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Chelsea's performance against Cardiff City on Tuesday evening was underwhelming despite the Blues eventually getting the job done in the Welsh capital
Enzo Maresca, unsurprisingly, made 11 changes for Chelsea's Carabao Cup quarter-final win against Cardiff City on Tuesday evening. Given it was League One opposition they were up against, regardless of how well the Bluebirds are doing this season, this was always going to be the case as Maresca continues to tinker with his squad in a difficult campaign for the Blues.
After just a 13-day pre-season campaign in the summer following their late arrival back from the Club World Cup in the United States, Chelsea are in uncharted territory when it comes to their fitness levels. Nobody really knows how the revamped tournament in the summer is going to affect them throughout the course of the season, and it is difficult to fully measure.
But Maresca has been meticulous with his methods this term; constantly rotating his line-ups in order to manage workloads. It has frustrated some supporters, but it is a difficult situation for the head coach to manage.
The bottom line is that some of the players on the fringe, numerous of those that started in Cardiff on Tuesday, have not grasped their opportunity when called upon. Jamie Gittens underwhelmed in the Welsh capital earlier in the week and while the 21-year-old is clearly a man with a lot of talent, the Blues need to start seeing more from him.
He is not the only one, but for the sake of argument, Gittens needs to step his game up a level, though it is not easy because he is in and out of the side. But with the level of competition on the wings, Gittens needs to make a real claim to Maresca.
Particularly when you consider that exciting talent Geovany Quenda will move to Stamford Bridge in the summer. football.london understands the Portugal international is part of the Blues' first-team plans next season and that in itself could create an issue for Gittens, with Quenda able to play on either side and the No.10 role.
This is by no means writing Gittens off. There is clearly talent there, but that has not always been on display while on the pitch for the Blues.
Marc Guiu will also face trouble next summer with Emanuel Emegha arriving from Strasbourg. The Netherlands international is a natural No.9 and the club have high hopes for what his future holds.
As for Guiu, though, a loan move could be on the cards next season. That of course was the plan this term, with the Spaniard sent to spend the season with Sunderland, though a hamstring injury suffered by Liam Delap in August forced Chelsea to recall him.
With Quenda and Emegha moving to Stamford Bridge, that looks like an upgrade, as it stands, on some of the fringe players at Maresca's disposal at the moment. Because, as we saw on Tuesday, some of those players are not looking up to it.
Bobby has been covering Chelsea since the summer of 2022. During that time, he has been front and centre in perhaps the club's most turbulent time with Roman Abramovich selling to Todd Boehly. He is a regular at press conferences and matches, where he has managed to speak to Enzo Maresca and numerous Chelsea players.
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