Maresca decided to leave one of Chelsea’s brightest midfielder on the bench against Sunderland on the weekend.
Midfielder receiving limited playing time under Maresca
Chelsea‘s 2-1 loss against Sunderland has again questioned Enzo Maresca’s selection plans. The defeat stopped their unbeaten streak of four matches and also brought the midfield problem to light. Maresca decided to set up an offensive team with young players. However, there is no question that the greatest decision was that of Romeo Lavia.
Not only did he not appear in the starting lineup, but he also completely kept out of the ground. The Belgian midfielder was off field for a quite long due to injury. But, he had already got back to full fitness and was not thought of when the midfield was at its most lacking in control and creativity. That call has fueled the anger of Chelsea fans. That is especially as the game was getting away from them.
The case for Romeo Lavia
Lavia’s patience with the ball and tactical maturity gives precisely what Chelsea’s midfield is missing at the moment. The player has been looking very sharp and was eager to play after returning to full training.
Although, Maresca is considering Lavia’s past injury problems. That sounds a wise approach. However, it may be the time to take a larger risk with him now. it would be a huge loss for them to have a fully fit Lavia on the bench. His skills can change the results of games. He has the capacity to secure the defense, and create openings for the attackers. That is one of the reasons why he is key in bringing the team back to the level and trusting them again.
Author’s Opinion:
It’s time for Maresca to give Lavia the chance he deserves. Protecting a player is good, underusing one in form is costly. Chelsea’s future midfield balance depends on him playing now, not later.
As featured on Chelseanews.com
