Paul Merson has branded Enzo Maresca’s team selection against Brentford ‘pathetic’ in a disparaging assessment of the Chelsea manager’s priorities.
Chelsea’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season took a concerning hit on Sunday as Brentford held the Blues to a frustrating 0-0 stalemate in west London, profiting from Maresca’s decision to shuffle his pack ahead of Thursday’s Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warszawa.
Maresca’s XI for Brentford raised eyebrows before the match as key first-team players Cole Palmer, Marc Cucurella, Nicolas Jackson, Pedro Neto and Levi Colwill were named on the bench for what promised to be a difficult test away from home.
And frustration within Chelsea’s fanbase only grew over the course of Sunday afternoon, as the visitors struggled to break Brentford down and subsequently dropped two vital points in the race for the top five.
Thanks to a fruitful campaign from English clubs in European competitions this season, the Premier League’s top five will qualify for the Champions League next term — although the battle for places is still as competitive as ever.
After the drab 0-0 draw at Brentford, Chelsea sit in fourth place on 53 points, narrowly ahead of Newcastle in fifth who are just behind on goal difference but have a game in hand.
Enzo Maresca has been savaged over his ‘pathetic’ team selection at Brentford on Sunday
The Blues dropped two valuable points as Brentford held them to a frustrating 0-0 stalemate
Maresca opted to drop a handful key players including Cole Palmer (right), which proved costly
Meanwhile, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City and Champions League quarter-finallists Aston Villa are hunting them down on 52 points and 51 points respectively.
Even Fulham and Brighton will believe they are in with an outside shout of a top-five finish, having chalked up respective 48 and 47-point tallies after 31 games.
The Premier League is the competition from which Chelsea can qualify for the Champions League next season, as the winners of the Conference League are only rewarded with a spot in next season’s Europa League.
Fearing that Chelsea may end up ruing Maresca’s team selection against Brentford on Sunday, Merson scolded the Italian with a furious column via Sky Sports.
‘I couldn’t believe the team Enzo Maresca put out at Brentford. When that team came out, I was flabbergasted. It was pathetic,’ he said.
‘Chelsea have won the Champions League. This is the Conference League – and he’s resting players for it?
‘Getting into the Champions League has to be the be all and end all. They have to be in it. If they come sixth in the Premier League and win the Conference League, it would be a shocker. A shocker.’
The former Arsenal and England star continued by pointing out how much better Maresca’s side were after Palmer and Jackson came on midway through the second half, insisting Chelsea ‘dominated’ the Bees in the final stages.
Paul Merson has urged he was ‘flabbergasted’ by the manager’s decision to rest key players
Maresca, who is gearing up for the first leg of Chelsea’s Conference League quarter-final against Legia Warszawa, has been accused of using the competition as a ‘safety net’
Manchester City (above) are breathing down Chelsea’s neck in the race for Champions League football next season, while Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham and Brighton are also in the chase
‘Now, they are right up against it,’ he added. ‘Chelsea might have to finish ahead of Manchester City to qualify for the Champions League, in an era when every team that finished ahead of City won the Premier League.
‘Maresca won’t win me over until the end of May. People tell me that Chelsea are doing well, but they’ve got one of the biggest squads in the world and they aren’t even close to winning the Premier League.
‘Maresca is probably looking at the Conference League thinking they have to win it as they may not be in European competition next season otherwise.
‘Chelsea might not finish in the top six this year and winning it would get them Europa League football. He’s using it as a safety net.’
After hosting struggling Ipswich at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Chelsea must endure a challenging Premier League run-in alongside their exploits in the Conference League.
Following the home second leg against Legia Warszawa next Thursday, the Blues face west London rivals Fulham at Craven Cottage before a tough test against David Moyes’ Everton, who held Arsenal a 1-1 draw last weekend.
After that, Chelsea take on three of the top five in Liverpool, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest, with a home clash against Manchester United coming the weekend before their final match of the season at the City Ground.
