Maresca making squad balancing act work as Chelsea play the long game

For Malo Gusto, it was possible to fear the worst as he waited for Enzo Maresca to name his Chelsea team for Sunday’s Stamford Bridge derby against Arsenal. Gusto had been substituted at half-time in the previous weekend’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United, Marc Cucurella coming on at left-back, Reece James swapping over to his favoured position of right-back.

Gusto had been squeezed out. Cucurella is in form and James, well, he is the club captain, the homegrown favourite; available again, at long last, after his hamstring problems. It would be him and Cucurella against Arsenal, right?

Wrong. It is early days for Maresca at Chelsea but he appears determined to pick on merit, for the needs and balance of the team – rather than reputation. It is why he has had the £106m midfielder, Enzo Fernández, on the bench in the league since the first week of October.

When the team sheets dropped and Gusto was in ahead of James at right-back, Cucurella starting on the left, the intakes of breath were audible. It was another bold call by Maresca, a move to reinforce his approach to what has been seen as the impossible job of managing the numbers and egos in the Chelsea squad.

How did it work out? Gusto was generally good, full of energy, although he did blow a clear headed chance at 0-0 in the 24th minute and was nowhere to be seen when the Arsenal left-winger Gabriel Martinelli made it 1-0 on the hour.

It was certainly interesting to scrutinise the body language and reactions of a number of Chelsea players; some of it positive, some not so. When Pedro Neto equalised for 1-1 in the 70th minute, James was off the bench and on to the pitch, absolutely delighted.

Maresca has been a little critical of James’s leadership skills, stressing that a captain has to show himself every day, even when he is injured. This was a good look for James, celebrating a team goal when not a part of the XI. There were other Chelsea substitutes on the pitch; João Félix and Renato Veiga looked ready to sprint towards the corner flag and mob Neto before deciding against it.

But rewind to the 68th minute and Maresca’s double substitution: Fernández for Roméo Lavia, Mykhailo Mudryk for Noni Madueke. Mudryk went to the left wing, Neto switched to the right and it was from there that he made the difference. Madueke did not see the goal because he had disappeared straight down the tunnel.

Spool forward to the 88th minute and Maresca’s introduction of Christopher Nkunku for Nicolas Jackson. Félix knew that he would not get on and tore off his sock ties in a show of frustration.

It is a delicate business for Maresca and the first thing to say is there can be fewer complaints when the results are there, Chelsea third in the table, much higher than anyone predicted in pre-season. It could be different if the team were to encounter a sticky spell.

What Maresca has sought to do is be consistent, clear and structured. The young player in today’s game – and the manager has plenty of them – is consumed by data. They want to be told why they are doing certain things and Maresca is happy to show them, his explanations heavy on detail.

Maresca will live or die by whether he can sustain an all-for-one spirit; the early signs have been promising. It is a confident squad at present, despite the gripes here and there, some of the players fed up with the criticism from the outside, the barbs about how they do not care. They want to prove themselves. Perhaps Maresca can harness something of a siege mentality?

There is a wider point at play. Chelsea want to qualify for the Champions League via Premier League position; they want to go far in the FA Cup and Conference League. But the season will not end in May. Far from it because there is a huge focus on their participation in Fifa’s inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the US next summer.

Chelsea’s ownership have come at the challenge from a private equity angle, looking at how to open new spending avenues within the constraints of the profitability and sustainability rules. They are acutely aware of the prize money on offer from Fifa – reportedly about £41m for taking part; up to £82m for winning it.

Chelsea’s turnover for the year ended 30 June 2023 was £512.5m, so the sums at stake for one month’s work are enormous. Real Madrid banked £100m for winning the Champions League last season.

There has been an unforgiving spotlight on the size of Chelsea’s squad, how there are more than two players for some positions; the high proportion of big names on massive money who have barely featured in the league this season. There is an alternative reading and it takes in the benefit of having fresh players at the end of it. If, say, Félix or Jadon Sancho or Carney Chukwuemeka stepped up at the Club World Cup, it could be transformative.

“The people don’t understand that – it is very important to have a lot of players with qualities,” Gusto says. “We play Conference League and a few cups. It’s good to have a lot of players to make changes because otherwise we will die. It is good for the group. We just try to stay all together to create something between us and to win everything.”