Chelsea had an enormous number of defenders under contract entering the season because Enzo Maresca was smart. He collected many defenders who were not performing well individually, but who suited his defensive approach and helped the team avoid conceding goals.
His Chelsea side could not afford to show signs of weakness.
That explains the continued use of players such as Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoît Badiashile. The club started the campaign ambitiously, but everything collapsed in November under Enzo Maresca as Chelsea fell out of the title race.
Then came Liam Rosenior, a coach who insists on a defensive approach, structure and organisation. Yet Chelsea somehow became even weaker defensively and eventually dropped out of the battle for UEFA Champions League qualification.
The club’s defence became disastrous. Key players stopped showing intensity, concentration, and commitment, while goals were conceded constantly.
Behind Chelsea’s defensive humiliation stands a group of players whose performances destroyed the season and pushed the club out of the elite competition race.
Maresca took them to have more defenders and not to concede, but they were hopeless as players and as defenders.
First of all, Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana do not belong in this category. They are both excellent defenders, strong characters, and important players for Chelsea.
They are proven footballers who perform at a high level and bring quality, commitment, and defensive stability to the team. Both players are important parts of Chelsea’s defensive structure and have shown professionalism, effort, and responsibility on the pitch.
Fofana gave everything on the pitch and played every important match despite difficult moments and past injuries. He remains Chelsea’s best defender and a player who brings security and aggression to the back line.
Chalobah also had a solid season and fought consistently. He cannot be blamed for the defensive collapse, lack of effort, or arrogance shown by others.
The Players Chelsea Cannot Rely On
1) Robert Sánchez
Sánchez is a goalkeeper of moments rather than consistency. He really seems well, but only in moments.
He occasionally produces spectacular saves that look impressive, but overall he lacks stability, concentration, and reliability. Chelsea conceded far too many goals with him as the regular starter.
He is slow in reactions at times, although as a traditional shot-stopper he can save difficult efforts that appear visually spectacular.
2) Benoît Badiashile
Badiashile has been one of Chelsea’s biggest disappointments.
He failed to show:
- Defensive authority
- Aggression
- Leadership
- Reliability
Rosenior trusted him only briefly at the beginning before quickly losing faith in him.
Too often, he looked weak, passive, and unable to compete physically at the required level.
3) Tosin Adarabioyo
Tosin offers experience and physical height, but very little else at the top level.
Neither Maresca nor Rosenior fully trusted him in major situations. He remained higher in the hierarchy mostly because of age and physical presence rather than performances.
He disappointed both managers and many supporters with passive displays and a lack of authority in defence.
4) Malo Gusto
Defensively, Gusto has arguably been Chelsea’s weakest player this season.
He regularly disappointed:
- Positionally
- Defensively
- In transitions
- In one-on-one situations
Yet alternatives such as Josh Acheampong were rarely trusted by managers.
Going forward, Gusto can occasionally combine well in attack, such as his link-up play with Cole Palmer against Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup.
But defensively, he has consistently looked vulnerable and unable to stop opponents reliably.
S.Šijaković
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