“It as to stop” – Former Blue begs Enzo Maresca to stop his team from doing one thing
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Frank Leboeuf’s Criticism of Chelsea’s Play from the Back
Praise and a Warning from Frank Leboeuf
Frank Leboeuf has not shied away from criticizing Chelsea when they’ve struggled recently, but even he has to admit that their recent form has been impressive. However, he still had one major critique during their recent match against Brighton, and it’s a point he directed at both sides.
Leboeuf, speaking on ESPN, expressed his concerns about both Chelsea and Brighton attempting to play the ball out from the back, particularly when they don’t seem to have the right players for that style of play.
“I have one [piece of] advice for the two coaches of these teams: stop playing from the back, guys! You don’t have the personnel for that,” Leboeuf said.
Issues with Playing from the Back
While Brighton’s problems largely stemmed from their high defensive line, Chelsea’s issues were more directly related to attempting to pass the ball around in dangerous areas. Both goals Chelsea conceded were the result of trying to play out of trouble instead of clearing the ball more decisively.
One of the standout moments came when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made a costly mistake that led to Brighton’s second goal. Instead of clearing the ball, Sanchez passed it to a teammate under pressure, and the ball was easily intercepted. Sanchez later apologized for his error, acknowledging his role in the goal.
Enzo Maresca’s Response to the Criticism
Despite the criticism, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has defended his team’s style of play. In his post-match press conference, Maresca backed Sanchez, telling him to brush off the mistake and to expect similar situations in the future as part of their game plan.
“I said to Robert [Sanchez] we will concede 10 more goals like the second one because it is the way we want to play,” Maresca explained.
Maresca clearly doesn’t share Leboeuf’s concerns. While some players in Chelsea’s squad may have the ability to play intricate passes out from the back, there’s still debate over whether Sanchez is suited to that role. It will be interesting to see, by the season’s end, whether this strategy results in more goals for or against the team.
