From front to back, Enzo Maresca’s team for tonight’s game against Djurgarden tells you a lot about his first team thinking right now.
There’s a season deciding game against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, and in a dream world the coach would play a fully rotated team for this game against a mid-table Swedish team. But the bad result we got at home against Legia Warsaw a couple of weeks ago has clearly spooked him a little.
Squad weaknesses made clear by Maresca decisions
The team he’s chosen is not entirely made up of second string players, but it’s clear where there are weaknesses in the squad. For starters, we’re sure he would rather leave Enzo Fernandez on the bench with Moises Caicedo for a rest, but a lack of trusted options means the Italian coach plays the Argentine from the start, despite the massive game on Sunday.
Nicolas Jackson gets a rest up top, and while we’re delighted to see Tyrique George get a start, he’s not really a striker, and it’s a reminder of how important it is that we secure another top option there this summer.
Marc Cucurella is playing, even though he’s another rock solid first team option. Again, if there was an experienced, reliable, top class left back on the books, we’re sure Maresca would be delighted to give the Spaniard a rest, but there’s not, so poor Marc is on double duty this week, despite having the prospect of facing Mo Salah this weekend.
Maresca’s summer plans for Chelsea come into focus
The good news is that for once it looks like we’ll be keeping a coach into their second season, and Maresca can make his feelings about where he wants more depth clear, as well as the type of player he wants in each position.
Honestly speaking, one doesn’t know whether it is Maresca or the directors of football who took a discision to send Veiga on loan to Juventus.
The said Veiga is an all-rounder who can play at left back as well as at centerback as he is one of the taller players at Chelsea.
How on earth can someone apply his mind so poor to send a tall utility player on loan while there is no capable player to replace Cucurella in the event of a long absence of cucurella through an injury?
May the club realise that shooting yourself in the foot is a schoolboy mistake which is grotesque too silly from an official attached to football.