Marc Cucurella was the centre of attention once against yesterday as he scored his 4th Premier League goal of the season to win Chelsea a second Premier League game in a row and fire his team back into the top 4.
He had scored the 4th against Southampton the week before to seal that game, and yesterday added to his season tally with a low strike from outside the box as he rushed on to a well played cutback.
His role this season has been very unusual – he’s often used as a midfielder in build-up play, coming inside to sit alongside Moises Caicedo in midfield rather than staying wide and running beyond defences as we’re more accustomed to seeing full backs do at Chelsea.
It’s creating quite the stir among fans, who see his lack of overlapping as a symptomatic of the often dull, slow possession play we’re seeing under Enzo Maresca this season.
His stats show you just what we mean. Matched up to other full backs in the top 5 leagues, Cucurella shines in terms of pass completion (95th percentile), passes attempted (73rd) and touches (73rd), showing how often he gets on the ball in that interior role.
On the on he’s in the 35th percentile for expected assists, 28th for shot creating actions, 10th for progressive carrier and 35th for progressive passes received.
Maresca has found a role which suits Cucurella’s game
Should we be complaining that Cucurella isn’t getting forward down the wing if he’s doing a great job shooting and scoring himself? Maybe not. This might not be everyone’s preferred setup, but Cucurella is doing what’s asked of him to a very high level.
Given his strengths as a player line up better with this role better than they do as a flying wing back, perhaps we should be hailing Maresca for creating a setup which gets the best out of the expensive investment in the Spaniard.
Before maresca arrived in CFc , cucu already doing it . His a versatile player . CFc needs a deputy for him . Against arsenal he needs to play three at the back . Arsenal have a pacy wingers . Still not convinced on maresca system , his defence and selection making not good . Sale Sanchez and play Jorgensen instead to give more confidence and adapt in English football physical games . Then bring back petrovic and pender will be the future . Get jobe bellingham , he knows the physical games of EPL plus he has skill and ability to play good football . Santos coming with Lesley . CFc needs all action midfielder to play alongside caceido and Enzo be the box to box midfielder . Then with world class CB and Striker and another world class winger . Good bless CFC .