The Italian tactician has used two entirely different line-ups in the league and cups, but there are the first signs of his approach causing issues
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea tenure has been relatively plain sailing to this point; the Blues have only lost to title challengers Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League, surpassing expectations to sit third in the table, and they have predictably cruised in the Conference League against inferior opposition.
A Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Newcastle in October is the only significant blip, but that will pale into insignificance if the Italian is able to deliver a return to the Champions League.
The major challenge facing him now, however, comes off the field as he tries to juggle a squad that is brimming with talent and top-level stars who expect to be playing every match.
Although he denies it is the reality, Maresca's solution so far has been using 'A' and 'B' teams, as he fields two entirely different line-ups in the league and cup. But as rumours of unsettled players begin to swirl, how long can that really go on?
Getty Images SportMurmurs of discontent
Maresca's approach of having two entirely separate line-ups for league and cup games was always likely to cause issues down the line, especially as transfer windows approach and the rumour mill begins to swirl. After all, no-one wants to be in the B team.
The main focus of the first transfer rumours to cause a stir has been Christopher Nkunku, who has been linked with a January switch to Manchester United having apparently grown frustrated with a lack of Premier League game time despite being Chelsea's top scorer in all competitions.
Rather surprisingly, Chelsea are said to simply want to recoup the £52 million ($65m) they paid for him in 2023 after an injury-plagued debut season at Stamford Bridge. Obviously these rumours should always be taken with a pinch of salt, but the idea of selling a player who clearly has the potential to be prolific as a regular starter should be out of the question – especially to a top-four rival.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'All one team'
For his part, Maresca is insistent that there is no split between the squad as he put on a united front: "The reason why we make changes is not because we are the 'A team' or the 'B team' – we are all one team," he said in early November.
"The only reason is because they all deserve to play. Some of them are playing Premier League games, some of them in the Conference League or Carabao Cup. But in one game or two games, it can change; the ones playing Carabao and Conference games can then play in the Premier League. We have 24 or 25 outfield players, and there is only one team, only one squad. What we try to do is to share minutes with all of them."
He continued: "There are players that are fantastic players but for me, we don't have indispensable players. The reason we change players is because we think all the players are good. Some of them, for sure, are better than the rest, but it doesn't mean they are always going to play."
Getty Images SportInconsistencies?
It is fair enough that Maresca wants to make his first-choice XI a meritocracy, but there has been a disparity between his words and his selections, with the likes of Marc Cucurella, Tosin Adarabioyo, Mykhailo Mudryk and Nkunku spending time out of the 'A team' despite playing well.
Nkunku in particular will feel aggrieved having scored 10 times already this season. Maresca has stood steadfastly by the ever-improving Nicolas Jackson in the Premier League, and although he has been repaid with seven goals, there have been periods and even entire matches where the striker has gone missing and could have been replaced earlier.
Chelsea's back-up centre-forward saw just 11 minutes of domestic action in November despite Jackson only really making an impact in one game, with his goal and strong display at Leicester. Essentially, Conference League goals clearly aren't enough for Nkunku to play his way into the team, so he finds himself in limbo.
Enzo Fernandez will be an interesting case from this point onwards. He seized his opportunity last time out against Leicester, scoring and assisting in the 2-1 win, having regained his Premier League place mainly as a result of a knock to Romeo Lavia. What Maresca does with him now may well set the tone.
Getty Images SportJuggling egos
Nkunku's frustration is understandable – he would be a guaranteed starter for a host of leading clubs across Europe and shouldn't have to settle for starts in what have been, to this point, glorified training matches in the Conference League. His form deserves more.
The Frenchman has shown in the past by leaving boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain behind for RB Leipzig in search of first-team football that he is not willing to be overlooked in the long-term, and that is the risk that Maresca runs.
Elsewhere in a loaded attack, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Jadon Sancho and Joao Felix have all demonstrated that they are big egos, with the latter two both falling out with their previous managers over a lack of game time at Manchester United and Atletico Madrid, respectively.
Chelsea's Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Newcastle complicated matters further, with even fewer minutes on offer for a squad packed with talent. At the moment it feels as though Chelsea and Maresca are in something of a honeymoon period, but the situation is a ticking time bomb.