Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has admitted he made an error in judgment with his defensive setup during the club’s midweek Premier League defeat to Leeds United, revealing that he regrets not starting young defender Josh Acheampong.
Chelsea travelled to Elland Road on Wednesday with several changes to their usual defensive structure. Maresca left out Reece James and Wesley Fofana, opting instead for Trevoh Chalobah at right-back, with Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile forming the centre-back partnership. The reshuffled back line was aimed at increasing aerial strength against a Leeds side known for playing direct, physical football.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea’s upcoming league clash with Bournemouth, Maresca reflected on the setback and acknowledged that his analysis leading up to the game was not fully realised on the pitch. He admitted that the decision to prioritise height and strength over balance ultimately did not achieve the intended outcome.
According to Maresca, Chelsea’s staff had identified Leeds’ reliance on long balls towards forwards Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, a tactic designed to create physical battles in the final third. This assessment influenced the choice to field three defenders with strong aerial capabilities. However, Maresca revealed that despite structuring the back line around winning aerial duels, Chelsea still lost the majority of those confrontations.
The manager added that in hindsight, Acheampong’s inclusion could have offered more composure and defensive solidity, suggesting that the young full-back’s recent performances warranted greater trust in such an important fixture. Maresca noted that Acheampong’s athleticism and ability to read the game might have better complemented the threat posed by Leeds’ forwards.
The defeat has placed increased scrutiny on Chelsea’s defensive consistency, an area that has fluctuated throughout the season despite improvements in other phases of play. As the club prepares for the match against Bournemouth, Maresca stated that lessons have been learned from the Leeds performance and that selection decisions will be reassessed to restore stability at the back.
Maresca concluded by reaffirming his confidence in the squad’s potential but acknowledged that tactical miscalculations at key moments must be reduced if Chelsea are to strengthen their position in the league standings.
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