Chelsea: Enzo Maresca's gamble backfires in worst defeat of Blues tenure as major flaw is highlighted
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A year of steadily growing promise for Chelsea finished with a night of throwback misery, inflicted by Enzo Maresca’s former academy charge, Liam Delap, and one of Cobham’s own, Omari Hutchinson. A 2-0 defeat to newly-promoted Ipswich marked by some margin the worst result of Maresca’s tenure so far, and means the Blues will head into the New Year no longer having to deny their title credentials but instead suddenly dragged back into a battle for the top four.
A run of three games over Christmas has brought just one point; given Chelsea’s form coming into it, nine looked a more likely return. They now sit fourth, behind not only runaway leaders Liverpool, but Nottingham Forest and Arsenal as well, with a resurgent Newcastle back within striking distance. Manchester City, with the promise of January reinforcement, are still well in the scrap.
There is an element of regression to the mean for a young team that outperformed expectations for four months at the start of this campaign, for sure, but this is a wobble which Maresca will have to correct fast. And far more so than the goalless draw at Everton or late defeat at Fulham, this was a result for which the manager held a chunky share of the blame.
To say he underestimated an Ipswich side yet to win at Portman Road since their return to the top-flight might be a stretch, but Maresca’s team selections in the lead up had made clear this would be the night on which he shuffled his pack. Five changes were made and the four among outfielders all came with stark drop-offs, none more so than at full-back, where Axel Disasi was horribly exposed. Filip Jorgensen, the fifth in goal, made several fine saves but conceded the early Delap penalty that gave Ipswich their basecamp.
