Enzo Maresca’s decision to rest key players for Chelsea’s trip to Brentford on Sunday sparked surprise among many fans, and following the team’s disappointing goalless draw, the criticism over his choices grew louder. The result, which extended Chelsea’s winless away run to eight matches, left their Champions League qualification hopes hanging in the balance.
Maresca made several high-profile changes to his starting line-up, leaving out Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, and the in-form Pedro Neto. In their place, he introduced Malo Gusto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christopher Nkunku, and Noni Madueke, but none of the replacements managed to make a significant impact.
The decision to rest four key players appeared to backfire, as Chelsea struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, registering only six shots with just one on target. However, after the four rested players were brought on in the second half, the Blues’ performance improved dramatically, increasing their shot count to 17, with four on target. Despite the improved second-half performance, Chelsea could not break the deadlock.
The team’s lacklustre first-half display prompted frustration among the away supporters, with chants of “attack, attack, attack” echoing throughout the stands, and some fans pointing out that Chelsea had only managed one shot before the interval. While Chelsea remains in fourth place in the Premier League, the competition for the top spots is intensifying, with Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle all within three points of the Blues.
With Chelsea also preparing for a Conference League quarter-final clash against Legia Warsaw on Thursday, Maresca defended his decision to rotate the squad, citing the tight schedule and the team’s quick turnaround after playing Tottenham just days earlier. The Italian manager explained that the changes were necessary due to concerns about the fitness of several players, noting that not all of them were fully fit for the match.
“The idea was to start one way and finish another way,” Maresca said. “The plan nearly worked because we created more in the second half, but the volume probably wasn’t enough to win the game.”
When questioned about whether he could have rotated his squad in other matches, Maresca stood by his decision. “I work every day with the players, and I can see how they are,” he said. “I am not sure if Spurs at home is harder than Brentford away. For me, they are all complicated.”
As Chelsea heads into a crucial week with both domestic and European commitments, Maresca’s gamble on squad rotation will continue to be scrutinised, especially as the race for European places becomes more competitive.
