Athletic: Maresca “has no choice” and has to make controversial defender decision now | OneFootball

Another red card for Chelsea help condemn them to a 3-1 defeat at home today, and also puts them in big trouble going forward.

They were already short of options at the back – now they’re in an even tougher situation. For the Athletic, Simon Johnson suggested a controversial move could be made out of desperation.

Chelsea will have to consider returning Disasi to main group

Enzo Maresca shouts instructions on the touchline. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

“Surely Maresca has no choice to bring Axel Disasi back in from the cold now?,” the Chelsea correspondent wrote.

“Chelsea’s centre back options are dropping like flies. Trevoh Chalobah has become the latest who will miss the game against champions Liverpool next weekend following his red card for a professional foul against Brighton.

Disasi will not be [match fit], having been exiled to the bomb squad all summer while trying to get a move away. Yet he surely has to at least be considered for a bench role to provide some sort of cover next week.”

When Maresca is asked about it in the press conference shortly, we’re sure he will say what he always says – that it’s not withing his control.

Bomb squad philosophy will be tested by desperate situation

It certainly is a big moment for the whole bomb squad philosophy. Practically speaking, there is absolutely no reason to not bring Disasi back in now. He should probably be starting let alone put on the bench.

But as we all know by now, the bomb squad is not just about giving the manager a smaller, happier group to work with. It’s about making life so dull for those included that they are more likely to accept moves away, even those that don’t seem so tempting.

If the club allow players back into the main group, they may worry it undermines the whole philosophy of the bomb squad, which would then become less effective in the future, with players believing they actually have a chance to return to the main group.