Former Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has made his dissatisfaction clear about the team’s underperformance this season, calling out manager Enzo Maresca for sending a “very bad message” to the squad.
Petit believes Maresca’s comments and the team’s form have contributed significantly to their disappointing results.
A Strong Start, But Declining Form
Chelsea is currently sitting in sixth place in the Premier League, just two points behind Newcastle in the race for the final Champions League spot.
While their hopes of reaching the Conference League final remain intact after drawing Swedish side Djurgardens in the semi-finals, the season could have unfolded much differently.
The team was in second place at Christmas, just four points behind league leaders Liverpool, but their form has since fallen off dramatically.
They’ve only managed two wins in their last ten Premier League matches.
Criticism of Maresca’s Comments
Petit, who played for Chelsea from 2001 to 2004, believes Maresca is partly responsible for the team’s struggles.
He pointed to the manager’s comments earlier in the season when Maresca declared that Chelsea wasn’t ready to compete for the Premier League title.
Despite Chelsea’s strong position just behind Liverpool in December, Maresca insisted his team wasn’t capable of challenging for the top spot.
“I think that was a very bad message he sent to his players,” Petit told Sambaslots, expressing his discontent.
Maresca’s remarks about not being title contenders sent a signal of resignation to the squad, which Petit feels had a negative impact on their mindset.
Disappointment in Individual Performances
Beyond Maresca’s leadership, Petit also criticized several Chelsea players for their lackluster performances.
While he acknowledged that the squad is filled with young talent, he expressed disappointment in how many of them have been playing.
Injuries and poor performances have plagued the team, and Petit specifically mentioned Cole Palmer, who has been struggling since January.
“They splashed so much money on some players, and I’m not happy with them at all. Cole Palmer has not been the same kind of player since January,” Petit remarked.
He feels that many players, including Palmer, have failed to take responsibility on the pitch and have not shown the character needed to step up when the team needs them most.
Some Bright Spots
However, it hasn’t been all negative for Chelsea.
Petit acknowledged a few players who have stood out, such as Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
He noted that while Palmer was once a leader for the team, other players have stepped up in recent months.
Fernandez, in particular, has shown significant improvement from the previous season.
Looking Ahead
Despite the team’s struggles, Chelsea remains tied with Aston Villa in seventh place, both on 57 points.
With a crucial match against Everton coming up, they will need to secure a win if they want to stay in the hunt for Champions League qualification.