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Sports · Soccer · published 2026-08-31 · via The Athletic

Neto thrives in new wing-back role for Chelsea

Image via The Athletic
Image via The Athletic

Pedro Neto impressed as a right wing-back in Chelsea's 4-3 win over Brighton, scoring and creating the opening goal. His defensive positioning helped protect Wesley Fofana from overloads. The transformation mirrors Antonio Conte's use of Victor Moses a decade ago.

Expanded Detail

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Neto's 68-minute shift saw him alternate between a deep defensive station alongside Fofana and a higher attacking position depending on Chelsea's phase of play. His defensive awareness was notable, as he consistently tracked runners and closed down Brighton's attempts to exploit the right channel, shielding Fofana from being stretched into uncomfortable areas.

The tactical switch echoes Conte's 2016-17 experiment with Moses, who similarly transitioned from a winger to a wing-back and flourished. Neto's performance suggests Alonso may have found a

Expanded detail and Context are AI-generated analysis; the linked article remains the authoritative source.
Read the full article at The Athletic →
This summary is AI-generated and original to Mobble; the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “Pedro Neto offers Chelsea and Xabi Alonso something different as a wing-back.” Browse more stories.