Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca believes honesty is the best approach to keeping his large squad happy as he navigates the challenges of his first season in charge.
After a significant summer spending spree, Maresca has found himself with a roster larger than many of his Premier League rivals.
In a recent League Cup victory over Barrow, Maresca made 11 changes, and Christopher Nkunku seized his opportunity, scoring his first hat-trick for the club.
However, with the upcoming clash against Brighton at Stamford Bridge, Nkunku faces competition for the central striker role from Nicolas Jackson, who has been the preferred choice in the opening five league matches.
Maresca is aware of the difficulty in maintaining morale among his highly-paid stars when they find themselves out of the starting lineup. He hopes that honest conversations with players like Nkunku will foster long-term satisfaction within the squad.
“I am honest with (Nkunku) and I’m honest with all of them. I’ve said it many times since day one that we can’t play with seven or eight attacking players as there is no defensive balance,” he told reporters. He added that both Jackson and Nkunku competing for the spot is beneficial for the team.
A win against Brighton would mark Chelsea’s third consecutive league victory, following triumphs over Bournemouth and West Ham, and their fourth win across all competitions.
Additionally, Marc Cucurella has started all five of Chelsea’s league matches this season, finally beginning to justify the £62 million fee paid to Brighton in 2022. The versatile Spaniard has impressed in both defense and attack under Maresca, contributing positively to the team’s performance.
“Marc is very important; he has something which is sometimes difficult to find in players,” Maresca stated. “He’s making those around him better by being vocal and demanding, and having five or six players like him is significant for the team.”
On the injury front, Romeo Lavia, who had missed the previous match due to a hamstring injury, is available for selection, while Reece James remains sidelined with no recent updates on his condition. “We will see if (Lavia can play the full 90 minutes). We have one more session now, and then we will decide, but the most important thing is that he is finally back,” Maresca confirmed.
