Most Chelsea fans did not agree with the club's decision to sack Enzo Maresca, and it is understandable why. The Italian boss exceeded all expectations and brought silverware to Stamford Bridge, while also securing a Champions League qualification spot. No other manager has been able to do either of those things since the change of ownership and the arrival of Clearlake-Boehly.
All that being said, we would be remiss if we completely overlooked the shortcomings of Maresca as a manager. Oftentimes, it felt like he was not getting the best out of the options available to him.
In this regard, most fans will name Estevao, who did not play nearly as often as his performances warranted. But even worse was the situation of Josh Acheampong, who often looked like Chelsea's best defender on the days he was given a chance, only to find himself back on the bench for underperforming teammates.
Liam Rosenior has been brought in to take Maresca's place in the dugout. And he immediately seems to have taken a liking to Acheampong, who could be about to get a lot more playing time moving forward.
Rosenior seems to have taken a liking to Acheampong, who was often overlooked by Maresca
Rosenior said about Acheampong, as reported by the club's official website:
"I've been so impressed with Josh so far in the last two games and in training.
‘He's a very level-headed kid with a lot of humility, which is a great sign. The beautiful thing with Josh is that he can play five different positions. He can play on the left, he can play centre-back, he can play right centre-back, he can play midfield, he can play on the wing. That's a great thing to have for a player of his age and temperament.
‘And I'm going to keep pushing him and I'm going to keep demanding different things from him because he has a really, really bright future."
Acheampong is considered by many as one of the few Chelsea players who has world-class potential, if his development goes according to plan. But Maresca never seemed to trust him fully.
This season, under Maresca, he started just five times in the league. That included standout displays against Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest. But whenever more senior players became available, Acheampong would inevitably find himself back on the bench and was rarely even used as a substitute.
Promisingly, Acheampong has started both games since Rosenior became Chelsea manager. And even though it looks like the club are pushing to bring in a new centre-back this winter itself, it might not mean reduced playing time for the Cobham graduate, who is clearly being viewed as someone who can fill in a number of positions across the pitch.