The Chelsea squad has returned home from their preseason tour in the United States. While the results under new head coach Enzo Maresca—three losses and only one win out of five matches—might not have been ideal, it's important to remember that preseason is about more than just results. Despite a few positives, several concerning signs have emerged for Chelsea fans. Here are five issues that stood out.
1. Defensive Woes Persist
One of the most significant issues under Mauricio Pochettino was Chelsea's leaky defense, conceding a record number of goals in the league. Injuries played a role, but Pochettino's tactical setup also contributed to the problem. Thiago Silva often left to save the day.
When Thomas Tuchel took over, he immediately stabilized the defense that had struggled under Frank Lampard. Fans hoped for a similar transformation from Enzo Maresca, especially with a full preseason at his disposal, unlike Tuchel, who had just one training session before his first game. However, the defense remains shaky, with even more concerning signs emerging.
Maresca favors using one fullback in an inverted role to bolster midfield presence, leaving the remaining three defenders to guard the backline. This setup creates spaces between the defenders that opponents easily exploit. Celtic capitalized on this, thrashing Chelsea 4-1, as did other teams who found it easy to penetrate the backline.
Maresca has experimented with different combinations of Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Benoît Badiashile, and Levi Colwill as center-backs. While Reece James occupied the right-back spot, Maresca initially tried Colwill before settling on Malo Gusto. Marc Cucurella, who excelled in the inverted role late last season, was absent due to his participation in the Euros with Spain.
The players are still adapting to a new system. Still, the lack of improvement, even in the final match against Real Madrid, is worrying. Maresca attributed the defensive issues to Pochettino's high line, but, Adarabioyo and Fofana weren't part of his squad, Badiashile and Colwill missed many matches, with Colwill often playing as a left-back.
2. Questionable Player Attitude
Preseason is a time for players to impress the coach and secure their spot on the team. A strong preseason can boost a player's prospects, while a poor one can do the opposite. With Thiago Silva leaving Chelsea and several players returning from long injury layoffs, along with new signings, everyone had a fresh start. Yet, aside from brief glimpses from Tosin Adarabioyo, the center-backs looked dreadful.
Against Celtic, despite goalkeeper Robert Sánchez's warnings, Fofana's laziness contributed to Chelsea conceding. His mistakes also led to goals against Wrexham. Against Real Madrid, Badiashile and Colwill were equally culpable, failing to clear slow-moving balls and neglecting defensive duties, indicating a lack of commitment to Maresca's vision.
The same can be said for Mykhailo Mudryk and Armando Broja at the other end. While Noni Madueke consistently attempts to create opportunities, Mudryk often seems clueless, either losing the ball or avoiding involvement.
Broja, whom the board is trying to offload, had a chance to change perceptions but did nothing to help his cause. In contrast, new signing Marc Guiu impressed and caught the coach's eye, securing his place.
3. Restricting Reece James
Chelsea captain Reece James is one of the world's best right-backs when fit. Against Wrexham, he played as an inverted fullback, a role he handled adequately. However, his natural position allows him to showcase his overlapping runs, crosses, and goal-scoring instincts. The system restricts these strengths by placing him centrally.
Maresca adjusted the system after the Wrexham match, with Gusto taking the inverted role, allowing James more freedom. However, he still didn't enjoy the full freedom of a traditional right-back instead playing more as a right center-back in a back three. A similar system works at Manchester City because Kyle Walker lacks James's attacking prowess, allowing for a focus on defensive strengths.
4. Recurring Mistakes
Chelsea's preseason goals conceded were often due to self-inflicted errors. Matches frequently began with Chelsea creating a significant chance, only to commit a glaring mistake and give the opposition a scoring opportunity within five minutes. Fans held their breath whenever Badiashile had the ball, fearing an unforced error.
These mistakes plagued the team last season, and despite a month of preseason training, they persist.
5. Indecisiveness in the Box
English U21 international Noni Madueke was one of the bright spots in the preseason. With Kendry Paez and Willian Gustavo set to arrive next season, this period is crucial for him. Madueke scored a couple of goals but struggled with decision-making, often shooting when others were better positioned or over-dribbling and losing possession. While players like Cole Palmer and Eden Hazard can pull off such feats, Madueke isn't at their level yet, and playing as if he is can harm Chelsea.
Chelsea's 6-0 victory over Everton last season was overshadowed by Madueke's selfish attempt to take a penalty from designated taker Cole Palmer, who had a perfect record and already scored a hat trick. The match against Club America showed Madueke hadn't learned, first trying to take the ball from Christopher Nkunku, prompting Maresca's intervention, and then succeeding on a second-half penalty after Nkunku relented. Maresca made his displeasure clear afterward.
Raheem Sterling performed better than Mudryk but delivered the same lackluster results fans have seen for two years. As a senior player with high wages, Sterling should set an example, yet younger players are surpassing him in positively influencing the team.
Chelsea has one preseason match left against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge before the Premier League season begins. Returning squad members, who had extended breaks after the Euros, will join the team at Cobham, giving Maresca a nearly complete squad to work with. The next 10 days are crucial for addressing these issues and preparing for the Premier League champions' visit on August 18. After a poor preseason, another subpar performance would only harm the team's prospects.