Key Highlights
- Chelsea have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League this season.
- Manager Enzo Maresca concedes that the issue is “not random” and wants to understand why.
- Maresca’s substitutions during a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa failed to impact the game significantly.
- Chelsea rely heavily on youth, making their substitutes the youngest in the league with an average age of under 21.
- The team faces challenges including injury concerns and a growing concern over home form.
Chelsea Struggles to Maintain Winning Momentum at Home
Chelsea, once considered one of the Premier League’s powerhouse teams, find themselves grappling with a significant issue: they have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team this season. This trend, acknowledged by manager Enzo Maresca as “not random,” has prompted questions about both his strategies and the quality of his squad.
Manager’s Response to the Crisis
In a recent interview with BBC Sport following Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa, Maresca expressed his resolve. He stated, “When something continues to happen, it’s not random. So we need to understand why.
No matter if we are winning, drawing or losing, we concede a goal, we lose a little bit of control. So we need to understand the reason why.” This response encapsulates Maresca’s frustration and his determination to address the underlying issues.
Substitutions Under Scrutiny
Maresca’s decision-making on the bench has come under intense scrutiny, particularly after Aston Villa’s quintet of experienced players outperformed Chelsea’s youth-driven substitutes. During the match, Maresca substituted Cole Palmer for 18-year-old Estevao Willian in the 72nd minute, a move that drew immediate criticism from the star player himself. Additionally, withdrawing Marc Cucurella, who later revealed he had a potential hamstring issue, further highlighted the manager’s handling of key players.
Challenges Ahead
The situation is compounded by Chelsea’s reliance on youth and their minimal impact from substitutes in Premier League games this season. With an average starting XI age of 24 years and 219 days, compared to a substitute age of 21 years and 349 days (both the youngest in the league), Maresca appears to be navigating uncharted waters. His team has already lost three home matches in this season, which is as many losses they had all of last season.
Maresca remains optimistic, stating that Chelsea can still close the gap to the top teams.
However, he acknowledges the need for improvement: “It’s probably how we can improve after we concede a goal, to manage the game a little bit better, in terms of experience game after game.” The manager is also mindful of injury concerns, with key players like Cucurella, Jorrel Hato, Palmer, and Reece James needing assessment during their busy fixture period.
As Chelsea faces Bournemouth on Tuesday at Stamford Bridge, the pressure is on Maresca to turn things around. The team must not only rely on their star players but also find a way to manage games more effectively after conceding goals. Only time will tell if Maresca’s strategies and substitutions can bring the Blues back to their winning ways.
