Chelsea players 'upset' as Enzo Maresca given problem to cope with

Some Chelsea substitutes were left ‘upset’ by Enzo Maresca’s refusal to bring them on during their 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday. Former player Glenn Hoddle, who was positioned behind the bench for the Premier League clash, claimed that it was not just Noni Madueke left furious with his manager.

Madueke stormed down the tunnel after being withdrawn in the 61st minute against Arsenal. The winger later re-emerged to sit on the bench, but it was clear he was unhappy.

According to Hoddle, Madueke was not the only player left feeling aggrieved. He claims that some substitutes were ‘upset’ about not getting on the pitch.

“I think I agree with what Frank [Lampard] said earlier, the Conference League and the League Cup, his second team get to play and they get to play in front of packed houses, so I think the harmony in the club he’s sorted that out a little bit,” Hoddle told Premier League Productions.

“I was behind the bench, it was interesting, watching the subs and all players want to play. It’s not all hunky dory, I can see players were upset about not getting on and some coming off that weren’t happy. He’s done a great job but there’s a long way to go.”

Maresca has a bloated squad but has been able to give most of his players game time across a number of competitions, including the Conference League and Carabao Cup. But if the Blues exit either of those competitions, the Italian could find himself with a major issue.

Chelsea have often fielded entirely different teams in Europe and in the domestic cup competition. Cole Palmer was even excluded from the Conference League squad.

The more players perform well in those tournaments, the more they will expect to be involved in the biggest Premier League matches. Big-money signings such as Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix have so far had limited top-flight action this term.

Enzo Fernandez has also seen his minutes decrease, with Romeo Lavia impressing in central midfield alongside Moises Caicedo.

Maresca will therefore soon find himself in a difficult conundrum. At the moment, Chelsea are winning matches, playing in three competitions, and most of their squad are receiving game time.

But when the campaign enters a crunch point after Christmas, particularly if Chelsea exit cup competitions, some players will not be quite as forgiving if they do not play regularly. That could hand the Blues a disadvantage in a Premier League title battle with teams who boast much smaller and tighter squads.