Xabi Alonso has spoken to the press ahead of Chelsea's clash against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

During the pre-match press conference at the Cobham training ground on Friday afternoon, the Blues manager provided an update on Reece James, including whether his injury will impact plans to bolster the squad in the January transfer window and who will inherit the captain's armband.

Alonso explained whether he can take credit for the fast starts, commented on the out-of-possession formation he deployed in the win over Bournemouth last weekend, and said whether he plans to sacrifice his side's attacking freedom for a clean sheet or two.

The Chelsea manager also pointed out what Emmanuel Emegha will offer once he finally returns from the treatment room, having missed the entirety of the season so far due to injury.

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So, with that being said, football.london has transcribed every word from Alonson's press conference.

What can you tell us about James' injury?

Yeah, we are all disappointed, especially for him, he wanted to have a good start after the international break but in the last training he picked an injury, we wanted to be cautious and wait to know the result of the tests but now the surgery has been well, has been successful, we keep supporting him.

He will be close to the team; he's a great influence even when he's not available, and I wish him the best recovery. We don't set timelines, but he will be out for several weeks.

How long are you expecting him to be out for, because there's a suggestion that it could be three months, perhaps?

We don't have the exact, it will be several weeks for sure, it's not going to be short, it's not going to be two, three weeks things, it's going to be longer and after we will see before Christmas, after Christmas time will tell but things have to be done properly, that he feels right and that needs in the best possible condition and yes, a disappointment for everyone, for him but we need to, we have a squad to follow that to deal with the injuries.

How do you feel about the options you now have in central midfield for this next period of time?

We have until the next break four more Premier League games, a cup game as well, so I think that we will be able to manage well with the players that we have, with the options that they have been playing, other ones that are available, so we feel good.

Will Reece's injury impact the way you approach the January transfer window in terms of potentially looking to sign him?

No, I don't think so because we expect for that time that he's 156 back, some weeks before, so let's see, it's not exact the timeline with him so it doesn't affect.

Reece is clearly a hugely important player for you, but as a manager, how challenging is it because there have been issues over the last two years when it comes to his availability?

He's still a very important player and he's the captain, he's a great influence and hopefully after recovering from this injury he will be available for many games, that he works hard, he has a good mentality and we need him.

Are there any new injury updates this week?

No.

How much do you read into expected goals? There's been a lot made of that this season, and Chelsea are outperforming when it comes to your xG. Is that sustainable? Can you keep scoring at this rate?

I hope so, our goal is to keep doing that, and for sure, we haven't talked a lot about not conceding that many. If we improve or we continue the level of scoring and we decrease the numbers of conceding, we'll be in a better way, but we need to go game by game, and tomorrow is going to be tough in Everton.

We are looking forward to this game, intensity, high-demand game, high-tempo. I haven't been in the stadium, but they've told me it's a nice one with good atmosphere, so we are looking forward.

You said it's going to be a tough game, it's your first away match since Brentford. How much do you hope your side has learned from that experience at Brentford, and what do you want to see tomorrow?

I want that we compete, that we know what it takes to win Premier League games away in tough stadiums, in stadiums that they create a great energy, emotional, but we are able to deal with that playing, but as well competing well, and for sure, the experience for Brentford is not forgotten.

Against Bournemouth, we saw Chelsea set up in a 4-4-2 off the ball. How do you think the players performed? It seemed like it fit them a bit better, and why did you make that formation?

Well we want to be flexible but as well that we are solid in whenever we are pressing high a little bit lower but we feel that the distances are right, that the balance is the right one and we chose that way against Bournemouth, Everton is going to be different, they do many good things, many very good players that they have the experience so those principles are important, it can be in a 4-4-2, it can be in a 5-2-3 but the distances, how you help and how you have a good balance, this is what you need to defend and afterwards the ball is another thing.

And more specifically, your midfielders off the ball, it seems like they covered a lot for the centre-backs and the full-backs, especially when the team went forward. What do you want to see from long-fielders off the ball primarily?

The midfielders they need to take for me in a game many, many, many, many decisions, small ones that they look meaningless but they are very significant, so that means that they are always thinking one step ahead of the game and I think that Moi [Caicedo], [Jordan] Hendo, Rom [Lavia], [Valentin] Barco, we are working for that and when that works, normally the team works better, they did really well the other day with Hendo and with Moi and they choose the right decision because normally when they do things well they help the teams around because they are in the middle of everything and you need to be enjoying that responsibility that you have there.

A lot of the players have mentioned your team talks, more specifically, Morgan Rogers, who said you perfectly know how to get the team motivated and riled up. Now, some managers are different; they are very specific about how they communicate with the team. Your team talks, do you plan them, is it very natural in the moment, how do you approach that?

It's in the moment and I don't take credit for that, for me it's for the players, press conference, I don't think because sometimes you talk and you lose the game, so not for the good and not for the bad, but for sure you need to have an impact because the emotional part of the game is really important and sometimes it's more natural, sometimes it's more tactical, so it depends on the momentum, it's the feeling I have, it's not something that I know tomorrow, what's going to be the team talk right before the game, so we will see once I get to the stadium how I smell it in Goodison, not in Goodison, now it's Hill Dickinson, I'm old-fashioned!

James is your captain, and Enzo Fernandez, you left him as your vice-captain, so how does it now work with your captaincy group?

It goes well, we have Moi, we have Levi [Colwill], we have players that they take their responsibility and that they take the role in a perfect way, they have the support from the rest, they see them with the armband, and it's no problem.

So when Rhys James is out, who's going to take responsibility now? You mentioned Levi and Moi. How do you want them to take responsibility now when you're away?

You can't be captain without an armband, for me that's not a problem for sure, once you wear it you have to be proud and you take the responsibility, but as well you can't have that leadership without it, it's important and that's why we have this group of captains that they are the ones that they need to pull from the rest, not just on matchday, even during the week they need to deal with that.

So who else is the captain and what do they bring, so what's Levi bringing, what's Moi bringing and what's whoever else, maybe Jordan or Cole [Palmer] bringing?

Their own personality, each one is different, Levi is different from Reece, Moi is different, Cole, Hendo, each one is different, he was well, so that's why it's so important for me to have a good mix of personalities, of qualities, of stages of their career that they help and that we are in a good place I think in that way.

So just to be specific, why was Levi wearing the armband and not Moi [in the 5-1 win over Bournemouth last weekend]?

I can't be very specific with that.

When will Emmanuel Emegha be available?

He's not [ready] yet; he felt something yesterday, little thing, he's going to be training next week, but still not 100 per cent fit to be playing in the game. When he's fit, he's very special because he's 1.95 metres, he's quick, he attacks the space, he's a threat, so he needs to be fully fit.

At this moment he's had little things and unfortunately he's not been available but we are looking forward to when he feels good and when he can help the team but it's going to be difficult for the defenders when he's in good shape.

Do you have a return date in mind?

Not yet, but it's still a few weeks.

A previous Chelsea manager suggested that whilst Reece was out injured a few years ago, he'd be expecting more than he got from him as his captain in terms of leadership around the squad.

Who said that?

One of your previous managers. It was Enzo Maresca.How confident are you that you'll get what you need from your captain?

I'm very confident because I think that he's so proud to be playing for this club, he's so proud to reach this moment because he's played many years, so he's gone through different stages, and now to take that responsibility in a very natural way with his own way of leadership. But he's so respected by his teammates, and as well he has the support from the other ones.

Watching your team has been really exciting. I'm sure in the dugout it's not quite as exciting as I've been worried sometimes, but do you think to get your clean sheets, everybody says Chelsea should get clean sheets, you'll have to sacrifice, will you be able to score as many goals as you play on the front foot? Is that a conundrum you're trying to deal with in the first few weeks?

No, we need to. I think it will come, so we don't need it's not an obsession; the obsession is to win and to compete the best possible way, and the clean sheet will come, and I'm pretty sure of that.

Because we want to play with good balance, with good control, but because we will create chances, the attacking power that we have is fantastic, they connect well, they have chemistry, so we need to keep maximising that and as well be more consistent. And I think that until now we were not happy and I'm positive that we will find in this next period a better performance in that way.