The winners and losers of Chelsea's change in style.....

My thoughts on who will benefit and who will lose out from the appointment of Enzo Maresca

May 30, 2024

Good Afternoon Ladies and Gents,

Today I am going to summarise who I think the biggest winners and losers are from the appointment of Enzo Maresca.

I am doing this purely from a stylistic point of view and who I think will gain or suffer from the change of style within the club.

LOSERS;

Ben Chilwell;

I love Chilly, I have been very vocal in my support of him on this site, when he is fit he is one of the best left backs in world football. Chilly has a couple of causes for concern, firstly his injury record in the last 3 years has been woeful, if he cannot stay fit he is not worth having around anymore in my opinion, that pains me to say. His other big issue is the new style we will be imposing, it does not suit Chilly’s game in the slightest for me, he is a direct, counter attacking full back/wing back which is the opposite of what Enzo Maresca will require.

Robert Sanchez;

It is widely noted that Enzo Maresca wants a new GK as a priority, Sanchez found himself as 2nd choice GK after his initial injury displaced him and Djordje Petrovic’s decent form kept him out of the team whenever he was fit, Maresca (as Si reported) has already sung the praises of Petrovic who will be keen to challenge whoever the incoming GK may be, that leaves Sanchez as a spare part and probably on the transfer list.

Axel Disasi;

He is a solid centre back, aggressive, physical and a huge presence. He is far too slow on the ball and lacks the progressive and patient nature that Enzo Maresca will require from his centre backs, a bench option in the coming season would be my guess.

Conor Gallagher;

Con was probably on his way out of the door before the arrival of Maresca, I think that will only be confirmed later in the summer, he would actually work in the Maresca system but Chelsea are more than likely going to cash in on him this summer and I think his game time would reduce under Maresca with the new gaffer likely to prefer Lavia, Enzo, Caicedo, Chukwuemeka, Palmer & Nkunku in the midfield roles.

WINNERS:

Marc Cucurella;

Take me back a few months I never would have said Cucurella would be the one likely to stay over Chilwell, but here we are and I think it is more probable that Cucu stays at the club. He has a lot of attributes that Maresca will like and will be a good rotation option with a new left back expected to arrive this summer.

Romeo Lavia/Cole Palmer;

Having both worked with Maresca before they are a step ahead of the rest, already knowing the gaffer and the way he plays along with the fact we know he will be making both focal points in his team.

Reece James;

Reece will flourish under Maresca even further, he can play as a bombing full back, an inverted full back or even in one of the 8 positions. He can do all of that from a starting position of Right Back, see diagrams below of the way I can see Reece inverting, the first picture is the “starting formation”. The next is a structure of Reece inverting, showing he can either invert into the pivot or he can invert with Caicedo dropping into the pivot with Reece playing in the 8 in attack, Caicedo has experience of covering Right Back at Brighton which could benefit us having Reece in the final 3rd. I will elaborate further on the tactical flexibility and tactical rotation in an article next week.