Enzo Maresca has admitted he regrets not playing Josh Acheampong in the defeat to Leeds at Elland Road on Wednesday evening.
Acheampong was once again left on the bench despite Maresca changing his centre back pairing and moving Trevoh Chalobah to right back.
Maresca opted to pair Tosin with Benoit Badiashile, which turned out to be a disaster, and the duo simply couldn’t deal with the physicality of the Leeds frontline.
Enzo Maresca regrets not playing Josh Acheampong against Leeds
Tosin had a disastrous evening, whilst Badiashile was subbed at half time, and despite that Acheampong remained on the bench.
Maresca has previously explained a lack of minutes for Acheampong, but it’s still something that leaves fans baffled.
Josh Acheampong celebrates scoring for Chelsea.
Acheampong has impressed when he’s played this season. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Acheampong has impressed when playing this season, and scored his first Chelsea goal against Nottingham Forest, and Maresca has now admitted he regrets not playing the teenager against Leeds.
“One of the regrets I have after the game is I didn’t play with Josh,” he told his pre-match press conference.
“So the reason why we played with Trev [Chalobah], Tosin and Benoit [Badiashile] is because analysing them, we saw that most of the time they were playing long ball for Calvert-Lewin, for Nmecha.
“And so we prefer physicality to win aerial duels. But even with that, we lost most of them.”
Aaron Anselmino impressing at Borussia Dortmund
Acheampong isn’t the only young defender on Chelsea’s books who’s impressed this season, with Aaron Anselmino making good progress at Borussia Dortmund.
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Enzo Maresca gives a message to Romeo Lavia.
Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart.
Mamadou Sarr on the ball.
Anselmino has earned praise from Niko Kovac, and scored his first goal in the win against Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.
There’s been talk of Dortmund wanting to sign the Argentine at the end of the season, but if he keeps impressing he could well be part of Chelsea’s squad next season, with changes expected to happen in the centre back department.