‘We are still in Rosenior era’— Chelsea fans panic as Alonso loses first game as Blues boss to 10-man Spurs

Chelsea fans have reacted angrily after Xabi Alonso suffered his first defeat as Blues manager, with Tottenham Hotspur snatching a dramatic 2-1 victory despite playing the entire second half with 10 men.

Richarlison struck deep into stoppage time to hand Spurs the Sydney Super Cup and extend Roberto De Zerbi's perfect pre-season record, leaving Chelsea supporters questioning whether much has really changed under their new manager.

Tottenham took the lead in the 21st minute through summer signing Sandro Tonali, who opened his account for Spurs following his £100 million move from Newcastle United.

Chelsea responded quickly as teenage sensation Estevao headed home the equaliser to level the contest before the break.

The match appeared to swing firmly in Chelsea's favour early in the second half when Kevin Danso was shown a red card just four minutes after coming on as a substitute.

However, Alonso's side failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage. Chelsea managed just four shots on target, the same number as their 10-man opponents, with Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky producing impressive saves to deny Joao Pedro and Estevao.

Just when the game looked destined for a draw, Tottenham launched one final counterattack in stoppage time. Jamie Donley's effort struck the post before Richarlison reacted quickest to tap home the rebound into an empty net and seal a dramatic victory.

The result sparked concern among Chelsea supporters on social media, with several fans arguing that the team's problems from last season remain unresolved despite the managerial change.

One frustrated supporter wrote on X: "If you truly watched the match if not for red card Tottenham should have given us 4-1. We play like we are still in Rosenior era. Alonso ball is not different doing Rosenior time. I have been suspecting as we don play 6-4 against 12th team in Australia."

Another fan was equally critical, saying: "The defensive problems from last season are clearly still there, and Xabi Alonso can't seem to fix them. Losing to a 10-man Tottenham side in a friendly is embarrassing, and it shows the mentality is still weak."

While pre-season results are rarely definitive, Chelsea's inability to break down 10-man Spurs and their late defensive lapse will give Alonso plenty to address before the start of the new campaign.