Final Thoughts
Considering the injuries to Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu, Enzo Maresca must make tactical adjustments to maintain Chelsea’s attacking efficiency. He is not known for being the most flexible tactician so this may be a tall task for him.
Against teams that sit deep, the best approach would be to play a 3-2-5 structure with Cucurella overlapping and a fluid attacking trio of Palmer, Sancho, and Nkunku. Against stronger opposition, shifting to a more defensively solid setup—possibly involving James as a right center-back and Gusto inverting—would help maintain balance.
Maresca faces a tough challenge, but with the right tactical tweaks, Chelsea can still push for UEFA Champions League qualification despite the injury setbacks. They can start by taking care of business against Brighton and fellow top four rivals Aston Villa in their next two matches. The Blues then face two relegation candidates in Southampton and Leicester but we know those matches are never straightforward considering the stakes.