Maresca Clarifies Palmer Substitution That Upset Chelsea Player

Enzo Maresca explained his decision to substitute Cole Palmer during Chelsea’s match against Aston Villa on Saturday evening.

Joao Pedro gave Chelsea an early lead in a strong first half at Stamford Bridge, but substitute Ollie Watkins equalised for Villa an hour into the game.

Watkins then scored a late winner, maintaining Villa’s position just three points behind league leaders Arsenal, while pushing Chelsea ten points further back.

Enzo Maresca addresses Cole Palmer substitution after Chelsea’s loss to Aston Villa

Palmer was substituted for Estevao Willian with just under 20 minutes left in the match, but Chelsea struggled to create chances during that time, losing ground in the race for the top four.

Palmer showed visible frustration as he left the pitch and took a seat on the bench. Maresca stated that Palmer was tired and he wanted to preserve his fitness ahead of the upcoming match against Bournemouth.

“He was doing well. Off the ball, he was working hard and pressing,” the Italian said to Sky Sports after the game.

“He was also a bit tired. We have another game in 48 or 72 hours, so it’s important to keep everyone fit.”

Unai Emery’s strategic changes in the second half, including a triple substitution before Watkins’ equaliser, shifted the momentum of the match. However, Maresca believes that the equalising goal, rather than the substitutions, was the key moment.

“By the time they scored, we should have already netted two or three goals.

“After we conceded, the game’s dynamics changed. It’s frustrating, as I don’t think the scoreline reflected a ten-point gap between us and them.”

“Off the ball, we were very strong. On the ball, we also played well and created chances. We started the second half similarly, but conceding their goal shifted the game.”

“We need to focus on the positives of how we played for an hour and identify ways to improve in the last half hour.”

“After conceding, we lost some balance. We needed more control, which often comes with experience from playing more matches, and that’s crucial.”

“It’s something we need to analyse and learn from.”

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