Enzo Maresca has defended his squad-rotation policy, insisting it is “impossible” to select a settled side.
The Chelsea head coach was criticised by former England star Wayne Rooney after he made seven changes for Wednesday’s match against Qarabagin the Champions League.
It was the fifth consecutive game that Maresca had made at least seven tweaks to his starting team.
Following the 2-2 draw in Azerbaijan, Rooney suggested that senior players in the squad should be questioning the selections and that “chopping and changing” is a mistake.
Maresca, though, defended his policy ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Wolves.
“I’ve said many times, we’re in a moment, or era, where anyone can say what they want,” he said when asked about Rooney’s comments.
“Since I joined the club, it’s my view to rotate players. No-one complains until the moment you don’t win games. I can understand when people don’t agree.
“When the rotation is Andrey Santos, Brazil international player, Jorrel Hato, Holland international player, Estevao, Brazil international player – it’s not about rotation.
“They are good, they are talents, but they are young. When they are young, you have to give them the chance to make some mistakes, to get better. The same thing happened in the past with Josh Acheampong.
“Again, I understand when you don’t win games, the problem is rotation.”
Maresca suggested that the demands of the modern game mean that not making changes is no longer a viable option.
“In this moment, football is a bit different compared to many years ago, in terms of physicality and intensity,” he argued.
“It’s impossible to play with the same players for 65 games a season; Champions League, Premier League. Years ago, it was possible – football was different.
“You need to rotate, this is my personal view, if you want to see the season like a marathon. Then, when you are in February, March, that is the last sprint and you can think in a different way.
“But at the moment, you have to think of it like a long race.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are still assessing the extent of Romeo Lavia’s latest injury.
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