ENZO MARESCA WISHES HE STARTED JOSH ACHEAMPONG AGAINST LEEDS
Maresca admitted a tactical error focusing on aerial ability backfired against Leeds. He defends his team's experience but hinted at a return for academy defender Acheampong.
Enzo Maresca says he wishes he had started Josh Acheampong in the Chelsea game against Leeds United. This might mean he's thinking about putting Acheampong in the lineup for Saturday's game at Bournemouth.
After Chelsea played well in previous games, like when they beat Barcelona 3-0 and tied 1-1 with Arsenal, many people thought they could actually win the league.
But on Wednesday, they lost that spark when Leeds United beat them 3-1.
People criticised Maresca for changing up the defence too much. He took out Wesley Fofana and Reece James and moved Trevoh Chalobah to the right-back position.
Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile were the two centre-backs, but Badiashile got subbed out at halftime. Later, his replacement, Malo Gusto, and Tosin made a mistake that allowed Leeds to score their third goal.
In his press conference before the Bournemouth game, Maresca admitted he made a mistake with his team selection.
"I regret not playing Josh, he said.
The reason we went with Trev, Tosin, and Benoit was that we saw that Leeds often play long balls to [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin and [Lukas] Nmecha.
We wanted players who were good at winning aerial battles. But even then, we still lost most of those battles.
Acheampong has played well when he's had the chance. The 19-year-old has played in nine games this season, starting five of them. However, he hasn't played since the loss to Sunderland in October.
People have been saying that the academy should play more, and Maresca said that he thinks the Bournemouth game will be against Leeds. So, it will be interesting to see if he gives Acheampong a chance this time.
His intensity, and Leeds was very intense. I said that they were better than us. We need to learn from that and be ready for tomorrow.
The coach also disagreed with the idea that his team is too inexperienced. We only talk about experience when we lose. When we beat Barcelona and drew with Arsenal, nobody mentioned experience.
When we don't win, we look for reasons why. But we didn't win against Leeds because we weren't good enough.
Who's the oldest player on the field? Tosin. Did he play well? It's not about experience. All 11 players just didn't play well enough. We're always looking for experience, but it was a bad game for everyone.
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.
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.
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.
Must Read
