Enzo Maresca says the 3-0 defeat to Brighton was Chelsea’s “worst performance” beneath him, as Jamie Carragher questioned how lengthy Cole Palmer will wait round for the workforce to enhance.
Chelsea didn’t register a shot on course in a Premier League sport for the primary time since September 2021 as Kaoru Mitoma’s magical opener and a Yankuba Minteh double noticed Brighton beat them for the second time in seven days.
Accidents to Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu have left Maresca with no striker, however their issues weren’t restricted to the assault as Brighton steamrollered Chelsea to shut the hole on the fourth-placed facet to 6 factors.
“Tonight is the worst performance since I arrived, but we are still in the race to finish in the top four, ” Maresca instructed Sky Sports activities. “I feel pressure always. Not only now,” he added.
Chelsea will lose their top-four standing if Man Metropolis, Bournemouth or Newcastle win because the competitors for Champions League qualification heats up.
If Chelsea fall brief in that regard, it could mark three consecutive seasons exterior of Europe’s elite competitors for the brand new house owners regardless of spending greater than £1bn on signings.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca mentioned this was the workforce’s worst efficiency beneath him
“If they don’t get Champions League, it will be a disaster,” mentioned Carragher.
“The one thing I took from this game is not just how poor they were but the frustration from Palmer. He won’t wait around for this idea that in a couple of years, we will make the Champions League.”
Palmer, 22, is beneath contract at Chelsea till 2033, however Carragher says he will not be that affected person.
“The idea that this project is going to take two or three years, the problem is that the best players won’t wait for that,” added Carragher.
“Cole Palmer is one of the best players in the Premier League. You could start to feel the frustration starting to build. He’s good enough to be competing for the biggest honours in the Premier League and Champions League.
“He is scored in a Euro remaining! That’s one thing that Chelsea must maintain at the back of their thoughts.
“The idea that it could be five or 10 years – it’s nonsense. Nottingham Forest are third and Chelsea have spent over £1billion.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Was Levi Colwill ‘bullied’ by Brighton? Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher analyse Chelsea’s poor efficiency
Chelsea started Maresca’s debut season in superb type, however outcomes have dropped off during the last two months with simply two wins of their final 9 league video games.
They’re additionally out of each home cup competitions, however stay within the UEFA Convention League final 16.
“Chelsea have got to get back to winning games as soon as possible or this season can really unravel for them,” added Carragher. The European competitors that they’re in is sort of not a contest that Chelsea ought to be in.
“Even if they win that, I don’t think there will be much credit for them.
“In fact it is an enchancment from final season at this stage however you have to do not forget that workforce final season beneath [Mauricio] Pochettino, with 14 video games to go, solely misplaced one in every of them. I am not taking a look at a workforce right here that isn’t going to lose one in every of their subsequent 13.
“They have a lot on to actually improve on what happened last season. This team is not good enough.
“Brighton completely battered them in all departments. I am simply watching these Chelsea gamers go over to the supporters, there are only a few of them and they’re a really indignant bunch, and rightly so.”
