According to Micah Richards, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has been using one Blues player in the incorrect position.
Even though it has turned out to be a fairly positive start to the 2025-26 season for Chelsea, there’s definitely still room for improvement. In particular, Enzo Maresca should want his side to climb the Premier League table.
It feels like a decent chance this weekend at home to newly-promoted Sunderland to get three more points on the board.
We’ve seen the Blues regularly shuffle their pack with their starting line-ups this season, so let’s wait and see what team takes to the field on Saturday afternoon.
It has been explained that Maresca has brought into the idea of regular rotation to help the overall fitness of the squad. In fairness, they are slowly starting to get a healthy group with most of their senior players back, excluding Levi Colwill and Cole Palmer.
Micah Richards working as a pundit for the Premier League match between Brentford and Manchester City.
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Micah Richards claims Joao Pedro isn’t a striker
We’ve seen Chelsea attacker Joao Pedro, 24, leading the line as the central striker in plenty of matches this season. However, Micah Richards is adamant that his best role is a bit deeper in a number 10 spot.
Richards told The Rest Is Football: “They’ve signed [Liam] Delap, they need Delap back, because Pedro, and you did the analysis last week, didn’t you? He’s a number 10, isn’t he, Pedro? He’s not a number nine.
“And I just feel like Chelsea, to go to the next level, they just need someone who can stick the ball in the back of the net at any time. And then they will be a real threat. I love the balance of the team.”
In fairness, Maresca’s arm has been twisted a little recently.
The positive news is that 22-year-old Blues striker Liam Delap is expected back next week, but he’s been unavailable since the end of August because of a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, centre-forward Marc Guiu, 19, has only just got back in Maresca’s good books.
In terms of Brazilian star Pedro, the goals and assists have dried up since he’s been the point of the attack. Hopefully, he can begin to thrive when he’s got more licence to roam, so we expect to see Guiu and Delap get plenty of minutes between them as the number nine.
Joao Pedro playing for Chelsea against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in the Premier League.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Joao Pedro the best equipped to fill Cole Palmer void
Of course, Cole Palmer has left behind a huge hole in the Blues XI. The English playmaker usually pulls the strings from a central number 10 position, where he can produce some genius moments.
The fact that Palmer isn’t expected back from injury until the end of November means that Chelsea need to continue finding ways to win without him.
On paper, Pedro is the most like-for-like replacement for Palmer, largely because he’s an intelligent footballer with a carefree attitude on the ball. In a similar way, Blues wonderkid Estevao Willian possesses the same traits as well.
Don’t be surprised if Pedro is back to his best from a deeper role against Sunderland this weekend.