Maresca must axe Chelsea dud who lost 100% duels

Heading into Sunday’s conflict at St James’ Park, each Chelsea and Newcastle United discovered themselves locked on 63 factors within the Premier League.

However, come the full-time whistle, the gulf at school between the 2 Champions League chasing outfits was apparent, with each Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes sharing out the goal-load at hand Eddie Howe’s Toon a well-merited 2-0 win.

In fact, the Magpies’ quest for a golden three factors was undoubtedly helped by Nicolas Jackson receiving a pink card deep into the primary half, with the ex-Villarreal striker enduring yet one more torrid afternoon main the road for Enzo Maresca’s males.

Jackson’s horror present on the street

The 23-year-old does have considerably of a wholesome objective return subsequent to his title this season at 12 strikes general, however all the principle speaking factors from the conflict on Tyneside would centre on his dismissal, away from his hot-and-cold capability to seek out the online.

Certainly, after planting an elbow into the face of Newcastle defender Sven Botman, the inconsistent Blues attacker can be despatched off, which means he’s now suspended till the tip of the Premier League season.

There was nonetheless 65 minutes of the match left after Jackson’s second of insanity, however the injury had already been finished on Chelsea’s finish, which means Newcastle finally strolled to a 2-0 victory to achieve an higher hand to complete contained in the coveted prime 5.

Jackson did not even take a look at Nick Pope with a single effort on objective earlier than clashing with the Magpies centre-back, with Maresca now tasked with deciding who to start out up prime now within the remaining top-flight contests to return forward of the suspended striker.

Different Chelsea first-teamers might additionally really feel the wrath of the supervisor’s workforce choice transferring ahead, with this fellow underperformer in assault solely lasting ten extra minutes than Jackson earlier than being hooked.

Chelsea’s different large underperformer

No one carrying Chelsea blue would come away from the 2-0 defeat with a lot reward, with Romeo Lavia one other who seemed out-of-sorts within the midfield division, particularly when his informal nature on the ball centrally led to Tonali’s speedy opener.

However, Lavia would no less than see out 75 minutes on the St James’ turf, with Noni Madueke half a tactical substitution on account of Chelsea being decreased to 10 males, and half an alteration made purely out of his ineffectiveness in assault when he lasted simply 45 minutes.

At instances, Madueke was merely a spectator to the fixed waves of Newcastle assaults, with the 23-year-old dribbled previous extra instances than he might conjure up profitable dribbles himself.

Furthermore, the ex-PSV Eindhoven winger might trudge off the pitch on the half-time interval and never return off the again of failing to register a single effort on the house facet’s objective, alongside failing to win a single duel from 4 makes an attempt. In stark distinction, whilst Newcastle bossed proceedings, Jacob Murphy would win 4 duels as a dedicated warrior for Howe’s hosts.

It might effectively be time for Maresca to experiment with one thing contemporary down the left channel, due to this fact, with 19-year-old sensation Tyrique George able to enjoying down that flank, alongside an equally hit-and-miss Jadon Sancho.

The Italian will simply pray that any modifications he does makes to his XI pays off, with the Blues now slipping down the league, while Newcastle bask within the glory of third place.

At any time when Chelsea appear to be settling into their groove, one other bump seemingly seems within the street, with simply two Premier League video games now left for the Blues to make any European desires come true.