Enzo Maresca says some of his Chelsea players are "not good enough" to play the way he wants

Enzo Maresca. (Deposit Photos)

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said that some his current crop of players are "not good enough" to play the way he wants.

The Blues, who face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday, have won just one of their last four games in the top flight, most recently suffering back-to-back defeats against Fulham and Ipswich Town.

For those four games, Maresca had to make do without a number of players, including midfielder Romeo Lavia, defender Wesley Fofana, both of whom were, and remain, injured.

Speaking to the press on Friday ahead of the trip to Selhurst Park, Maresca was asked about the impact of Lavia's absence.

Romeo Lavia has been a big miss for Chelsea. (Deposit Photos)

He responded: "I think football, it is all about players. We can have the best idea, but if you don’t have the players you struggle. Romeo is a top player for us and for sure with Romeo we are a better team. But when Romeo is not there we need to also manage that kind of game."

The Italian coach went on to extend the same compliment to Reece James, insisting Chelsea are a "better team" with him in the side, while also seemingly taking a shot at those who have been playing in his, and Lavia's, absence.

"I can give the players the tools, how they have to behave, for sure, but if they are not good enough I can give them all the tools that I have but we are not going to win games," he said.

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Maresca didn't name which of his Chelsea players he does not think are "good enough" to play under him – but it appeared to be a thinly veiled shot at those who have been playing in place of those that are injured in recent weeks.

That means Enzo Fernandez, who has stepped in for Lavia, Tosin Adarabioyo, who has been playing in place of Fofana, and Axel Disasi, who has been playing at right-back instead of James.

It's easy to understand why Maresca is frustrated given his side's recent slip in form, but it feels a little harsh to hit out, especially at Fernandez and Adarabioyo.

Fernandez has scored three goals and provided an impressive seven assists in his last 10 games for the Blues, while Adarabioyo was arguably the Man of the Match in the draw against Everton on December 22, making an important late block to deny the Toffees what looked like a certain winner.

Disasi, on the other hand, is a different story.