The draw against Crystal Palace not only extended Chelsea's poor run of form, but also exposed a glaring problem of poor defending and a lack of concentration in the final minutes, a moment Enzo Maresca had to make the most of a rare break to revive his team.
Palace’s equaliser in the 82nd minute was a clear demonstration of Chelsea’s fragility. A risky pass from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez left Cole Palmer immediately surrounded. From there, a series of quick combinations from the “Eagles” created an opportunity for Jean-Philippe Mateta to score easily.
Both the Blues’ midfield and defence were left with huge gaps. Moises Caicedo was not supported by Enzo Fernandez, while the full-backs were positioned too far from the centre. This disconnect is not a new phenomenon, it has become a recurring problem, especially in the closing stages of games.
Statistics show that 7 out of 24 goals Chelsea conceded in the Premier League this season were scored after the 75th minute. This raises questions about the fitness, tactics and adaptability of the Stamford Bridge team during this period.
In addition to the weaknesses in defense, the London team's attacking spearheads were also not stable enough. In the first half, Chelsea showed efficiency when Jadon Sancho, Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer coordinated well to open the score. However, there were very few clear opportunities to increase the gap.
“If I had to decide why the team didn’t win, it would be because we weren’t decisive in the chances to kill the game. If it had been 2-0 to Chelsea, the game would have been over, but it’s also a double-edged sword to keep looking for a goal to increase the gap,” Enzo Maresca shared.
One of the notable points was Maresca's conservatism in substitutions. It was not until the 81st minute that he took off Nicolas Jackson and chose to replace him with young player Marc Guiu instead of stars like Christopher Nkunku or Joao Felix.
When questioned about this, the Italian coach said that he only substituted players when necessary, not because of external pressure. However, the actual effectiveness of these decisions has not been proven. Letting players like Jadon Sancho or Cole Palmer play almost the entire match can exhaust them, affecting the quality of the game at the end.
However, Chelsea still had positive signs in the draw against Crystal Palace. Young center-back Josh Acheampong had an impressive performance in his first Premier League start. The 2006-born star's solidity and confidence could open up new options for Maresca in strengthening the defense.
In addition, the 44-year-old captain will have a full week to work with the players at Cobham, a rare occurrence since September. This is a valuable opportunity for him to rebuild the team, focus on tactics and overcome weaknesses.
Chelsea have now gone four games without a win and are just a hair's breadth away from the chasing pack. The race for Champions League qualification is heating up as rivals such as Man City, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest all step up their game.
The upcoming fixtures will be tough for the Blues, with Bournemouth and Man City facing them in January. However, before that, Chelsea will face Morecambe in the FA Cup, a match that promises to give the key players a rest. A resounding victory will be a stepping stone for Enzo Maresca and his students to rekindle their enthusiasm for the next stage.
