Chelsea's Midfield Conundrum Exposed as Enzo Maresca Faces Selection Dilemma
Enzo Maresca’s admission of “shame” highlights Chelsea’s struggle to balance a £280m midfield while addressing deeper tactical and selection issues.
Original Source
The Mirror
Written by
Steve Worrell
Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth brought more frustration for manager Enzo Maresca, who expressed “shame” over his side’s failure to secure victory despite dominating early proceedings. The match underscored ongoing issues with Chelsea’s tactical setup, particularly in integrating their costly midfield trio of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Romeo Lavia, while defensive gaps and underwhelming performances up front compounded the problem.
- Expensive Midfield Dilemma:
- The combined £280m outlay on Caicedo, Fernandez, and Lavia has led to a temptation to include all three in the starting lineup.
- The decision to deploy Caicedo at right back to accommodate the midfield trio backfired, as the Ecuadorian struggled defensively and gave away a costly penalty.
- Defensive and Leadership Concerns:
- Reece James’ return from injury provided a late spark with a free-kick equalizer but also raised questions about his prior exclusion, with captaincy and consistency becoming areas of focus.
- Levi Colwill showed promise, but the defensive setup remains fragile, especially with key players like Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile sidelined.
- Striking Woes and Missed Opportunities:
- Nicolas Jackson’s inconsistencies in front of goal continue to hinder Chelsea, despite his promising build-up play and assist for Cole Palmer’s opener.
- The team’s inability to convert chances in the first half allowed Bournemouth to stage a comeback, a recurring theme in Chelsea’s recent games.
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Photo Credit
Justin Setterfield
Written by
Steve Worrell
Steve, Co-founder of The 1905 Club, created the platform to provide honest, clickbait-free Chelsea FC content. He worked at Stamford Bridge from 2013 to 2016 with a Champions League sponsor. His first Chelsea match was a 1-0 win at Leeds in 2000, and his favourite was the epic 2012 Champions League game against Napoli.
