‘That’s the problem’ – Chelsea owner told to avoid sacking mistake amid squad issues
Sports broadcaster Rebecca Lowe has warned Chelsea owner Todd Boehly to avoid making a serious mistake following their poor run of form – and warned them over the squad’s current attitude.
While the Blues had initially begun the season in star form, and sat in second place just five points behind leaders Liverpool at one point, three wins from 11 in all competitions has poured cold water on their season.
A strange January transfer window occurred where players, such as Joao Felix and Renato Veiga, were allowed to leave with no replacements leaving the second half of the season very much up to chance.
They are heavy favourites to triumph in the Europa Conference League, with the incentive being they could become the only club in football history to win every European trophy, and anything else will be considered a failure.
In the league, they sit in sixth place but are locked in a top-four battle but their form needs to turn around sooner rather than later as Bournemouth and Manchester City are finding their stride. Still, manager Enzo Maresca has claimed the target is to reach the Champions League next season, giving his side less pressure to achieve it this campaign.
He said: “I didn’t say our target was top four. The club never told me the target was top four. When I signed here, the target was in two years playing in the Champions League, not in one year. This is why I have said many times we are above my expectation.” the former Leicester coach explained.
Already out of both domestic cups, there is no excuse for not being a serious contender for Champions League football, which is made slightly easier by the fact that fifth place may be enough to qualify.
As it stands, the latest on Maresca is that he is safe in his current role, with the hierarchy happy with the progress this season.
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Rebecca Lowe warns Todd Boehly
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher’s colleague on the Overlap US expressed on NBC Sports that the club can’t sack Maresca despite their dip in form as fails to bring them that much-needed stability.
Plus, the developing attitude problem in the squad is also a real issue, with the likes of Jadon Sancho looking less motivated in recent weeks.
‘They fired Mauricio Pochettino after he not only had taken them to sixth – which was better than the year before – but improved them as the season went on, they looked pretty good from February onwards.
‘You still sack him when he finishes sixth… Chelsea are sixth right now and they’re actually doing the opposite, they started really well under Maresca and have started to fade away which makes me concerned.
‘I just don’t understand how you can fire Pochettino when they improved and finished sixth but then keep Maresca after this season.
‘I think they should keep him – stop firing managers. But, from their perspective, if they’ve done that, I don’t see how they won’t do another firing, which would be ridiculous.
‘They’ve got to start sorting out the players’ attitudes I think, the body language doesn’t look great and they’re all too young. That’s the problem for me.
‘But you’ve got to keep Maresca unless they plummet down to tenth in which case there’s obviously a major problem. You have to keep him, try and get some stability at the club.’
