Maresca's Changes Revive Chelsea, But Squad Depth Concerns Remain

Enzo Maresca’s timely substitutions and the decision to start Filip Jorgensen helped us secure a hard-fought 2-1 win over West Ham and return to the top four, although the win raises concerns over our squad depth following recent exits and injury scares.

Original Source
The Standard
Written by
Steve Worrell
4 Feb
14:25
Match News

The1905.Club Summary

We witnessed a dramatic turnaround at Stamford Bridge as our manager Enzo Maresca implemented four changes before the 60th minute that transformed a match filled with early jitters into a vital 2-1 victory. A poor backpass from Levi Colwill gifted Jarrod Bowen the opener for West Ham, but the introduction of Pedro Neto provided the penetration missing in the early stages, leading to his equaliser after some lively pinball in the box. Later, Cole Palmer’s free-kick, deflected off Aaron Wan-Bissaka, looped over the opposition goalkeeper to secure the win, with a late block from Tosin Adarabioyo denying Mohammed Kudus a potential equaliser. In addition to the tactical shifts on the pitch, significant changes off it were also evident as the transfer window closed, bringing a sense of relief to Maresca and our supporters. A notable decision was the move to start Filip Jorgensen instead of Robert Sanchez—a change that came amid growing pressure on Sanchez after several errors. However, Jorgensen’s performance, while showing promise, was somewhat jittery and hinted at possible ring rust from reduced playing time. With a series of departures and injury concerns, including awkward landings from Nicolas Jackson and Reece James, questions remain about whether we have sufficient depth in full-back, attacking, and deep midfield roles as the season progresses.We witnessed a dramatic turnaround at Stamford Bridge as our manager Enzo Maresca implemented four changes before the 60th minute that transformed a match filled with early jitters into a vital 2-1 victory. A poor backpass from Levi Colwill gifted Jarrod Bowen the opener for West Ham, but the introduction of Pedro Neto provided the penetration missing in the early stages, leading to his equaliser after some lively pinball in the box. Later, Cole Palmer’s free-kick, deflected off Aaron Wan-Bissaka, looped over the opposition goalkeeper to secure the win, with a late block from Tosin Adarabioyo denying Mohammed Kudus a potential equaliser. In addition to the tactical shifts on the pitch, significant changes off it were also evident as the transfer window closed, bringing a sense of relief to Maresca and our supporters. A notable decision was the move to start Filip Jorgensen instead of Robert Sanchez—a change that came amid growing pressure on Sanchez after several errors. However, Jorgensen’s performance, while showing promise, was somewhat jittery and hinted at possible ring rust from reduced playing time. With a series of departures and injury concerns, including awkward landings from Nicolas Jackson and Reece James, questions remain about whether we have sufficient depth in full-back, attacking, and deep midfield roles as the season progresses.

Key Points

  • Match Turnaround: Early in the game, Levi Colwill’s backpass allowed West Ham to score, but substitutions by Maresca, particularly the introduction of Pedro Neto, reversed the momentum.
  • Decisive Goals: Pedro Neto’s equaliser and Cole Palmer’s deflected winner secured the 2-1 victory and returned us to the top four.
  • Goalkeeper Change: Filip Jorgensen was started instead of Robert Sanchez, marking a shift in our approach following repeated errors by Sanchez.
  • Performance Concerns: Jorgensen’s performance was marked by a few early mistakes, suggesting possible ring rust from limited recent appearances.
  • Squad Depth Issues: With several players set to leave on loan or transfer and recent injury scares involving Nicolas Jackson and Reece James, there are concerns over our depth in key positions.
  • Transfer Window Impact: The closure of the January window has ended off-field distractions, but it also highlights the challenges of managing squad numbers amidst multiple departures.

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John Walton/PA Wire
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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.
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