Maresca deserves criticism for this decision which cost Chelsea dearly | OneFootball

When the teams for Chelsea’s game against Aston Villa were put out yesterday, it was all pretty much as expected. Enzo Maresca decided to put Reece James back in defence, but otherwise went with his pretty standard first team selection.

There was one notable change – the switch out of Wesley Fofana for Benoit Badiashile.

The foundation of our recent good form has been Fofana’s rapidly developing partnership with Trevoh Chalobah. We’ve barely conceded a goal when the two of them start together. So why change that?

Maresca’s explanation for change doesn’t add up

Wesley Fofana competes for the ball with an Ajax defender. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Maresca’s explanation for the change, wheeled out before kick off, was that Fofana is being rotated, and won’t be able to play every game in this busy period.

That’s fair enough, but after a week without a game, Fofana could have played against Villa and then missed Tuesday’s game instead. What difference does it make? Well Villa are the most in form team in the league right now, and the team directly above us in the table. We should be aiming to be full strength against them, not struggling Bournemouth.

In the end, of course it was a rusty Badiashile who gave the ball away when under minimal pressure, leading to the equalising Aston Villa goal and the total 180 degree change in the course the game was taking.

It’s just a minor thing, but the criticism Maresca gets for his rotation decisions isn’t going anywhere if he keeps making calls like this.

In other news…

You can blame Maresca for picking Badiashlie, as we have here. But in the end it was also the defender’s error which cost us, and the pattern of him making them is pretty inescapable now.

Enzo Maresca’s future has been somewhat in doubt since his comments about a lack of support at Chelsea, and recent results aren’t going to help make things feel any more stable. One pundit has speculated he’s lining up the Man City job for next summer.