Chelsea's struggles continued over the weekend as they crashed out of the FA Cup, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Enzo Maresca’s side initially took the lead courtesy of a Max Verbruggen own goal, but second-half strikes from Georginio Rutter and Kaoru Mitoma turned the game around, all but ending Chelsea’s hopes of domestic silverware this season.
With just three wins in their last 10 matches, the Blues have not only been eliminated from the FA Cup but have also slipped from second to fourth in the Premier League, now teetering on the edge of falling out of the Champions League race.
Fortunately, they have a shot at redemption this weekend when they once again face Brighton, this time in the league.
A win could reignite their season, but a defeat would pile even more pressure on Maresca – especially given his recent questionable decisions, from publicly criticizing his players to allowing Joao Felix to leave for AC Milan and persisting with underperforming stars.
Here are three things the Italian must get right for Chelsea’s trip to the Amex.
Start Nicolas Jackson
Due to an injury to Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku was finally given the chance to lead the Chelsea line against Brighton in the FA Cup.
It’s safe to say he didn’t make the most of it.
While undoubtedly a talented player, the Frenchman was hugely disappointing, offering none of the energy or movement Jackson typically provides. In 90 minutes, Nkunku managed just 34 touches – 20 fewer than goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. He failed to register a single shot on goal and was unsuccessful in his only attempted dribble.
Jackson is expected to return this weekend and, despite his recent goal drought, his presence was clearly missed. However, with Chelsea desperate for goals, the need for him to rediscover his scoring touch has never been greater.
No pressure, Nico.
Insist Chelsea push for more goals
Speaking of energy, one of the most concerning aspects of Chelsea under Maresca is their tendency to start well, take the lead, and then completely drop off, allowing opponents back into the game.
They’ve done it multiple times in recent weeks – blowing early leads against Manchester City, Bournemouth, and Crystal Palace in January – and the same happened again versus Brighton in the FA Cup.
Maresca must push his team to be ruthless if they score early against the Seagulls this weekend. Sitting back after one goal only invites pressure, and Fabian Hurzeler’s side has more than enough quality to mount a comeback. The bigger the mountain to climb, the less likely they are to do so.
Chelsea must go for a second, or even a third, before thinking about shutting up shop.
Keep Neto in the team
One of the few positives from Chelsea's defeat to Brighton was the performance of Pedro Neto on the right wing.
The Portuguese star was Chelsea's most dangerous attacking outlet, repeatedly getting the better of former Blue Tariq Lamptey with his blistering pace and quick footwork.
We've long called for Neto to start ahead of Noni Madueke in the Premier League, and hopefully, Maresca resists the urge to give the Englishman another chance this weekend.
Neto is not only the superior player but also far more effective in the final third. Crucially, he plays with his head up and looks to involve his teammates – something Madueke seemingly finds impossible most of the time.
Commenti