The extended three-week international break may have benefited Chelsea more than any other team in the Premier League.
Although it is a small sample size, Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Bournemouth appeared to support that theory, with senior club officials speaking before kick-off about how the break had come at the right time for the Blues.
Before the pause, it was clear new manager Xabi Alonso was searching for answers within his system, having moved to a back three.
Chelsea conceded a league-high 12 goals before the break but at times had been able to outscore opponents through the brilliance of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro.
But the approach looked unsustainable.
A 3-0 defeat at Brentford before the break underlined the need for adjustments, and Alonso made several against Bournemouth.
Chelsea defended deeper, pressed in a different shape, and altered their build-up play to give Alonso’s side a more solid look.
After the match, Joao Pedro, who scored twice, said: “The international break was a long time. We had time to work, to fix the mistakes against Brentford, and we got a great result.”
The return of key midfielder Moises Caicedo was a major factor.
Ecuadorian Caicedo had played only 14 minutes as a substitute before Saturday after suffering a recurrence of a calf injury during a brief appearance against Brighton.
His quality in possession and ability to win the ball back made a huge difference.
In an unguarded moment at the end of his media duties at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Alonso was particularly effusive about Caicedo’s return, saying: “Wow, I couldn’t wait to have him back to be honest because with Moi on the pitch everything looks more in place.
“He is so important and we want to have him around. It was very good news.”
Joao Pedro, who has the most goal involvements in the Premier League this season with eight (five goals and three assists), was also back.
As were Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha, both named among the substitutes.
Palmer withdrew from England duty, drawing a reaction from Thomas Tuchel, but was fit to play the full 90 minutes for Chelsea and looked refreshed.
He spent part of the break on holiday, like the majority of the squad, while following an individual rehabilitation programme with a private fitness coach.
Alonso makes time for ‘office work’
Palmer also signed an improved, extended contract on his return to the club.
Without England commitments, the forward joined about 16 senior Chelsea players, supplemented by academy prospects, in near full-strength training sessions.
There had been some ridicule after Chelsea suffered a 2-0 defeat in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Championship side Portsmouth.
However, that match was seen as more of a training exercise internally.
It featured Caicedo and other returning players getting limited minutes following injury, with a number of academy players also involved.
There was also coaching, experimenting and tactical work going on throughout the game, so the result was not the focus.
Alonso also said he spent a lot of time doing “office work”, which insiders believe largely involved tactical analysis of previous matches and preparation for future opponents.
Chelsea’s fifth goal on Saturday, a free-kick routine in which Palmer shaped to shoot before Jordan Henderson curled the ball into the top corner, was devised by new set-piece coach Austin MacPhee.
It forms part of Alonso’s drive to make Chelsea less predictable as they look to maximise every opportunity to improve attacking output after last season’s disappointing 10th-place finish in the Premier League.
Chelsea had only 10 players away on international duty, while rivals Manchester City and Arsenal had 18 and 17 respectively.
Although Chelsea lost fringe winger Jamie Gittens to an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out for “several weeks” following an England Under-21 appearance, other clubs suffered more significant setbacks.
Arsenal lost a regular starter in Christos Tzolis. Manchester United lost Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu to injury, while Liverpool are having to cope without Cody Gakpo, Alexander Isak and Dominik Szoboszlai.
Some of those Chelsea players called up by their national sides, including Valentin Barco, Estevao Willian, Jorrel Hato and Geovany Quenda, arguably benefited from the extra minutes with their national teams.
When asked about the three-week break, Alonso said it was “too long”.
But it was clear he and Chelsea had not been standing still, as he added: “We have had time for everything, to analyse what we have done in this game, what’s coming and working with some players, recovering some players. We have used the time properly.”
For Alonso, the extended international break has provided valuable breathing space as he refines his approach at Chelsea.