Maresca should exclude 4/10 Chelsea disappointment who kept “making the wrong decision”
The unpredictable essence of Chelsea’s season was evident over the weekend. Enzo Maresca’s squad made the trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United in their final Premier League match of the season, only to find themselves trailing 2-0 at halftime. The team deserves some acknowledgment for their fight in the second half to level the score at 2-2, yet overall, it resulted in a disappointing outing for the Blues, marking the ninth occasion they have lost points in the league this year.
There were lackluster performances across the board for Chelsea, but one player stood out as particularly frustrating and likely should be removed from the lineup.
Chelsea’s underperformers against Newcastle
Unfortunately, in terms of the first half, it could be convincingly argued that every Chelsea player could be included here.
However, some players disappointed more than others, including Malo Gusto and Wesley Fofana. Typically among the club’s more reliable defenders, the duo was partially responsible for the hosts’ first goal, with the center-back losing possession and the right-back being outmuscled for the cross.
As for the midfield, Cole Palmer had a match he would rather forget. The usually impressive Englishman was decidedly off his game against the Magpies, and his stats tell a grim story.
Palmer’s performance vs Newcastle
Minutes
79′
Expected Goals
0.03
Goals
0
Expected Assists
0.02
Key Passes
1
Crosses (Accurate)
2 (0)
Accurate Passes
25/32 (78%)
Shots on Target
0
Dribbles (Successful)
4 (0)
Lost Possession
15
Ground Duels (Won)
8 (3)
All Stats via Sofascore
For instance, during his 79 minutes on the field, he managed a combined expected goal plus assists total of just 0.05, delivered one key pass, had a pass completion rate of only 78%, did not record a shot on target, lost possession 15 times, was unsuccessful in all his dribbles, and won only three of eight duels. Additionally, Pedro Neto also had a disappointing game.
The Portuguese international actively tried to create opportunities but finished without generating a single significant chance. Nevertheless, there was one more starter who undoubtedly stood out as Chelsea’s poorest performer and should consequently be sidelined for next week’s match.
The Chelsea player who needs to be benched
You could argue for several other Chelsea players to occupy this spot too, ranging from Trevoh Chalobah to Moises Caicedo.
However, ultimately, the most frustrating and underwhelming performance from a Blues viewpoint came from Alejandro Garnacho. The former Manchester United player duly earned his starting position following his brace in the League Cup against Cardiff City, yet he appeared far less impactful against the Magpies.
In fact, each time he found himself in threatening positions or had opportunities to create, he, as expressed by content creator Frank Khalid, kept “making the wrong decision.”
Football.london’s Bobby Vincent also showed discontent with the Argentine, granting him a 4/10 rating at full time.
Garnacho’s stats vs Newcastle
Minutes
95′
Expected Assists
0.07
Assists
0
Goals
0
Shots on Target
1
Crosses (Accurate)
4 (0)
Touches
52
Lost Possession
16
Dribbled Past
1
Duels (Won)
12 (6)
Fouls
1
All Stats via Sofascore
Such an assessment may seem severe, but the winger’s statistics fully support the critique. Throughout his 95 minutes of play, he fired five shots, yet only one was on target, had 52 touches while losing possession 16 times, won just 50% of his duels, failed in 100% of his crosses, and achieved an expected assists figure of only 0.07.
Ultimately, it was a very poor outing for Garnacho, and it seems reasonable that he should be taken out of the lineup for Chelsea’s upcoming match.
Related
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This Chelsea ace shone in their 2-2 draw away to Newcastle.
Published: 2025-12-21 20:45:00
source: www.footballfancast.com
