Time’s Up: Maresca Should Move On From Struggling Chelsea Forward Rated Below Palmer
By B | 18 April 2025 | 3-Minute Read
Although Chelsea have reached the UEFA Conference League semi-finals, their recent 2-1 home defeat to Legia Warsaw has sparked concern among supporters.
The loss doesn’t knock Chelsea out of the competition, but it did expose vulnerabilities within the team and underlined the ongoing underperformance of key players.
Enzo Maresca’s side dominated possession with 70%, produced an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.00, and created five clear-cut chances from 16 shots. Yet, Legia Warsaw, with just 30% of the ball, managed 13 shots, four big chances, and edged Chelsea in xG at 2.22.
The stats point to Chelsea’s inefficiency in front of goal and a lack of clinical edge in attack.
A bright spot for the Blues came from academy talent Tyrique George, who made an impact off the bench. In contrast, Cole Palmer continued his dip in form. The 22-year-old hasn’t scored since January’s match against Bournemouth and looked far from the creative threat he once was.
Against Legia, Palmer was hesitant, lacked confidence, and failed to ignite Chelsea’s offense. He managed only two shots, neither on target, had just 31 touches in nearly an hour, and gave the ball away six times. He also won only two of five ground duels, further highlighting his limited influence.
But if Palmer’s display worried fans, Christopher Nkunku’s performance raised even more red flags.
Given a full 90 minutes, the Frenchman once again failed to deliver. Despite a high pass accuracy (38 of 40 passes completed) and two key passes, he was largely ineffective. He took just one shot on target, lost possession six times, didn’t win any aerial duels, and made only two tackles. GOAL rated his performance a disappointing 3/10 — one of the lowest in the team.
Nkunku’s poor showing, even when Chelsea had a comfortable aggregate lead, suggests deeper concerns. He’s struggled for form all season, partly due to being played out of position as a striker or wide forward. While technically gifted, he often appears out of sync with the team’s attacking flow.
With the summer transfer window approaching and growing interest in the 27-year-old, Chelsea may need to consider moving on. Letting Nkunku go could allow Maresca to bring in players more suited to his tactical vision and help establish a more cohesive and effective attack.
