“I have said this multiple times but this is the final straw. Their performance during yesterday’s match was the last straw. He has only been a disappointment” – This is according to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba as he claims that The manager needs to immediately bench the Chelsea player who failed to win any of their challenges, despite having a decent overall performance rating of 4 out of 10

Chelsea’s journey under new manager Enzo Maresca is showing steady progress, with the team’s performances becoming more consistent and promising as the season unfolds.

The campaign began with a challenging loss to the reigning champions, Manchester City, as many anticipated. However, Chelsea quickly responded with an emphatic statement, delivering an impressive 6-2 victory over Wolves. This performance highlighted the team’s offensive potential, with standout contributions from players like Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer, who led the charge against Gary O’Neil’s side.

Despite this early momentum, Chelsea encountered a setback with a 1-1 draw against a struggling Crystal Palace team. This disappointing result interrupted the upward trajectory that had been developing, leaving fans and analysts questioning their ability to maintain consistency.

Chelsea managed to regain their footing in their next fixture against Bournemouth, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory in a tense Saturday evening match. The game’s decisive moment came late, as goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made a crucial penalty save to keep the team in contention, setting the stage for Christopher Nkunku’s dramatic late goal to secure the win.

Interestingly, Nkunku, who started the season opener against Manchester City, has since been relegated to a substitute role in league matches, likely due to the intense competition for attacking positions under Maresca’s management. However, given some lackluster performances from his teammates in recent games, he may find himself back in the starting eleven for the next match.

Among the players who struggled, defender Axel Disasi stood out with an uncharacteristically poor display. Maresca has faced the challenge of improving Chelsea’s defense, a task made more difficult by the absence of captain Reece James in the early part of the season. Despite the club’s defensive reinforcements, including new signings Tosin Adarabioyo and Renato Veiga, the team’s backline remains a work in progress.

For the Bournemouth game, Maresca made a bold tactical decision by deploying Disasi, typically a central defender, as a right-back due to injuries to both James and Malo Gusto. Unfortunately, this experiment proved unsuccessful. Disasi’s struggles in this unfamiliar role were evident, leading to his substitution after just 61 minutes.

The French defender’s performance was marred by poor statistics: he failed to win any one-on-one duels, was dribbled past twice, and lost possession nine times. Additionally, he contributed little to the attack, failing to deliver crosses, complete dribbles, or provide key passes.

On the other flank, Pedro Neto also had a difficult outing, which raises questions about his place in the starting lineup. Neto, who joined Chelsea in the summer transfer window, has struggled to find his rhythm. His underwhelming performance against Bournemouth resulted in his substitution at halftime for Jadon Sancho, a deadline-day signing.

Neto’s poor showing was reflected in his statistics: he completed just 67% of his passes, made one key pass, and failed to successfully complete any dribble attempts. In contrast, Sancho made an immediate impact, providing the assist for Nkunku’s winning goal and earning man-of-the-match recognition.

Neto’s struggles can partly be attributed to being played out of position. While he initially impressed with an assist during the victory over Wolves, he has not been able to secure a consistent role in Chelsea’s attacking lineup. His preferred spot on the right wing is currently occupied by Madueke and Palmer, who have been in excellent form.

As the competition for places intensifies, it appears unlikely that Neto will retain a starting position in the upcoming match. Sancho’s strong debut performance has further solidified his claim for a spot in the lineup, leaving Neto with a significant challenge to prove his worth in future opportunities.