Enzo Maresca has expressed his frustration, admitting he feels “shameful” for struggling to integrate Chelsea’s £135m worth of attacking talent into his starting XI.
The Italian manager has made a strong start to life at Stamford Bridge since taking over from Leicester City.
Under his leadership, Chelsea currently sit fourth in the Premier League, with five wins from their first ten games.
Maresca has also guided the Blues to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, and they’ve enjoyed a perfect start to their Europa Conference League campaign.
However, one challenge still eludes him: figuring out how to fit Chelsea’s expensive attacking recruits into the same team.
Joao Félix, who returned to the club on a permanent deal, has made just five Premier League appearances this season.
Meanwhile, Christopher Nkunku, another major summer signing, has started only one league match so far.
Speaking before Chelsea’s clash with Noah, Enzo Maresca said: “I feel a shame for Joao and I would like to give him more minutes in the Premier League, but we need defensive balance and we cannot play with Joao, Cole [Palmer], Christo [Nkunku].
“I’d like to put all of them on the pitch but then you need to defend, and you need the right balance.
“I don’t have any doubts that if Joao keeps working well, he will find his moment in the Premier League.”
Maresca added: “Christo, every time he plays, he scores, and he does well.
“Also, he was probably our best player in pre-season, no doubt.
“He was playing then as an attacking midfielder and now we are using him as a nine, which we all know isn’t his position, he’s more a second striker or between the lines.
“But I try to find solution and balance with all of them but not all of them can be in their position, they have to adapt a bit.
“It’s for Joao, Christo, Misha [Mudryk], they are all players who deserve more chances in the Premier League, but there are also more players who deserve that.”
Read more: Mikel Arteta provides latest update on Kai Havertz after head injury
Chelsea to battle Manchester United for £66m-rated Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting
Virgil van Dijk claims Luis Diaz reminds him of Sadio Mane after first Liverpool hat-trick
