The big debate about the Chelsea team for today was what to do with Josh Acheampong.
The young defender keeps impressing when given a chance, and after starting in midweek we weren’t sure if Enzo Maresca would be brave enough to keep the teenager in the team.
Maresca undoes his good work by taking off best defender
As it turned out, Maresca took the bold decision and it paid off. Acheampong was excellent once again, with his only fault being a slow reaction to the set piece when Sunderland scored. He more than made up for that later in the game however, when his superb slide tackle saved Chelsea after they had allowed Granit Xhaka in on goal.
He had a 96% pass completion rate, had made 2 blocks, 3 clearances, 2 aerial clearances and 2 recoveries. He won both of his ground duels. A solid showing all around, and his ability to carry the ball forward was only going to become more useful as the game went on.
Yet after 76 minutes, Maresca took the defender off for Tosin Adarabioyo. He didn’t appear to be injured, we simply can’t explain that decision.
Tosin caught under a high ball once again
Numerous people predicted what would happen next, and it played out just as expected.
Tosin has his qualities, but defending transitions isn’t one of them. He’s been caught out several times in very similar positions, and most fans in the crowd at Stamford Bridge and watching on TV at home had the same sinking feeling when that punted long ball went up and Tosin was there to chase it.
Acheampong is much quicker and more decisive – he would have got to the ball before Brobbey and this situation would never have developed. Maresca really undid all his good work in starting Acheampong by then taking him off at that point.
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