“I’m sorry to say he can’t continue doing it under me” – Enzo Maresca responds to angry reaction after Chelsea change against Arsenal
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Enzo Maresca has downplayed any issue with Noni Madueke’s frustration after being substituted during Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal. Midway through the second half, Maresca replaced Madueke with Mykhailo Mudryk, prompting Madueke to head directly down the Stamford Bridge tunnel in visible frustration. However, the switch proved effective, as Pedro Neto, now on the right wing, scored the equalizer with an impressive strike.
“When you change a player, they’re never happy,” Maresca remarked. “The only time they’re likely to be pleased is, for example, like in the Wolves game when he scored a hat-trick and we took him off—he was happy then. But it’s not just Noni; all players want to stay on until the final whistle. That’s a positive sign.”
Maresca clarified the tactical reasoning behind his decision: “We thought Pedro, matched against [Jurrien] Timber, could be a bit more aggressive, especially with Micha [Mudryk] also on. It was a purely tactical choice.”
In other news, the availability of Cole Palmer for the England squad’s Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland remains uncertain. Palmer completed the full 90 minutes on Sunday, despite being doubtful after a tough tackle from Lisandro Martinez in Chelsea’s prior game against Manchester United.
Maresca shared, “I don’t think we took any risks, but he was a doubt right up to the start. His performance was strong, especially in the first ten minutes when he connected well with [Levi] Colwill. But then, they adapted, and Thomas Partey was marking him closely, making it tough for him. It’s painful now, but it doesn’t look serious.”
