Paul Merson says that Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has a problem if Champions League qualification this season is the priority for the blues.
Sky Sports News Chief Reporter Kaveh Solhekol reported that Champions League qualification this season will remain of Chelsea, despite a difficult run that only won them twice in nine league games – a run that has seen them stop the top four of the Premier League.
Chelsea is currently sixth, a point of fourth place of Man City and with the end of the fifth this season probably also to also secure Champions League football, Maresca's side is still firmly looking for a return to the top of the European football.
Two defeats in a week to Brighton in the FA Cup and the Premier League have strongly put Chelsea back in the spotlight, and Merson believes that there can be problems for Maresca in Chelsea, with the pressure on him when results do not start to run .
In anticipation of Chelsea's Saturday Night Football collision with Aston Villa, the Magic Man also discusses the recent struggles of Cole Palmer who influence games, their lack of a center ahead and a keeper and potential further pain for the blues with the size of their team.
'If Champions League football is the priority, Maresca has a problem'
I don't know where the next victory comes from for Chelsea.
I thought they were very happy against West Ham. The two Brighton versions were so far below the required level.
I don't see them win against Aston Villa.
If Champions League is the priority for Chelsea, Enzo Maresca has a big problem.
That seasonal goal has never been mentioned before.
When things went well, the message was that this season was a season for building and some progression. Champions League football was not really mentioned. It felt like it was a matter of seeing how we go and let all the new players sit together and develop for the future.
It all started so well. But now, suddenly, you hear that Champions League is the target and that it must be top four.
The manager will now be under serious pressure.
'Palmer needs Jackson'
For how much Chelsea has spent and for all long -term contacts, I don't see how they don't have a top coil or a world -class center.
Despite all the criticism, when Nicolas Jackson does not play, they really miss him.
The person who misses him more than anything is Cole Palmer.
Jackson gets a lot of stick. People can really become critical on the games, but Palmer needs Jackson.
Jackson also needs Palmer, of course he does that, but Palmer desperately needs Jackson because he is the one who makes the runs, spreads the game and creates space.
Nobody else really makes runs at Chelsea. They all want it to feet. The wing players want the ball on feet and then they will do their magic. They don't run without the ball. The only one who does that is Jackson.
To now looking at Palmer, he actually takes the ball from the back four. He has to fall short because the game is so closed without a recognized center Vooruit. Nobody takes away the central defenders and when this happens, the game becomes very compact.
If it is compact, Palmer cannot do the things he usually does. He needs space to work. At the moment he is short and he has 10 players for him. When that happens, it all becomes a bit harder.
'More tears come for Chelsea'
It is very bad to view this space with Chelsea.
I'm not sure how it all will work. The players are all busy with long -term deals and there are many players on loan with long -term deals.
Look at the players they had to let go. It would have been impossible to keep them all happy.
They were good at the start of the season because they had the conference competition. They could get players playing time in that competition. Without that game now every Thursday, he did not have that luxury and many players had to leave loan. He just couldn't keep them all happy.
If they get Champions League football next season, I see again how he can keep everyone happy.
I feel for the manager. He has so many layers that he simply can't stay happy. There are still a lot of tears in Chelsea.
Comments