“I keep telling him this one thing” – What Enzo Maresca kept telling Casadei to do and Chelsea’s new-found spirit in Barrow win
Chelsea easily defeated League Two side Barrow 5-0 in the League Cup.
Chelsea showed signs of restored form and confidence as Christopher Nkunku guided them to a 5-0 victory over League Two side Barrow at Stamford Bridge.
The performance had all of the hallmarks of a winning squad: domination, powerful execution, and the team spirit and competition that can only be found in a positive environment. Eleven changes were made, but just like they did against West Ham a few days earlier, Chelsea quickly gained control of the game, leaving the remainder of it as an intellectual exercise.
Here are a few things we saw at Stamford Bridge during the game:
Maresca’s fixation on player positioning
One thing you notice right away when sitting behind the manager is his passion for keeping players in their assigned positions. Against Barrow, João Félix reminded everyone why he was once touted as the next big thing in Portuguese football, with a beautiful assist and a later brilliant free kick. However, throughout the game, his manager was quick to call him back into position, as he wanted Félix to occupy the No. 10 role and join Nkunku in leading the press. There was a tendency for the forward to get carried away by what was a one-sided game, but Maresca always ensured he was in the right place, both when Chelsea were defending and attacking.
Cesare Casadei, who started the game, was also frequently reminded to occupy his midfield spot and not vacate it. In positional play, holding your position is crucial, and despite Chelsea’s dominance, the manager consistently sought control throughout.
Carney Chukwuemeka desperately wants minutes
One of the highlights of the evening was Carney Chukwuemeka’s cameo. The midfielder may have been surprised to be left out of the starting eleven in favour of Casadei, and he was literally the last man to come on, with Deivid Washington not getting any minutes at all. Players rarely show emotions since every move is covered by the media and fans’ smartphones, but it was clear that Chukwuemeka was eager to get on the pitch.
He’d been warming up and frequently glanced at the bench, and when Maresca sent out Tyrique George and Joshua Acheampong, Chukwuemeka thought he’d be called as well, but it wasn’t his turn yet. He kept warming up until the manager finally called him—an obvious relief. When he came on, it was clear he was a man on a mission, bringing energy and intent to his performance.
Ben Chilwell goes round to thank fans
Ben Chilwell will hope this is not the last time he plays at Stamford Bridge, but one thing was clear: he was keen to make an impression in the minutes he was given. When it was all over, he was the only player who stayed behind to go around and applaud the home fans.
His future remains uncertain, having been banished to the ‘bomb squad’ before being brought back into the first team. If this was his last game at Stamford Bridge, he handled himself well. He warmed up thoroughly and, at half-time, was sent out to train with one of the physical trainers before coming on, taking the captain’s armband, and getting straight into action. He also received a huge round of applause when he first went to warm up. Stamford Bridge hasn’t forgotten that he used to be one of the key players, especially during their Champions League triumph.