Marcos Alonso says Maurizio Sarri never playing professionally one reason for his struggles at Chelsea this season

Marcos Alonso says Maurizio Sarri never playing professionally one reason for his struggles at Chelsea this season
Marcos Alonso believes Maurizio Sarri ‘is still learning’ as a manager and reckons the fact he never played football at high level makes his job tougher.The Blues left-back was excellent for two seasons under Antonio Conte, winning the Premier League and FA Cup, playing as part of a five-man defence, but has struggled to adapt to Sarri’s switch to a back four, losing his place to Brazilian Emerson.getty2

Alonso has admitted he has had a difficult campaign

Alonso, 28, began the campaign well, including scoring the winner against Arsenal, but his form dramatically tailed off soon after and he was substituted or left out of numerous squads, including the Carabao Cup final.He has since forced his way back into the starting XI, as Chelsea prepare to take on Arsenal in the Europa League final in Baku on Wednesday.Alonso said: Its never easy to come to a new country and new league, new football, new culture. The gaffer is still learning.He was not a football player either, so he is learning a lot this year. Taking orders from someone like that can be different, but at the end of the day we have to be professional and take on whatever he asks us for. He is different.There have been numerous reports claiming Sarri will leave the west London club this summer,with Blues legend Frank Lampard replacing him in the hotseat.Sarri, who has never won a major honour as a manager and began his career as a banker, has come in for heavy criticism this season with fans unhappy at his style of play, while a spectacular downturn in results saw them fall off the title pace, eventually finishing third.I started the season very, and the team also started very well,” Alonso added.getty2

Alonso’s form dipped during the season

Then the manager asked me for something different. I tried to do what he was asking me to do and when the team started winning games again I had a small injury in my back.I had to stop for a couple of games but after that I was back playing good and getting back in the team when they needed me. Now there is a big opportunity to end the season well and go on holiday.Its not easy of course to adapt. We are eleven players, all have to try to go in the same direction. Managers are different, they have different aspects of tactics. He wanted to change the team not just me. He wanted to change the way we start playing.talkSPORT will bring you live commentary of the Europa League final between Chelsea and Arsenal on Wednesday night

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Kanu signed for the south coast club in 2006 and went on to help them win the FA Cup. Harry Redknapp has revealed how he ended up signing Nwankwo Kanu for Portsmouth.. Kanu's contract had expired at West Bromand he was a free agent when Redknapp approached him to join the south coast club in 2006.
Harry Redknapp recalls hilarious story about Arsenal legend

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Liverpool injury news: Roberto Firmino returns to first team training as forward battles to be ready for Champions League final with Tottenham The Brazil international missed the Reds' final three
Liverpool injury news: Roberto Firmino returns to first team

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LA Galaxy have announced they will unveil a statue devoted to David Beckham next month. The MLS side revealed via a mass email to season-ticket holders that the statue will be unveiled at Dignity
David Beckham to be honoured with statue in Los Angeles

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Burley: I would leave for Bayern if I was Hudson-Odoi (1:17) Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley says if he was Callum Hudson-Odoi, he would take the chance and go to Bayern Munich if they want
Maurizio Sarri hits out at Bayern Munich over pursuit of

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Manager Massimiliano Allegri will leave Serie A champions Juventus at the end of the season. The 51-year-old Italian has won the league title in each of his five seasons since taking charge in
Massimiliano Allegri: Juventus manager to leave Serie A

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Brendan Rodgers will have to break Leicester's transfer record and pay £40million if he moves to sign Youri Tielemans in the summer.
Leicester Prepared to Shatter Transfer Record to Secure

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Newcastle news: Rafael Benitez 'would like to do something more' with Magpies than just settle for mid-table obscurity by: 161385360554578 — Talk Sport 27 Apr Rafael Benitez has told Newcastle he is not their man if all they want to do is finish 15th in the Premier League.
The Newcastle United Blog | » Benitez' Upbeat Comments

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Striker Scott Hogan has completed a loan move to fellow Championship side Sheffield United. Chris Wilder's side took to Twitter to confirm the striker's arrival on loan until the end of the season. United have been heavily linked with a move to sign Hogan for some time, but Wilder has finally got his man.
Sheffield United sign Aston Villa striker Scott Hogan on loan

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Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United to battle for Adrien Rabiot as Real Madrid focus on Paul Pogba - reports The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is out of contract in the summer and is
Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool to fight for Adrien Rabiot

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Emiliano Sala: Nantes demand Cardiff pay £15m transfer fee for missing striker NANTES have demanded Cardiff City pay Emiliano Sala's £15million transfer fee in full.
Emiliano Sala: Nantes make £15m transfer fee demand to

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Football fans stunned by shock Sergio Ramos statistic as Real Madrid captain completes career first. This is the first time in his 16 year old career.
Football fans stunned by shock Sergio Ramos statistic as Real

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