The past few months had been flawless for Chelsea before they hit their celebratory moment. It’s the Sean Dyche effect.
The Blues’ seemingly unstoppable momentum stopped Everton at Goodison Park before they were surprised Fulham on Boxing Day. Enzo Maresca’s hesitation about talking about the title suddenly makes sense.
Despite the mistake, Chelsea is way ahead of schedule. Of course, the title may be out of their reach this term, but a top four finish was the club’s primary objective and they set themselves to achieve it during the second half of the season.
However, they must ensure that their current decline does not wander into the realm of disease.
Here’s how Maresca could prepare the Blues in Ipswich for their final appearance of 2024 on Monday night.
GK: Robert Sanchez – The jury was out against the Spaniard for a long time, but Sanchez was one of them Chelsea’s better players in recent outings. He is establishing himself as the club’s number one.
RB: A little dense – Reece James is back in training and may be ready to return soon, but Gusto is likely to get the nod at right-back again on Monday.
CB: Tosin Adarabioyo – Although the result was not what he was looking for, Tošin performed well against his former club on Boxing Day and is a shoo-in to keep his place given Chelsea’s injuries at centre-back.
CB: Levi Colwill – The England international still has a lot to learn, but is proving he can function as a cornerstone at Chelsea backline for years to come. Availability is the best ability.
LB: Marc Cucurella – The agent of chaos has been one of the most successful left-backs in the Premier League this term, and he is starting to like it in the final third. After scoring against Brentford, Cucurella came close to adding to his tally on Boxing Day.
CM: Moises Caicedo – Caicedo is the backbone of this Chelsea side and has continued to perform at an incredibly high level in the absence of Romeo Lavia. The pair of midfielders formed an excellent relationship at the base of midfield before Lavia suffered another injury.
CM: Enzo Fernandez – Lavia’s absence means Fernandez has greater defensive responsibilities, but Gust’s tendency to switch from right-back offers the Argentine freedom to attack.
RM: Noni Madueke – Maresca is demanding a lot from Madueke, who has enjoyed a productive season but was left out of the squad on Thursday due to “technical decision”. He may get a chance to prove his edge at Portman Road.
AM: Cole Palmer – Palmer’s nonchalant brilliance opened up Fulham’s compact defensive structure on Boxing Day, and he could be tasked with rescuing the Blues from a deep defense on Monday. No Chelsea player has scored more Premier League goals in a calendar year than Palmer (26 in 2024).
LM: Joao Felix – Maresca’s preferred wingers have struggled to shine in recent outings, so there could be a return to the XI for Felix – an unused substitute on Boxing Day. The Blues could aim to overcome Ipswich through fluid rotations and combinations between the lines.
ST: Christopher Nkunku – Nicolas Jackson has been excellent this season, but he could use some rest. Nkunku was flattered to deceive u Premier League so far, but he may be given a chance to impress on Monday.
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