Chelsea have dropped extra factors from successful positions at house than every other staff within the Premier League this season.
It’s a pattern supervisor Enzo Maresca concedes is “not random” and he desires “to grasp why”.
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It’s particularly irritating for Chelsea as quick starters at Stamford Bridge, having scored first in eight of their previous 9 house matches. Nevertheless, they’ve additionally dropped 11 factors from successful positions at house – greater than every other Premier League membership.
In complete, Chelsea have surrendered 13 factors from successful positions house and away, which equals the hole to league leaders Arsenal.
Maresca’s shift in tone on the problem adopted Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa.
Substitute Ollie Watkins scored two second-half objectives to depart Chelsea 10 factors behind third-place Villa.
Talking to BBC Sport earlier than Tuesday’s go to of Bournemouth to Stamford Bridge, Maresca mentioned: “When one thing continues to occur, it isn’t random.
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“So we have to perceive why. Regardless of if we’re successful, drawing or dropping, we concede a purpose, we lose a little bit little bit of management. So we have to perceive the rationale why.”
Are his substitutions responsible?
As Villa supervisor Unai Emery’s modifications swung the sport of their favour, Maresca’s substitutes made little affect.
Star attacker Cole Palmer reacted furiously to being taken off within the 72nd minute for 18-year-old Estevao Willian, whereas the choice to withdraw Marc Cucurella drew criticism – although it was later revealed that the Spaniard had a possible hamstring difficulty.
Maresca’s substitutions have confronted scrutiny earlier than, notably in defeats with 10 males in opposition to Manchester United and Brighton earlier this season. Atalanta ahead Charles De Ketelaere even prompt they “drop” within the second half after his aspect got here from behind to beat Chelsea of their Champions League sport in Italy earlier this month.
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Whereas Maresca’s modifications have often labored, it has often been when resting key gamers. Within the Carabao Cup in opposition to Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Cardiff Metropolis, he rotated closely however in the end relied on star gamers to safe wins.
This has sparked a chicken-and-egg debate: some blame the shortage of high quality on the fringes of the squad, whereas others query Maresca’s dealing with of sure gamers.
Requested concerning the difficulty by BBC Sport, Maresca smiled earlier than replying: “No, I feel it is normally.”
That guarded response got here after a defeat outlined by substitutes.
Villa’s quintet of Watkins, Amadou Onana, former Chelsea loanee Jadon Sancho, Lucas Digne and Lamare Bogarde, had a mean age of over 26.
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Chelsea, in the meantime, made 4 modifications – Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Malo Gusto – with a mean age of underneath 21.
By way of attacking affect, Estevao has delivered 5 objectives and an help since transferring to Stamford Bridge, however injury-hit Delap has scored simply as soon as, as has Gittens, albeit having additionally delivered 5 assists in all competitions.
“It is most likely how we will enhance after we concede a purpose, to handle the sport a little bit bit higher, by way of expertise sport after sport,” says Maresca.
Chelsea depend on youth, and have had minimal affect from their modifications within the Premier League this season.
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The typical age of their beginning XI is 24 years and 219 days, whereas substitutes common 21 years and 349 days – each are the youngest within the league.
Alongside Arsenal, Chelsea make the earliest modifications, averaging their first substitution at 48 minutes, typically at half-time. Regardless of this, their substitutes have contributed solely three objectives and one help within the league this season.
Chelsea have additional issues
Maresca seems prepared to maneuver on from saying “many individuals” prompted his “worst 48 hours” following their 2-0 win over Everton earlier this month.
His remarks have been extensively interpreted as criticism of a perceived lack of assist from Chelsea’s hierarchy after successive defeats by Leeds and Atalanta.
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Maresca insists he’s doing job with the Premier League’s youngest squad, with Chelsea setting Champions League qualification by way of their league place because the minimal goal.
He’s inspired to rotate and use the total depth of his squad, and no staff has made extra beginning XI modifications than Chelsea’s 146 throughout all competitions.
But Maresca has admitted gamers like Andrey Santos are usually not but on the degree of normal starters equivalent to Moises Caicedo.
Chelsea have slipped under Liverpool into fifth and danger being dragged into mid-table, sitting simply seven factors above Fifteenth-placed Bournemouth earlier than Tuesday’s sport in west London.
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Dwelling kind is a rising concern. Chelsea haven’t gained successive house matches and have already misplaced three league video games at Stamford Bridge, as many as they did within the entirety of final season.
Requested about Chelsea’s goal, Maresca mentioned: “The final sport would not replicate a 10-point distinction between us and Villa. So we should be assured and to suppose that we will go shut once more to these forward of us.”
Harm considerations stay. Cucurella is a doubt, Jorrel Hato remains to be out, and each Palmer and Reece James can be assessed throughout a busy fixture interval. Wesley Fofana, nonetheless, is match and was solely rested in opposition to Villa.