Into top four, but at what cost? Chelsea’s victory over Leicester leaves fans feeling uneasy | OneFootball

Chelsea’s win today over Leicester City lifted them back into the top four, but it did little to dispel the unease surrounding Enzo Maresca’s football.

The Stamford Bridge crowd remains sceptical, unconvinced by the slow, methodical build-up that has become the Italian’s hallmark.

Even after Marc Cucurella’s well-taken goal broke the deadlock, Maresca seemed more frustrated than relieved.

His angry gestures towards the fans suggested he felt their support was lacking. The discontent had been evident earlier when Enzo Fernandez was booed for a back pass.

“It’s our style,” Maresca said afterwards. “We need our fans behind the players.

“I completely understand when there is a negative feeling, but how many chances did we create in the first half?” The answer was not many.

Chelsea struggled to break down a Leicester side that arrived with a defensive approach, switching to a back five for the first time under Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Maresca admitted this forced him to scrap his initial game plan just before kick-off.

“All the training sessions we had done, they go rubbish,” he said. “Before the warm-up, we had to give the players a new plan.

Cole Palmer missed a first-half penalty, but Chelsea’s struggles ran deeper. Possession was slow, movement was predictable, and risk-taking was minimal.

The only player who consistently played with urgency was goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, a surprise starter.

Leicester nearly took the lead when James Justin’s cross led to chaos in Chelsea’s box. Sanchez’s flailing punch sent the ball onto Tosin Adarabioyo.

He deflected it onto his own crossbar, and Jamie Vardy was inches away from capitalising.Chelsea had moments of brightness, but too much of their play unfolded in front of Leicester’s defensive wall.

Christopher Nkunku and Jadon Sancho were subdued, Fernandez and Moises Caicedo were matched in midfield, and Wesley Fofana offered little width at right-back.

Just as frustration was growing, Cucurella provided the breakthrough with a low strike. Maresca responded by urging the fans to lift the atmosphere, but the mood remained tense.

Palmer was withdrawn early, his fatigue evident. Leicester, despite their limitations, never looked likely to equalise.

The win was secured, but questions linger. Chelsea’s style is not thrilling, and Maresca knows the fans need more convincing.

He said: “If you think football is PlayStation and you win easy? No way.”

Chelsea head to Arsenal with a foothold in the top four but with little certainty about where they are heading.