"It Sends the Wrong Message" – Maresca Criticized Again for Dropping Chelsea Youngsters

Chelsea struggled in the first half of their Conference League match against Copenhagen, putting in a disappointing performance similar to last week’s game. The team failed to register a single shot, making it clear that changes were needed at halftime.

Manager Enzo Maresca decided to take off Enzo Fernandez, likely to keep him fresh for the weekend, replacing him with Cole Palmer. However, his other substitution sparked serious criticism—he took off young defender Josh Acheampong, who was playing at left-back, and replaced him with Marc Cucurella.

TNT Sports co-commentator Lucy Ward did not hold back in her assessment of Maresca’s decision, expressing concerns that the manager is too quick to substitute young players when the team struggles.

“I tell you what I’m really not comfortable with: taking a young player off at halftime in both legs who hasn’t even been the worst player in that particular unit. It’s too easy to do that, far too easy as a manager,” Ward said during the broadcast.

This wasn’t the first time she had raised this issue. In the first leg against Copenhagen, Maresca made a similar decision by taking off 17-year-old Shim Mheuka at halftime after he had little opportunity to make an impact.

“I’m still a bit disappointed about Mheuka coming off. The message that it sends. He really couldn’t have done much more,” Ward had previously commented.

Unlike Mheuka’s situation, which was debatable, the decision to substitute Acheampong seemed even more unfair. The young defender was one of Chelsea’s better performers in the first half, yet he was still taken off.

Many fans believe that Maresca’s habit of removing young players instead of more experienced ones is a way of taking the easy route. Rather than making tough calls on senior players, he opts for the “low-risk” option by substituting youngsters who are less likely to question his decisions.

As Ward pointed out, this approach does not send a good message to Chelsea’s young talents. If promising players feel like they will be the first to be sacrificed when things go wrong, it could hurt their confidence and development.

Maresca’s unwillingness to trust young players in difficult situations has sparked debate among Chelsea fans and experts. While every manager must make tactical adjustments, continually condemning young players for poor team performance may have long-term effects.

Chelsea is known for producing talented youngsters, but if they feel unfairly treated, they may look elsewhere for opportunities. If Maresca continues down this path, he risks damaging the club’s reputation as a place where young players can thrive.