For Chelsea fans, Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Manchester City encapsulated the troubling nature of their season under Enzo Maresca.
A bright start quickly descended into familiar frustrations, with Robert Sanchez’s costly error becoming a symbol of the Blues’ struggles.
Chelsea had been gifted an opener by City’s debutant Abdukodir Khusanov, whose nervy start handed Noni Madueke an early goal.
Yet, instead of capitalising on the momentum, the Blues faltered. Passive pressing combined with a high defensive line invited City back into the game, and the hosts soon exploited these vulnerabilities.
Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden found the net with ease, each benefitting from Chelsea’s defensive frailties.
Haaland’s goal was particularly damning for Sanchez, whose misjudged charge off his line allowed the Norwegian to score with a composed finish.
That error marked Sanchez’s fifth mistake leading to a goal this season, a damning statistic that highlights Chelsea’s issues in the goalkeeper position.
Maresca’s post-match defence of Sanchez did little to inspire confidence. While he insisted the 27-year-old remained his No. 1, he openly admitted the Spaniard was far from the level expected.
With Filip Jorgensen impressing in the UEFA Europa Conference League, the calls for change are growing louder. This defeat leaves Chelsea in sixth place, a stark reminder of how far they have fallen.
A side once tipped as dark horses for the title now finds itself clinging to hopes of European qualification.
The loss to City extends their winless run against the defending champions to eight league matches, a streak that underscores their inability to rise to the occasion.
What makes this all the more frustrating is Chelsea’s capacity to start games strongly. Against City, they could have doubled their lead in the opening half-hour but squandered their chances. Once City equalised, Chelsea’s intensity evaporated, leaving them unable to respond effectively.
Maresca faces a critical few weeks. Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures include trips to Brighton & Hove Albion, Aston Villa, and Arsenal, with little margin for error. Their self-belief is draining, and without urgent changes, their season risks unravelling further.
Sanchez’s struggles, the team’s defensive lapses, and a lack of killer instinct in attack all point to deeper systemic issues.
For a club of Chelsea’s stature, the current trajectory is unacceptable. Maresca must find solutions – and quickly – to arrest their alarming slide.
