Paul Scholes has accused Chelsea of going from one extreme to the other with their transfer strategy during the summer window.
Xabi Alonso’s appointment as Liam Rosenior’s permanent successor has coincided with a significant change in direction for a club that endured another chaotic season last term that saw the Blues fail to qualify for Europe.
As such, Chelsea have largely relented from signing untried youngsters from Europe and South America, instead focusing their recruitment drive on Premier League proven players.
The arrivals of Morgan Rogers and Maxence Lacroix typify that new approach, driven by Alonso whose job description as manager, rather than head coach, is no coincidence.
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Indeed, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder made it clear he would only accept his new role on the proviso he would have a greater say on incomings and outgoings.
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Having been forced to abandon his pursuit of Granit Xhaka, Alonso has had a major hand in the shock signings of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, who will both be expected to assume senior leadership roles in a dressing room that has sorely missed those qualities, particularly since the departure of Thiago Silva.
Chelsea collected a record eight red cards last season and regularly threw away leads, but Scholes has questioned how much of an impact their two new veterans will have if they aren’t on the pitch regularly.
He told The Overlap Fan Debate: ‘Those two older players, it feels you’ve gone from one extreme to another, I can’t get my head around it.
‘You’ve got a load of 21-year-olds, alright get some more experience at 28 or 29 but they’re like 37 or 38.
‘I get the Xhaka one, he’s still a good player and he was brilliant in the World Cup.
‘I think that’s where he’ll expect the most and that’s where they’re going to have most influence on the training pitch because they’re not going to be playing all the time, especially Henderson.
‘Welbeck will still come on but that’s where they’re going to be most valuable. Look if Chelsea have got money to waste doing that then it’s down to them isn’t it.’
Those sentiments were echoed by Jamie Carragher who was particularly puzzled by the signing of his former Liverpool teammate Henderson.
