Why Chelsea Fans Are Blaming Enzo Maresca After Leeds United Defeat
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has come under fire following his side’s heavy and unexpected defeat to Leeds United on December 3
- After a string of promising performances that briefly pushed the Blues into title conversations, the loss served as a sobering reality check
- Many supporters believe Maresca’s unusual tactical choices were the key reason behind the setback
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Chelsea’s encouraging rise suffered a major blow on Wednesday night after an unexpected loss to Leeds United at Elland Road.
The defeat halted their recent progress and triggered widespread frustration among supporters, many of whom directed their anger at the head coach, Enzo Maresca.
Source: Getty Images
Enzo Maresca blamed for Chelsea's loss
The Blues arrived in Yorkshire full of confidence. They had gone through November unbeaten, earning big wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona before holding leaders Arsenal in a thrilling draw, as cited by Flashscore.
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With Leeds sitting in the relegation zone and without victory in four matches, many expected Chelsea, who were without Moises Caicedo, to continue their upward march.
Instead, the opposite was the case. Maresca made five alterations to the side that faced Arsenal, and the reshuffle disrupted the team’s rhythm.
Leeds pressed aggressively and capitalised on Chelsea’s errors. Jaka Bijol headed in the opener from a corner after Liam Delap lost his marker, and a loose pass before the interval allowed Ao Tanaka, who apologised after his role in Abu Francis' injury, to unleash a long-range strike for the second.
Maresca introduced two substitutes after the restart, and the response was immediate.
Pedro Neto found space and reduced the deficit, giving Chelsea a hint of hope. That momentum vanished quickly when another defensive lapse created chances for Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who combined to restore Leeds’ control and seal the contest, according to Goal.
Watch Calvert-Lewin's goal:
Fans were quick to single out certain decisions. Many questioned the choice to hand Tosin Adarabioyo his first appearance since November 22.
The lanky defender's struggles led to one of the goals, further fuelling criticism. Others were baffled by Trevoh Chalobah’s deployment at right back despite Reece James and Malo Gusto being available.
Supporters also pointed to Maresca’s insistence on building play from deep, a method that repeatedly invited pressure from Leeds’ relentless press.
Despite holding 71% of possession, Chelsea produced fewer shots on target, a sign of how ineffective they were in the final third, per Sofascore.
Fans slam Maresca after Leeds defeat
Reactions online were strong. @Curtis_peprah wrote:
"This is not a criticism, but rather advice: Until Enzo Maresca changes his style and approach of play against the so call small and low-block teams, he will never win the premier league trophy at Chelsea."
@Cfc_Kemboi added:
"Two clowns deployed by Maresca today to finish Chelsea. Like how do you pair this two frauds together at the back. Enzo Maresca has no shame."
@DONeill90 shared mixed thoughts:
"Enzo Maresca is the reason why we've made improvements as a team. He's the reason why we compete so well in the big games. He's also the reason why we're awful in these games. Zero understanding of the type of game this is. None whatsoever."
@FrankKhalidUK wrote:
"After saying so many positive things about Enzo Maresca I think a lot of things that have gone wrong today has to be on Maresca. Resting players who were on form to bring in players who have been awful all season has cost us."
@_AsiwajuLerry concluded:
"I will never blame Tosin Adarabioyo. This guy is incredibly finished and everybody knows that except for one person, Enzo Maresca. The only person to be blamed for today’s loss is Enzo Maresca."
Source: Getty Images
After the match, Maresca accepted responsibility.
“Absolutely, very poor night. They were better than us in every aspect. Will try to analyse and learn from this game and focus on the next one,” he said, as quoted by NBC Sports.
Chelsea star names EPL contenders
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández shared his thoughts on which teams are true title contenders this season.
He noted that some clubs clearly look strong, while others have struggled but are still part of the discussion.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh