Chelsea’s team for the win over Fulham today was pretty much as one would have expected. We predicted it from front to back, with just the surprise inclusion of Reece James catching us out.
We wouldn’t have expected Christopher Nkunku to start, but we certainly would have expected him to be on the bench. It was notable enough that he wasn’t there that manager Enzo Maresca was asked about in the press conference after the game:
“It was just a technical decision,” the coach explained.
This isn’t the first time Maresca has used that terminology. All it really means is that it was a decision he and the staff made, rather than a medical one.
Given it wasn’t a medical issue, and given how little Chelsea had on the bench in attack today (it was just Tyrique George and Jadon Sancho), this has to be seen as a deliberate dropping of the Frenchman.
If Nkunku was in form and favour, there’s no way he’d be left off a depleted bench for a “technical reason.”
All we can assume is that they’re not happy with his contributions in training, or perhaps in games. He’s had no shortage of minutes recently and hasn’t impressed. The last time Maresca dropped a player for a “technical decision” it was Noni Madueke, left out for poor training performances.
Nkunku reaching the end of the line at Chelsea
It very much feels like we’re into the Nkunku endgame now. He’s not very interested in playing for this team, and increasingly it looks like Maresca isn’t interested in playing him either. Tyrique George is offering more as a backup striker, as we saw today, and there is sure to be another 9 coming in this summer.
It’s a sad end to a story which promised so much in those first few friendly games.
Nkunku has given us nothing in league play. He’s had goals galore against weak Conference league opponents where he simply outclasses the competition for pace and quickness. But he’s lacked the physicality and, frankly, the work rate and determination when he’s gone up against stronger opponents. Even when he’s not scoring, Nicolas Jackson offers sooo much more in terms of tenacity and intensity. His hold up play alone is miles ahead of Nkunku (who too often drops into False 9 types of positions and crowds areas where Cole Palmer wants to be operating. It seems like another case (Timo Werner was another) where a guy who lit up the Bundeliga just can’t handle the pace and physicality of the Prem. Can’t blame Maresca for dropping him and I give him credit for not bashing Nkunku in the press. It would not only be counterproductive in terms of his relationship with the player but it would only undermine the club’s attempts to obtain maximum resale value for him in the summer.
I think both Nkunku and Maresca doesnt belong to premier league, we need a coach who is up to the task Maresca looks just stubborn and not competant enough to steer up the team for any silverware. May the owners do us a favour and bring a coach who is up to the task unlike these championship coaches