In the latest twist at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s head coach Enzo Maresca has found himself under the microscope as internal tensions reportedly reach boiling point. Individuals within the club are said to be ‘absolutely losing their minds’ over his tactical approach in a season that has proven frustratingly inconsistent for the Blues.
Maresca, who earned plaudits last season by guiding Chelsea to glory in the Club World Cup and Europa Conference League while securing a Champions League spot, now finds his position precarious after a spate of disappointing results. The west London club had flirted with Premier League supremacy, particularly after a commendable 1-1 draw with Arsenal despite being reduced to ten men. However, they subsequently stumbled with a 3-1 defeat to Leeds United, a barren 0-0 against Bournemouth, and most recently, a deflating 2-1 reverse at the hands of Atalanta in their Champions League group assignment.
As a consequence, Chelsea have dropped to fifth in the league table and are no longer in the automatic Champions League qualification bracket. The sequence of setbacks has placed Maresca on the hot seat, making him a front-runner in discussions about potential managerial casualties in the Premier League. A turnaround is crucial as they prepare to face Everton over the weekend.
An insider report has suggested a sense of exasperation among the Chelsea hierarchy, who are ‘at their wits’ end’ due to Maresca’s tactical inconsistencies. The team’s preparation in training, focused on mastering ‘tiki-taka’ possession, contrasts starkly with their on-pitch execution which has often descended into frenetic, end-to-end encounters.
Further compounding the issue, Maresca has attracted ire for his decision to leave one of their star performers, Estevao, out of the starting line-up against Atalanta. Reflecting on this decision post-match, Maresca elucidated, “The adjustment involving Tosin was necessary after Wes came off. It constrained the substitutions, altering our game plan somewhat.”
Explaining his rotation strategy, he continued, “We usually start with a core group of eight or nine players who are mainstays in key matches. Five changes were made compared to the Bournemouth fixture, yet on the pitch, the majority were the regulars who feature against the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Wolves.”
Chelsea will need to rally and find some form of resurgence if Maresca is to silence the growing discontent amongst the Chelsea faithful and stave off the spectre of an early departure.