Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been under fire in recent weeks because of his rotation policy.
The Blues boss can’t really win – he either plays his first team every week, picks up injuries and gets criticised, or he rests players, drops points and gets criticised.
An enforced rest for Moises Caicedo thanks to his suspension takes him off the top of the list of players who have racked up a lot of minutes, and Maresca has done his best to make sure Enzo Fernandez gets a half off here and there too.
Maresca can’t rest Cucurella until he trusts Hato
Jorrel Hato heads the ball against Ajax.
Jorrel Hato heads the ball against Ajax. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
But one player he’s simply not been able to rest is Marc Cucurella, mainly because he doesn’t yet trust his understudy Jorrel Hato. Cucurella has played more minutes for club and country than anyone else this season, and apart from in EFL Cup games it’s hard to see where he will get a rest.
The last game he didn’t start was against Wolves at the end of October. Even there, he played 30 minutes. Since then he’s racked up 11 consecutive 90 minutes for club and country.
It can’t last forever – either he will get injured or his form will fade with fatigue. Maresca has to learn to trust Hato soon, and if he doesn’t then we need another option in January, there’s no two ways about it.
In other news…
Chelsea fans want to see more of Josh Acheampong after his solid midweek performance against Atalanta. We don’t think it will be on Saturday, but he should have more appearances to come.
There are big questions about what team Enzo Maresca should pick for this weekend, and if he were to go purely by the goal and assist stats per 90 he would have a new look front 4 picked.
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Chelsea's team to face Atalanta.
Enzo Maresca on the touchline.
Enzo Fernandez on the ball.