to ten men made it extremely difficult, but even then, we are capable of playing much better," Alonso stated after the final whistle.

"The decisive moments in football happen in both boxes. The opposition didn't create much, but neither did we. At half-time, we spoke about the need to remain patient and approach the game with maturity," Alonso explained.

"We were looking to establish synergy in the middle of the park with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers. We carved out a few opportunities, but on the whole, we simply have to raise our level," the Spanish tactician added.

Regarding Mike Penders' own goal, the manager rallied behind his player: "You feel for anyone in those situations. It's a team effort and a collective responsibility. We just have to keep our heads up and move forward."

When questioned about the two bookings that led to Cole Palmer's red card, Alonso was brief: "I haven't watched the replays of those incidents."