By Alex Roberts
Fulham earned their first win at Stamford Bridge within the Premier League period on Boxing Day, with Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz each scoring late targets to cancel out Cole Palmer’s opener and go away Maresca visibly livid at full-time.
Ipswich’s luck wasn’t significantly better. Unsurprisingly dropping to Arsenal, who leapfrogged Chelsea into second (now third following yesterday’s video games), as their hopes of Premier league survival are dealt one other main blow.
An audition for Liam Delap
The 21-year-old has been a standout performer for Ipswich since leaving Man Metropolis in the summertime, scoring six targets and offering a single help in his 16 Premier League appearances.
His effective type has earned him some admirers amongst the extra established sides, together with Chelsea. Maresca’s aspect have had immense success from former Metropolis academy graduates in recent times, with Cole Palmer being the apparent archetype.
Delap hasn’t made a purpose contribution since their 2-1 win over Tottenham, however he has each alternative to steal the present towards Chelsea.
Assault wins you video games, defence wins you titles
The outdated adage sums up Chelsea’s season to date fairly nicely. Maresca’s aspect don’t have any points placing the ball at the back of the web, they’re the second highest scorers within the league, however they battle to maintain it out of their very own.
A few of it could possibly be put all the way down to youthful exuberance, the West Londoners do have the youngest squad within the Premier League in any case, however most of it’s simply straight up naivety.
Robert Sánchez has made three errors which have led to a purpose this season, fortunately for Chelsea, Ipswich’s Arijanet Muric tops the charts with 5.
Omari Hutchinson has some extent to show
The younger playmaker will face his outdated membership for the primary time this season after being shipped out in the summertime, feeding Chelsea’s want for ‘pure revenue’ to assist satiate PSR’s endless starvation.
Hutchinson, who performed a key function in Ipswich’s promotion final season, has struggled to recapture that type since making the transfer everlasting, scoring only one purpose, and offering one help in his 16 Premier League video games.
Like many earlier than him, Hutchinson will face Chelsea with some extent to show, and he’ll probably be intent on making them remorse letting him go.
The cracks are beginning to present
Chelsea’s immense squad depth is each a blessing and a curse for Maresca. Whereas he has the flexibility to area fully totally different groups for various competitions, retaining all of the gamers glad is a full-time job in and of itself.
Not solely that, however the Italian has to area a number of questions on why he determined towards enjoying anybody participant at anybody time. His press convention after the defeat to Fulham was no totally different.
Maresca has made simply three substitutions in his final two Premier League video games, is {that a} easy tactical choice or does he not belief his squad gamers? Solely Maresca is aware of, but when it continues, gamers akin to João Félix and Christopher Nkunku might come figuring out on his door.
Prediction
A recreation towards Ipswich is the right Christmas pallet cleanser for Chelsea after a irritating couple of video games. Whereas McKenna’s aspect have had their moments, the guests have an excessive amount of firepower. We’re going to go together with a 3-1 Chelsea win.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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