When Enzo Maresca’s beginning line-up was introduced earlier than Chelsea’s journey to Brentford on Sunday, there was a way of shock amongst many Blues followers throughout social media.
And, after a colorless goalless draw at Brentford stretched their winless away run to eight matches to depart their Champions League hopes within the stability, the questions on his staff choice grew even louder.
Maresca rested Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella and an in-form Pedro Neto in opposition to their west London rivals. In got here Malo Gusto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor, Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke, who all struggled to make an impression.
All 4 of Chelsea’s rested stars got here on within the second half and the Blues went from having simply six pictures and one heading in the right direction earlier than the interval to 17 pictures and 4 heading in the right direction.
The Chelsea boss additionally confronted criticism from sections of the away finish, who’ve proven growing frustration at his type of play, amid chants of “assault, assault, assault” and “we have had a shot” throughout a poor first half.
The larger concern is, though Chelsea stay fourth, the struggle for the Champions League locations is wanting more and more aggressive, with Manchester Metropolis, Aston Villa and Newcastle all inside three factors of the Blues.
With a Convention League quarter-final in opposition to Legia Warsaw to come back on Thursday, and the likes of Palmer and Jackson simply coming back from accidents, Maresca was fast to defend his squad rotation.
The Italian additionally blamed the fast turnaround for his choice gamble, claiming it was unfair the Blues had 24 hours lower than Brentford to arrange for the match, having performed Tottenham at dwelling on Thursday.
“Not all of them had been 100%,” he stated. “The thought was to begin a method and end one other approach. The plan almost labored as a result of we created extra within the second half however the quantity in all probability wasn’t sufficient to win the sport.”
When pressed by BBC Sport on whether or not he might have rotated in different video games, he added: “It is a completely different opinion. I’m right here to attempt to do one of the best for the membership and gamers.
“I work on daily basis with the gamers so I can see how they’re. I’m not positive if Spurs at house is more durable than Brentford away. For me, they’re all difficult.”
