Enzo Maresca’s spell at Chelsea has been pretty exciting, and another convincing win is under his belt. The 5-0 win against Barrow in the Carabao Cup was enough proof to assert their strength, even if the head coach brought in 11 changes for the game. Most players have been performing well, but one stands out for reasons not so great: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
This was a performance that raised eyebrows with a team that claims to dominate in all competitions. As Chelsea coasted through the game, Dewsbury-Hall failed to put out a substantial effort to impress with that golden opportunity. And with competition in the midfield of Chelsea heating up, Maresca should seriously think about booting him out of the starting lineup, at least for now.
An Easy Takeaway for the Blues
Chelsea was always going to win against Barrow. The League Two side had no match for the Blues, and the score reflected that. Maresca made a ton of changes to the squad; players like Dewsbury-Hall got a chance to show their quality, but for Christopher Nkunku, that chance did not go to waste. Dewsbury-Hall fell flat, but Nkunku didn’t.
Nkunku has been great so far this season, scoring six goals in eight games for all the competitions. His composure and assuredness in front of goal have been crucial for Chelsea. He struck again tonight. Sharpness is the kind of quality Maresca will expect from each player, but unfortunately, Dewsbury-Hall did not provide that.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: A Major Setback
In a game where Chelsea was the clear dominant team, Dewsbury-Hall had a very minimal role to play. Even after having played the full 90 minutes of the game, he could not showcase much in the game. On stats, it is not one to remember by the 26-year-old. He did not win any of his six duels, missed an opportunity to score, and only completed one out of four dribbles.
For the positive stat, he completed 90% of his passes, that’s where his good ending ends. He made no contribution to the game on the defensive, going in and not making a single tackle or interception. It’s astonishing given the way Chelsea dominated the game. But for a £30 million signing to play against a much weaker side, this is disappointing figures.
The Crowded Chelsea Midfield
One of the biggest issues for Dewsbury-Hall is that Chelsea’s midfield is simply stacked with talent. Moises Caicedo is coming into form nicely, Enzo Fernandez is already arguably one of the team’s top players. And Cesare Casadei, while younger and less experienced, had a much better game against Barrow. Romeo Lavia’s return from injury from this will provide even more competition.
Dewsbury-Hall should have used this game to prove he deserves more playtime. But out there, the lad just looked completely out of place, and it’s very difficult to imagine how he’s going to fight his way past the likes of Caicedo or Fernandez with performances like this. Even Carney Chukwuemeka, who came off the bench, looked more effective in his few minutes on the pitch.
What Lies Ahead For Dewsbury-Hall?
With such performances, Maresca has a hard choice to make. That 6.5/10 rating of Dewsbury-Hall shows how disappointing he was on the pitch. The fans, and the analysts too, are now starting to question Chelsea’s decision to sell Conor Gallagher someone who hasn’t been delivered. And a buy for a hefty £30 million from Leicester City might turn out to be regretful for Chelsea.
Of course, Dewsbury-Hall still has time to prove himself. But on the day he was nowhere near the mark. Chelsea is a team that strives to fight for all trophies, and what they need at this hour are those players who, at every opportunity, can give consistent contributions. Against Barrow, Dewsbury-Hall did nothing to help, and on the next match day, Maresca will have to think again about his position in the starting eleven.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Dewsbury-Hall possesses the talent. But he needs to start bringing it out consistently. Take Nkunku for an example; he has taken almost every chance that came his way, scoring decisive goals for Chelsea, and is now a regular Chelsea player. Dewsbury-Hall needs to take a few pages from Nkunku and make better use of the chances given to him.
If he is not stepped up, he will have to watch the game from the bench. As players like Caicedo, Fernandez, and Lavia are first and ahead of him in this highly stacked squad. The potential is there, but such performances will not do much for his case. In the meantime, Maresca might do well to drop Dewsbury-Hall and give others chances to prove their worth.
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