Chelsea wins over Ajax in the Champions League, and the game against Sunderland in the Premier League is two different worlds. Estevao, Gittens, Buononte, Acheampong, George, and others were fantastic, but in the next Premier League game against Sunderland in the Premier League, they weren’t playing. They were Gittens, Hato, and Estevao, all on the bench. So it was really a different Chelsea team.
The reason, playing Hato on the left back is a completely different player and game plan. He had a tactic in attack to use Cucurella to score all to assist, and this was his only plan in the whole game.
The same tactics throughout the whole match.
Enzo Fernandez has been injured for weeks now, has played with pain, and could not make a greater impact, but Maresca needed to play Andrey Santos then an attacking midfielder. He could use Estevao Willian; he needed Gittens instead of Garnacho.
Chelsea is now losing regularly, which is not good because the bench has been saving Enzo Maresca’s team for weeks – it can happen every time.
Concerning tactics, he was trying to score with Cucurella inside Sunderland’s box; he was expected to score, to receive the ball and shoot, but it was visible on so many occasions that he lacks the technique and ball control to score an amazing goal are to assist. Enzo Fernandez did not help by constantly throwing the crosses and dominating the game with passes. That is why Chelsea looked so bad on the pitch. He was constantly using Neto and Reece James in crosses in the opponent’s box. The Sunderland team was defending very well and deserved to win.
What is to be realized is that Sunderland is a very good team this season, and this is not the greatest surprise at all, as many say it is.
Chelsea was leading and was better till the equalizer by Isior for 1:1, and that was a key moment when Sunderland realized they can beat this Chelsea team and started playing better on the pitch.
The team of Sunderland is very great players as Mandrava, Geertruida, Ballard, Le Fee, Traore, Isior, and Sadiki with great tactics and compact football. They are very connected and are the best story of the Premier League season so far. After securing the Premier League last season, the team has improved at the beginning of the season with good football and great leadership.
So it is not a problem that Chelsea lost to Sunderland; they are a great team. The problem for Chelsea is the way they lost it with a bad and only one tactic and a really bad selection, and too much rotation.
People don’t see that Acheampong has saved the situation on one with him and the goalkeeper in the match, when he was replaced, Tosin lost the duel one-on-one and Chelsea destiny was sealed.
To add on the end, Maresca started Chalobah and Acheampong, and they were taking the ball on their feet and then slowly transferring in front, with Enzo Fernandez playing a useless plan and not having a midfielder to secure passes, because playing despite an injury. There were not many passes in Garnacho’s legs at all; he was attacking when he could, the Sunderland defenders, and trying to produce- that is how he scored. The problem was that the ball was in the defensive line way too much. That was a very slow and bad transition. Then Maresca was switching Acheampong and Chalobah positions, and it showed much better technique on Acheampong than Chalobah side.
The central back pair with Chalobah and Acheampong can do much for Chelsea in the 90-minute Premier League game.
This is not the Conference League, and Maresca can’t be rotating this much. Chelsea has to have the team and position structure in next week’s.
Maresca has chosen this central back pair; it looks like he was improving them and trying their position. Don’t forget Acheampong’s role against Ajax at the Bridge. Against Ajax, he was everywhere with very good runs and pressing on Ajax’s defense- Soo Josh Acheampong is ready to take the central back position.
Chelsea Central Back – issue
As we said in the previous articles, Chelsea has a great number of central backs, but do they have quality in this position?
Acheampong – Is good for the right central back position, can cover defensively. Started to develop passing, playing for the starting eleven. Has great potential. Very young and reliable in defense.
Badiashile – Very good left central back, reliable, good with passes, Chelsea player for years, still has not developed his full potential. Very good and wise player. Left central back – weaker on the right one.
Chalobah – So many times left by Chelsea on loan, he was good when returned, and was a refreshment. Does not have good technique, isn’t reliable in clearance, and can’t play the left central back position well. Mistaking a lot, he was crossed out by many previous Chelsea coaches and sent on multiple loans, just like Maresca crossed him out in the summer of 2024 and loaned him out to Crystal Palace. Low defending and positioning. Can play well at the right back position.
Tosin Adarabioyo is a very weak defender without technique without good player abilities. A past Fulham redundant player bringing nothing to Chelsea. He has no quality and was directly guilty of the second goal that was scored by Sunderland. Was guilty for Ajax’s penalty on matchday.
Wesley Fofana – When returning from injury got injured again against Lincoln. Very good right central defender who can play right back. Has fitness issues since returning, not very fast, very good in positioning, and still in the course of return from injury form, which he missed the season part of last season. The strongest and the best right central back Chelsea has.
You can now see the importance of Cole Palmer for Chelsea. He has composure and passing abilities to connect the lines. The biggest problem is Enzo Maresca’s rotations, and that is what makes Chelsea get into trouble.
Chelsea have loaned out two more central defenders, Argentinian Anselmino to Borussia Dortmund, and Sarr to FC Strasbourg. One will surely be reintegrated into the squad in the January transfer window.
The approach to game issues:
What Chelsea fans mostly criticize this season and the season before is that it looks like an unceremonious approach to some Premier League game. It looks like Chelsea was playing in the Champions League, both games against Benfica and Ajax on one level with a great level of engagement and agility, and played one completely another against Brighton in the Premier League. Now they approached the game with Sunderland, implying Acheampong and Chalobah, and trying them in these positions. – It looks like it, at least as deliberate on the Maresca side. It looks like he is trying and experimenting with the team and tactics, not caring much for the same games.
With bad Tosin as a substitute and without playing Lavia, who was playing fantastic football last few weeks. In the starting XI, there was not a trace of Jamie Gittens and Estevao Willian, who were brilliant against Ajax.
It really looks like Maresca was trying tactics and playing not on the highest level of football he could produce in this match.
With the ball all the time in the “central defender’s legs“, they were creating the tempo and rhythm the whole match. It looked very ugly in the pitch for Chelsea fans.
Then, in the Champions League, the approach, the football, and the outcome are completely different.
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