Enzo Maresca’s team selection gamble almost backfires as Blues forced into second half changes | OneFootball

Chelsea’s season has come to a climax with a European cup final – but it didn’t start well. The starting lineup picked by Enzo Maresca almost blew the whole thing.

Chelsea struggle with Malo Gusto at right back

Chelsea player surround the referee to moan. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

The Blues almost choked away this great chance for a trophy. Their first half performance was awful: the worst aspects of this team from this season on full display. Slow, sloppy, lacking in belief or energy. They barely got the ball into dangerous areas, let alone in to striker Nicolas Jackson.

The goal was a really poor one to concede, with Malo Gusto playing a loose ball in midfield and then not getting back into the space he’d left on the right of our defence.

Acheampong or James could have improved Chelsea at right back

It’s been a poor season for Gusto, and this was just the latest example of his struggles. It was no surprise to see him taken off at half time for Reece James, and no surprise to see the team improve after that. We understand the club captain can only really play one game a week – but it still seemed a big risk to not start him tonight. Levi Colwill was also benched from the start, and brought on to improve us after half time.

If James was fit enough to play the second half, why not play him in the first half instead, make sure we get a good foothold, then take him off?

Even young Josh Acheampong has done really well in this competition when called up on at right back. He’s looked far more comfortable inverting too. Enzo Maresca called him “our best player” on his first Premier League start.

Yes he’s young, but we’ve seen so much evidence of him being brilliant this season, and so much evidence of Gusto being poor. At what point does a few years age gap become less relevant than that?