Chelsea Fully Supportive Of Maresca’s Rotation Policy Despite Qarabag Draw

Chelsea are afloat supportive of Enzo Maresca’s recruitment and rotation strategy and had nary rumor pinch nan caput coach making 7 changes for Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League tie pinch Qarabag.

Although nan consequence near Maresca facing questions complete his starting XI, nan Italian near Baku knowing he retains nan patient backing of Chelsea’s leadership.

The Premier League nine person amassed a deep, talented squad to compete successful 4 awesome competitions and consciousness that regular crippled clip is nan only measurement to support players caller during a agelong and draining season. It is understood location is nary consciousness wrong Chelsea that Maresca gambled pinch his action against Qarabag, alternatively that nan he has implemented a smart argumentation during nan past 2 seasons that will assistance subordinate readiness successful nan agelong run.

Chelsea, who person changed their starting XI much than immoderate different Premier League broadside this season, did not person a due pre-season aft going each nan measurement astatine past summer’s Club World Cup and person been deed by injuries to cardinal players. Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill and Benoît Badiashile were unavailable against Qarabag and Maresca has said that Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and João Pedro person been playing pinch knocks.

Maresca looked to negociate his team’s workload by starting Caicedo and Fernández connected nan chair against Qarabag. The scheme had to beryllium scotched erstwhile Roméo Lavia was forced disconnected pinch a thigh wounded successful nan eighth minute. Caicedo was introduced and will beryllium expected to commencement again erstwhile Chelsea, who flew backmost to London successful nan early hours of Thursday morning, big Wolves successful nan Premier League connected Saturday.

The 5,000-mile information travel to Azerbaijan presented complications for Chelsea. They arrived successful Baku successful nan early hours of Wednesday greeting and decided to enactment connected UK clip because of nan speedy turnaround. However, location was nary proposal that nan world champions did not return Qarabag seriously. Maresca had acquisition pinch Marc Cucurella and Reece James successful nan full-back positions, João Pedro lasting 71 minutes astatine No 10 and Robert Sánchez successful goal.

Enzo Maresca successful Baku connected Wednesday. He is said to activity closesly pinch Chelsea’s 5 sporting board complete signings and squad rotation. Photograph: Aziz Karimov/Reuters

It became a difficult nighttime for definite squad players. Jorrel Hato, nan 19-year-old centre-back, had a mediocre crippled and Maresca removed nan young, inexperienced trio of Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Jamie Gittens astatine half-time.

However, location is simply a nickname astatine Chelsea that their much inexperienced players will only accommodate to Maresca’s demands if they are fixed regular opportunities. Gittens and Hato joined past summertime and Santos, who arrived successful January 2023, is successful his first play arsenic a first-team squad regular.

Maresca useful intimately pinch Chelsea’s 5 sporting board connected really to negociate a tight schedule and is successful alignment pinch them connected nan rotation policy. Indeed it would count against Maresca were he to pursuit short-term results by compromising nan fittingness of cardinal players. The club’s strategy is to enactment diligent some successful triumph and defeat. His rotation will not change that view.

Such rotation intends to guarantee players tin execute astatine highest level astatine important moments. Maresca’s observant guidance of James has kept nan skipper injury-free for a agelong period. Maresca is trying to activity successful a akin measurement pinch Wesley Fofana and Lavia.

Results person been mixed for Maresca, who is managing successful nan Champions League for nan first time, erstwhile he rings nan changes. Chelsea drew pinch Brentford erstwhile they rested players earlier visiting Bayern Munich successful September. Equally they hit Ajax, Lincoln and Wolves aft playing weakened sides.