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JOHN OBI MIKEL BLASTS ENZO MARESCA’S TACTICAL CHOICES AFTER CRUSHING SUNDERLAND LOSS

John Obi Mikel criticises Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca for substituting Pedro Neto & Joao Pedro late in the 2-1 loss to Sunderland. Mikel claims the move killed their chance for a winner.

John Obi Mikel Blasts Enzo Maresca’s Tactical Choices After Crushing Sunderland Loss
Enzo Maresca talking to Estevao during the Sunderland defeat - Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

For Chelsea and their supporters, the weekend was unforgettable as the Blues lost to Sunderland 2-1 at home in the Premier League.

Alejandro Garnacho gave Chelsea the lead early on with his first goal for the team, but they were unable to maintain it as the Black Cats pulled off an incredible comeback in stoppage time of the second half.

In retrospect, a number of Chelsea players were far from their best on the day, which contributed to their loss over the weekend.

John Obi Mikel, a former Chelsea player, feels that Enzo Maresca's second-half substitute choices hurt his team's chances.

Mikel was not pleased with Maresca's decision to bench some of his finest players in the second half when the score was knotted at one.

The current manager was criticised by the former Chelsea midfielder for his substitutions during the weekend's loss.


Enzo Maresca's substitutions against Sunderland were criticised by John Obi Mikel.


Mikel believes Maresca erred in his choice to substitute Pedro Neto, 25, and Joao Pedro, 24, late in the match.

More than anything else, the timing of the substitutes has drawn criticism. Chelsea was looking for a winner when the two were substituted off in the 85th minute.

"I am a huge, huge fan of Enzo Maresca, but I just believed you can not pull your top players out when we were chasing that game to win that game when it was 1-1 at home," Mikel stated in an interview with The Obi One Podcast.

"The fact that they were not playing as well does not matter. Even if Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto were not performing well, you still let them play. They will figure out how to make an opportunity. They will figure out how to win the match.

"I just thought that he should have substituted Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro, and it was just flat, flat, flat after that. Nothing was present. We just were unable to provide anything.

Although Mikel's reasoning makes sense, Maresca argues that Pedro and Neto were both having a bad game against Sunderland.

Liam Delap's comeback should benefit Chelsea's team in several ways, especially considering how weak their offence was over the weekend.

Delap's return will enable the club to take a more direct approach to goal and provide Maresca with a target man up top.

LIAM ROSENIOR’S "DETAILED TALKS" WITH CHELSEA LEADERSHIP REVEAL AGGRESSIVE SUMMER TRANSFER STRATEGY

Liam Rosenior confirms no Chelsea players want to leave, including Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, despite UCL exit.

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Liam Rosenior is currently engaged in thorough discussions with Chelsea’s leadership about their plans for the summer transfer window. Interestingly, none of the players has approached him expressing a desire to leave.

After Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League last-16 against Paris Saint-Germain, speculation swirled around Enzo Fernandez’s future, while names like Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have also been linked with moves away since Rosenior took charge in January. Ahead of their trip to Everton, Rosenior addressed questions about possible departures if the team misses out on Europe’s top competition again. He also spoke about the ongoing efforts to bring new players in.

“We're having very detailed talks about where we need to strengthen,” he said, referring to conversations with the sporting director team, headed by Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart. “I’ve shared my thoughts on what’s needed, and we’re mostly aligned on the approach, which is encouraging. But the priority is also handling the present properly. It’s crucial to be in a good spot now. Planning is important, but so is winning in the moment. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having positive discussions with ownership and the sporting directors about it.”

Rosenior emphasised that key players like Enzo Fernández want to remain at Chelsea. After Fernandez’s recent interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was noncommittal about his future following the heavy loss to PSG, Rosenior reached out to him personally.

“Our plans don’t hinge solely on qualifying for the Champions League; there are many variables,” Rosenior explained. “We need to make the best of the situation we’re in and stay as strong as possible. I maintain a close relationship with the players; we talk beyond football about their families and their lives. I’m particularly close with Enzo and the others. Since I arrived, no one has told me they want to leave in the summer. The focus is really on improving together as a team and figuring out what it takes to win right now.”

When asked specifically if that applies to Fernandez, Palmer, and Caicedo, Rosenior was clear: “They love it here.”

WHY ENZO FERNANDEZ REFUSES TO COMMIT TO CHELSEA’S FUTURE PROJECT

Enzo Fernandez has sparked Chelsea exit fears after refusing to commit to his future following a 2-8 defeat to PSG.

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Chelsea fans barely had time to process a brutal 8-2 Champions League thrashing by PSG on Tuesday when vice-captain Enzo Fernandez stirred things up even more. ESPN Argentina asked him about his future, and instead of assurance, Fernandez left everyone guessing about whether he’d still be at Stamford Bridge next season.

His answer? “I don’t know. There are eight games left, and the FA Cup. There’s the World Cup, and then we’ll see.” Not exactly what supporters needed to hear after a rough night. Honestly, Enzo, now’s probably not the best time for uncertainty.

People have been gossiping about Fernandez’s next move for a while now. Real Madrid and PSG keep cropping up as possible destinations, despite Chelsea sources insisting they won’t sell him. He’s locked into a contract until 2032, but if he pushes for an exit, who knows if that changes.

Fernandez holds a hefty price tag of £107 million; when he arrived in January 2023, it was a British record at the time. He’s backed it up this season, stacking up 12 goals, 6 assists, and playing more minutes than anyone else on the squad.

Still, Chelsea has been searching for someone who can play that No. 10 role where Fernandez has spent most of the season. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is on their wishlist, though nothing’s happened yet. Rogers, 23 and once a Manchester City academy kid, has been lighting it up at Villa lately. He signed a contract extension in November, but rumours about his future just won’t die.

Rogers is definitely on Chelsea’s radar. If Fernandez leaves this summer, and really, that’s still wide open; Rogers could be a target.

You can expect Chelsea to be busy in the market soon. They need a centre-back after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet in January. Douglas Luiz was briefly considered but wound up at Villa, so midfield is still in the mix. Plus, given their attacking troubles this season, they’ll be looking to upgrade up front too.

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