Maresca has admitted that injury problems have made him rely on centre-back duo

Chelsea’s head coach, Enzo Maresca, has acknowledged that he has had to make use of center-backs Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo greater than he would have favored attributable to harm points. Wesley Fofana, Tosin, and Chalobah are Chelsea’s three obtainable, wholesome center-backs in the intervening time as a result of Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill are sidelined.

Whereas Badiashile’s latest return to the coaching subject is nice information for Maresca, the pinnacle coach has few decisions till he’s nicely sufficient to take part in a recreation. Particularly, Fofana has not but performed a full ninety minutes after present process hamstring surgical procedure.

That is problematic as a result of Maresca acknowledged that he was unable to offer Adarabioyo and Chalobah with sufficient sleep. “I might like to relaxation each of them as a result of they need to relaxation,” Maresca mentioned in response to a query regarding Tosin and Chalobah.

“Wes Fofana can be taking part in after a protracted break, which is the difficulty. Subsequently, I’ll in all probability must play an element within the recreation if we relaxation Tosin, Trev, and Wes. A few of them should play as a result of we lack defenders.

Enzo Maresca goals delicate dig at Chelsea homeowners

In a veiled jab at Chelsea’s administration, Enzo Maresca hinted that he may must play towards Lincoln Metropolis on Tuesday night time within the Carabao Cup third spherical. Cole Palmer had a groin harm throughout Chelsea’s 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Saturday, and Levi Colwill, Liam Delap, and Dario Essugo are all out attributable to long-term harm issues.

Romeo Lavia and Benoit Badiashile have additionally not but absolutely recovered, whereas Maresca has acknowledged that Joao Pedro and Moises Caicedo usually are not as match as they as soon as have been. After Colwill’s season-ending ACL harm, Maresca was eager for Chelsea so as to add a brand new center-back, however the group selected to ignore his requests in favor of strengthening their attacking options.

Though Jorrel Hato did be part of from Ajax in early August, Marc Cucurella is taken into account his backup, and he hasn’t been seen since making a troublesome 45-minute cameo towards Brentford two weeks in the past.

Because of Wesley Fofana’s harm historical past and the continued absence of the aforementioned Badiashile, Maresca is left with simply Tosin, Chalobah, and younger Josh Acheampong as utterly match center-back options.