Hopefully, Enzo Maresca is getting the best out of Enzo Fernandez during this season for Chelsea. He is a midfielder playing both attacking and holding roles within himself. With the ball at his feet, when Chelsea is attacking, he becomes an attacking midfielder, pushing the play forward. When they are defending, he drops back into a holding midfielder role and provides balance and support to Chelsea.
This is something Chelsea is counting on too heavily today. According to a recent interview with Maresca, he said: “We are trying to find balance, and Enzo is the only one right now who gives us that solution,”. The variety of attack and defense gives Fernandez a unique flavor for the lineup. And Chelsea gets fluid and very unpredictable in games.
What Makes Enzo So Important
Fernandez is definitely one player who has the right kind of flexibility to change his position according to the game. Maresca has pointed out that when Chelsea are going forward, Fernandez is on his toes, linking with the forwards and pushing the ball up the field. But he also falls back and provides much-needed cover when the team is under pressure.
As Maresca himself puts it, Fernandez plays “like an attacking midfielder when we have the ball and drops next to Moi when we don’t to give us defensive balance.”. With Fernandez in the middle, this appears a good balance of attack and defense, something Chelsea needed to work on.
This isn’t new, though, for Fernandez. Even when he was at Benfica or River Plate, he had shown his versatility. The gaffer Maresca has pushed him to assume even more responsibility. Chelsea’s other midfielders, such as Romeo Lavia and Moi, are big talents but nowhere near the level of versatility they have with Fernandez on the pitch.
Manchester City Game: The Turning Point
In the first game of the season, against Manchester City, Maresca did something a bit different. Here he used Romeo Lavia and Moi more as holding midfielders while Fernandez was pushed further up. It partially worked. But Maresca quickly understood that his best place is one where he can play his influence both in and out.
After that game, the emphasis went back to playing Fernandez as the playmaker in central midfield. “Enzo is doing very good with us,” Maresca stated praising the performances so far by the midfielder. It seems that this will be the plan for the rest of the season to maintain Fernández as the heartbeat of the team dictating play from deep but sometimes pushing forward when needed.
Enzo Fernandez Vs. Other Midfielders
Of course, Fernandez’s role cannot but be compared to other top midfielders in the Premier League. Take Arsenal’s hybrid player Declan Rice as an example. He is a blend between attack and defense. However, the quality that makes Fernandez stand out is, that he is way more creative than Rice. He has a very keen eye for picking out a pass and unlocking defenses with his vision. Therefore, He is very much more than just a holding midfielder. He can also work very well as a playmaker.
In fact, Fernandez’s defensive work cannot be ignored either. His capacity for reading the game and derailing opposition attacks is quite as vital as the ones he makes going forward. In modern football, it’s become almost a necessity that midfielders be able to contribute both ways and so far, Fernandez has proven he can.
Conclusion
Fernandez forms the fulcrum of Chelsea’s plans for this season under coach Maresca. And he has built his midfield with him in pretty promising shapes. It does not seem that Chelsea got the most hassle-free opening of the season ever, but they slowly began to fall into rhythms mainly due to Fernandez’s steadiness and versatility in delivering performances for his team.
If Fernandez continues in his rise, then he will turn out to be one of the best midfielders Premier League will have. Maresca certainly thinks so, and it’s not only him. Fans and pundits are also starting to take notice of the young Argentine’s shows.
For now, Chelsea will rely on Fernandez to help them make sense of this season. Whether in linking up with the forwards or dropping to his backside to defend the defense, he’s the guy who’s making everything happen for Maresca’s team. And if he keeps playing like this, you’d never know how far this season may actually take him.
Ultimately, it is Fernandez’s ability is all that sets him apart. He is the kind of player every manager dreams of having. And Chelsea has been lucky to have him in their ranks. So to end, the futures seem bright for both Fernandez and Chelsea, as long as they keep playing to his strengths.
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