After the disaster against Leeds, Chelsea will be hoping to bounce back at Bournemouth on Saturday, and Enzo Maresca’s plans for Estevao Willian may have just become clearer.
After a disappointing midweek Premier League loss at Elland Road, the Blues have an opportunity to get back on track with Saturday’s road trip.
Maresca came under fire from fans for his team selection, with many blaming those choices for dropping points. It was a sharp contrast from the optimism following last weekend’s win.
The Chelsea Chronicle predicts that Maresca will not start Estevao against Bournemouth, but that call was always going to hinge on some news that many were waiting on before Saturday.
Enzo Maresca stays consistent on Estevao Willian stance
The Brazilian’s showing at Leeds was not his best, but the same could be said for most of his teammates that night.
Maresca took Estevao off at half-time, likely influenced by the early booking and a need to protect the youngster from further trouble.
Still, Maresca is not holding it against him. According to Football London, he said: “My feeling was not Leeds targeted him, my feeling was they targeted all of our players, not just Estevao. It’s something that will be a process for him to become better and better.”
Looking ahead to Bournemouth, the Italian manager has not shifted from his usual line this season – and it may not be what Chelsea supporters want to hear.
“It’s too easy to put him on the pitch and play, play, play, but we need to manage him a bit,” he added.
With Cole Palmer back in the mix, fans are eager to see both players in the starting line-up. But judging by Maresca’s comments about easing Estevao in, they might have to wait.
Estevao Willian may be best left out of Chelsea vs Bournemouth
Bournemouth have hit a rough spell in recent weeks, but it is still a team that can cause problems for anyone.
They were ahead of Chelsea in the table not too long ago and have played with an aggressive style under Andoni Iraola.
Regarding the Cherries, Maresca stated: “Bournemouth will be a similar game to Leeds, that is why we need to be better. Leeds was very intense and were better than us in all aspects. Hopefully, we can learn from that and be better tomorrow.”
Even with Bournemouth in a dip, it will not be an easy match at all.
If Chelsea come out flat again, just like they did against Leeds, it could quickly turn into another uphill battle. They cannot afford another sluggish start.
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