Maresca could fix Lavia hole by unleashing “very important” Chelsea star

Chelsea have the prospect to shut the hole between themselves and Liverpool within the Premier League desk to only two factors with a win in opposition to Brentford, which might additionally transfer them 4 factors forward of third-place Arsenal.

Enzo Maresca continues to say Chelsea are usually not in a title race, however a victory in opposition to the Bees would make it very exhausting for him to proceed with these notions. Chelsea are averaging the fourth-highest possession in the league this season with 56.4%, are taking 15.3 photographs per recreation (fourth most once more), and are solely conceding 11.6 photographs per recreation (sixth fewest within the division).

Nevertheless, the Italian will probably be absolutely centered on going one recreation at a time, with this recreation in opposition to Brentford being handled the identical as every other, which may embody some extra tactical tweaks, particularly within the absence of Roméo Lavia.

Chelsea group information pre-Brentford

Three gamers who will definitely be out for the Blues are Reece James, Wesley Fofana and Pedro Neto. James and Fofana each lacking via harm, while Neto is suspended after selecting up six yellow playing cards within the Premier League.

Mykhailo Mudryk is one other who probably gained’t be concerned, as he has missed Chelsea’s final three video games, being out via sickness. Lastly, it additionally appears Lavia must be monitored after being taken off at half-time in opposition to Tottenham, affected by hamstring ache.

With the Belgian midfielder more likely to miss out, Maresca must discover one other technique to set his facet up, shifting his Chelsea jigsaw round and getting his greatest out there gamers into the group.

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How Chelsea can fill the Romeo Lavia void

Maresca has labelled defender Marc Cucurella as very “important” up to now for his Chelsea facet, and with Lavia lacking, the Italian will doubtless use the Spaniard to configure his group appropriately, platforming the likes of Enzo Fernández, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer to be able to get the very best from them.

The flexibility of Cucurella, who maybe was rather “embarrassing” in the words of Jamie Carragher in opposition to Spurs final weekend, permits Maresca to maneuver him into extensive central defender positions, as now we have seen typically this season, taking part in on the left of a again three in possession – but additionally invert into midfield at each deeper and extra superior heights.

In opposition to Brentford, the full-back will doubtless invert alongside Caicedo. In flip, this may permit Fernandez to advance into the left half-space, obtain the ball and dictate play from this zone, the place he has discovered immense success in current weeks, scoring three goals and registering three assists in his final 5. Cucurella offers further stability alongside Caicedo to cowl Fernandez’s defensive qualities, having comparable restoration numbers to Lavia.

Not solely does the Euro 2024 winner carry the off-ball tenacity wanted to maintain strain in these central areas, however he additionally has the on-ball qualities that Lavia can present, making 3.46 progressive passes per 90 and 1.15 progressive carries per 90.

Maresca can steadiness the group in Lavia’s absence with the utility of Cucurella inverting into midfield, permitting everybody to nonetheless occupy their best-attacking zones, and the Blues to suffocate Brentford in their very own half, being aggressive off the ball, and counter-pressing with excessive depth.

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The “discount” signing ought to begin for Chelsea in opposition to Brentford this night.