Chelsea’s troubling pattern of dropping points from winning positions has intensified scrutiny on manager Enzo Maresca, raising the question: is it down to his tactical decisions or the inexperience of his substitutes?
The Blues have surrendered 11 points from leading positions at Stamford Bridge this season, more than any other Premier League club. Including away matches, Chelsea have lost 13 points from winning positions – exactly the gap separating them from league leaders Arsenal. The latest setback came in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, where substitute Ollie Watkins scored twice to snatch victory, leaving Chelsea 10 points behind third-place Villa.
Maresca has acknowledged the trend is not random. “When something continues to happen, it’s not random. So we need to understand why,” he said ahead of Chelsea’s Tuesday visit from Bournemouth. “No matter if we are winning, drawing, or losing, we concede a goal, we lose a little bit of control. So we need to understand the reason why.”
Much of the criticism has focused on Maresca’s substitutions. Against Villa, Cole Palmer reacted angrily when replaced in the 72nd minute for 18-year-old Estevao Willian, while Marc Cucurella’s withdrawal drew initial concern before it was revealed he had a potential hamstring issue. Critics have highlighted similar patterns in prior defeats, such as games against Manchester United and Brighton, where Chelsea’s impact off the bench was minimal. Even Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere noted that the team “drops” in the second half, pointing to tactical or motivational issues.
While Maresca’s rotations have sometimes worked – particularly when resting key starters against Nottingham Forest, Brentford, or Cardiff City – success usually comes when the first-choice lineup is relied upon. This has sparked debate: is it the manager’s decision-making under scrutiny, or the limited quality and experience on the fringes of the squad?
Maresca’s guarded response suggests he sees the issue as broader than individual substitutions. “No, I think it’s in general,” he said when questioned by BBC Sport. His explanation is supported by statistics: Chelsea’s bench has an average age of under 22, while Villa’s substitutes who turned the game averaged over 26. Despite early and frequent changes – Chelsea are among the earliest clubs to make substitutions, averaging the first at 48 minutes – their bench has contributed only three goals and one assist in the Premier League this season.
The reliance on youth is clear across the squad. Chelsea boast the youngest starting XI and substitutes in the league, with averages of 24 years and 219 days, and 21 years and 349 days, respectively. While Maresca encourages rotation, he admits certain players like Andrey Santos are not yet at the level of established starters such as Moises Caicedo.
Chelsea’s inconsistency has started to affect their league standing. Sitting fifth after a run of dropped points, the Blues are just seven points above 15th-placed Bournemouth. Home form is a growing concern, with Chelsea failing to secure back-to-back wins at Stamford Bridge and already losing three home league matches – as many as last season’s total.
Injuries continue to compound the problem. Cucurella is doubtful, Jorrel Hato remains sidelined, and both Palmer and Reece James are being assessed during a busy fixture period. Wesley Fofana, meanwhile, was rested but remains fit for upcoming matches.
Despite the challenges, Maresca remains confident in his approach. “The last game doesn’t reflect a 10-point difference between us and Villa. We need to be confident and to think that we can go close again to those ahead of us,” he said.
As Chelsea navigate a demanding period, the debate continues: is it tactical naivety, mismanaged substitutions, or simply the growing pains of the Premier League’s youngest squad? For now, Maresca must find a balance between fostering youth and delivering results, or risk seeing a promising campaign slip further away.
