Maresca Braces for Tough Test at Bournemouth Amid Chelsea's Injury Wills
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca expects a tough game against Bournemouth, similar to their recent loss to Leeds United, amid a packed schedule and injury concerns.
“I watched the (Leeds) game back. We did many things bad. We paid the bill because Leeds away can be complicated...”
Enzo Maresca's defending his rotation policy ahead of Chelsea's clash with Bournemouth, saying it's necessary to protect players from burnout. The Blues boss faced criticism for his five changes against Leeds, which led to a 3-1 loss, breaking their seven-match unbeaten run.
Maresca's aware of the scrutiny, but he's prioritizing player welfare, knowing they can't play every three days. Chelsea's looking to bounce back against Bournemouth, aiming to close the nine-point gap with Arsenal.
Chelsea's recent form has been inconsistent, and Maresca's under pressure to deliver results. The Bournemouth trip's a chance for them to regroup and show their strength in the league.
“Most of the rotation we do is because the other player cannot play. We have players unable to play every three days,” Maresca told reporters on Friday.
“We have four or five players we need to protect and manage. I would like to play all the games with Reece (James), Pedro (Neto), Moi (Moises Caicedo), even Romeo (Lavia), but it is not possible, so we try and find a different solution.”
Chelsea faces a tough schedule, with Saturday's game against Bournemouth marking their fifth match in two weeks since the international break. Moises Caicedo, a key player, won't be available for the next two games due to a three-game suspension for his red card against Arsenal. He's played 50 out of 51 league games under Enzo Maresca, so his absence will be felt.
Injuries are also piling up for Chelsea, with Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill, and Dario Essugo all out. Lavia's thigh injury and Colwill's ACL surgery mean they won't be back until the new year, while Essugo's thigh operation is taking longer than expected to recover from.
🚨 Enzo Maresca:
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“I watched the (Leeds) game back. We did many things bad. We paid the bill because Leeds away can be complicated. There are things we need to avoid in the future,” Maresca said.
Enzo Maresca is warning Chelsea fans to expect a tough game against Bournemouth, saying it will be similar to their recent 3-1 loss to Leeds United. “I think Bournemouth will be a similar game to Leeds,” Maresca said, adding that Leeds was “very intense” and better than Chelsea in all aspects.
Maresca's comments come after Chelsea's disappointing loss to Leeds, where they made five changes to the starting lineup that held leaders Arsenal to a 1-1 draw. The Chelsea boss is prioritizing player welfare, knowing they can't play every three days, and is expected to make some rotations for the Bournemouth game.
“Leeds were very intense and were better than us in all the aspects. Hopefully we can learn from that and be better tomorrow,” he added.
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