Enzo Maresca Chelsea sack truth revealed after Aston Villa as worrying reality laid bare

It was telling that despite having seven full days between matches, Chelsea still looked far more fatigued than Aston Villa by the end of Saturday’s Premier League meeting. Unai Emery had seen his men take on Liverpool in an explosive and high-intensity match on Wednesday but came through with extra fuel here.

Villa are a team founded upon energy and physicality. They run hard and press harder. Although they have conceded the fourth most goals after the 75th minute than any other this season, Chelsea have been weak at the end of games of late themselves and it showed.

Marco Asensio’s 90th-minute winner was always more likely to get three points than Chelsea and although a draw may well have been a fair result, Enzo Maresca was made to pay. After Villa’s third substitution, they out-shot Chelsea 6-2, including the winner.

Maresca would only make two changes over more than 100 minutes (with stoppage time included) and one of those was enforced early on. By the time Jadon Sancho replaced Christopher Nkunku more than midway through the second half, Villa had already made three changes themselves, including one at the break to introduce Marcus Rashford. After Sancho came on, Emery turned to his bench twice more to add attacking impetus.

It was Rashford and Asensio who won the game. They combined for both goals and, in a flash, justified Villa’s January transfer activity. Both players added to an already heavily stacked attacking setup, even with the sale of Jhon Duran.

It was a sign of intent mid-way through the season to change the course of action. Villa have been struggling to balance their commitments in Europe with qualifying again via the Premier League.

A defeat here would have seen their chances erode away but victory means Emery is within touching distance of Chelsea, albeit having played an extra game. As Maresca looked to his own bench he would be justified in letting out a groan.

Injuries to Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, Wesley Fofana, Noni Madueke, and Benoit Badiashile have made matters tough in recent weeks. Marc Guiu’s energy and tenacity are being missed even if his quality isn’t necessary.

Here, Maresca had the ineffective Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, his recently dropped goalkeeper, and four Cobham graduates – three without a league start and one yet to play a senior game. Mathis Amougou was also named but he is yet to make an appearance since joining from Saint-Etienne as the only permanent January arrival.

Chelsea’s issues were clear in January and very little was done to remedy it. Villa, in contrast, acted. Maresca, meanwhile, opted only to use Sancho and was forced into a centre-back switch following Trevoh Chalobah’s injury. When legs were getting tired he chose to not to introduce the untrusted fresh ones.

This is a problem because Tyrique George on the wing would have added more directness and speed which was needed. That would have asked new questions of Villa. Perhaps he could and should have taken off Gusto earlier as well. The Frenchman’s problems were apparent early on and Josh Acheampong is more than a strong enough replacement.

Maresca can still rightly argue that most of what he tried to do worked. Chelsea’s adapted shape into a relatively orthodox 4-3-3 with Reece James playing in midfield helped to create overloads on the right side with Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, and Gusto.

It shifted into a 3-4-3, testing Nkunku in new areas and taking the central load off Palmer. There was reinforcement in the middle of the park too.

Neto, in particular, was a livewire in the centre and may well have to continue performing in that role for the next month until Jackson returns from injury. Enzo Fernandez was able to operate in advanced areas and threatened to add to his early goal.

Off the ball and Chelsea’s structure was fine if not spectacular. They remained dangerous on the break throughout and gave Villa just as much as they got themselves. Unlike in the two defeats to Brighton, where there was a lack of any drive across the squad, Chelsea did show effort.

Neto and Palmer tracked back even if the press wasn’t well coordinated at times. The difference in the match was ultimately two massive mistakes elsewhere.

Gusto, who had a game to sum up his season to date, lacking in defensive awareness or attacking fluidity, was caught napping at the far post to allow Marcus Rashford to squeeze in a pass across the box after failing to clear. Fernandez played Rashford onside but Gusto did not check his shoulder in the build-up and ought to have done better with his recovery regardless.

Then, although Filip Jorgensen can point towards Villa being allowed a free cross and shot in the final minutes of normal time following a late corner, his error was costly. The goalkeeper had been solid until that point, denying Ollie Watkins twice and on course to earn a decent, if not spectacular point.

He let Asensio’s volley go straight through him and into the net with no excuses available. Chelsea as a unit switched off, but it adds to the sense that there are two back-up ‘keepers rather than anyone good enough to mount a top four challenge, let alone go any further.

The result will now define the narrative. It is easy to label Chelsea as a light touch. Their Premier League form is just two wins in 10. They are just four points above Fulham in 10th and still sliding. Over the last 10 games only Manchester United and the bottom three have worse records.

Maresca’s current form has produced fewer points than Graham Potter managed in his final three months in charge. The feeling outside of that from supporters is not only of anger, hostility, and toxicity but also a more worrying apathy creeping in.

There was very little hope that Chelsea would be able to get anything from Villa Park before the game. That is despite Emery’s men being notoriously poor when challenged with playing two matches in a week. They had been five without a win entering the weekend as well.

Villa still had enough to overpower Chelsea when it mattered. Relying on Champions League-proven players from the bench, of the ilk that Chelsea would not consider signing right now as they out of their age bracket and don’t fit ‘the model’, Emery won the game with his changes. Maresca had his hands tied.

The lack of subs is something Maresca can be criticised for. Not having players of the same calibre as Villa to call on goes above his head and has been apparent for a while.

In the same breath, Chelsea lack leaders on the field, something born out of the transfer strategy to sign players so young. When games turn against Chelsea they so often crumble rather than respond.

Here, the momentum shifted after 20 minutes. Fernandez’s goal was a reward for a strong start, and Chelsea had total control of the proceedings. They shut Villa down and had created several openings moving forward. After Watkins burst through only to see his effort blocked by Marc Cucurella, things swung.

Villa started to suffocate a Chelsea side incapable of passing the ball through the centre without taking extreme risks. Maresca’s men remained in the game but definitely fell off. They could have scored twice more before the break but could easily have conceded two more as well.

Palmer might have had two himself but Chelsea lost their way and only once did they manage to really carve through Villa properly on the floor, progressing the ball through Moises Caicedo after half-time. Jorgensen’s goal wasn’t being peppered but there was little response or change from Chelsea.

Instead, the attackers became individuals. Palmer, again, threw his hands up in annoyance. Nkunku did the same but otherwise looked disinterested again. Tosin Adarabioyo committed silly fouls and is meant to be an elder statesman and leader for this group.

He continually launched long balls for Neto to chase, so did Levi Colwill. Jorgensen’s tactic frequently became to receive a short goal-kick before going direct himself.

Chelsea dug in at times and Fernandez scurried around, kicking players. It wasn’t weak and frail like Chelsea have been but it wasn’t organised or ever going anywhere.

A point would have been an okay one to take away, instead the loss mounts pressure on Maresca. Chelsea’s position in the table will see some call for his head. The reality is that he is also being let down by the players at times and they were purchased by others who are increasingly being targeted for repeated failures.

The season didn’t end at Villa Park. All of the glaring holes were on show, though. From coaching inexperience to missing characters, Chelsea are a hollow club with no DNA to cling to. That used to carry the team through the tough moments but it is no more.

Maresca is the guy taking the public flack for it all. To level everything at him is to miss the point. The club always planned to use the Club World Cup in the summer as a way to create a double season and to offer Maresca time to get things moving and aligned. Maresca’s position is not thought to be under any threat despite the outside noise.

Unlike with Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s review of Maresca was geared towards the end of his second season rather than his first. That is because of the convoluted summer ahead. It will offer the Italian more time. He needs it.

Chelsea have no identity to build around, no foundation to start from, and very little pedigree or strength in the current guise. Maybe the biggest fear of all is that it is by design.