Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy has been very critical of Enzo Maresca’s management at Chelsea.
It has been an up and down season for Chelsea, but the campaign could still finish on a really good note for the club.
Champions League qualification is in their hands, while the Blues can still earn some silverware by winning the Conference League. Ultimately, May could be an incredible month for Chelsea and will ultimately decide their season.
Whatever the case, Murphy has questioned Maresca‘s handling of one of his players.
Danny Murphy questions Robert Sanchez’s lack of freedom
A lot has been said about Cole Palmer‘s struggles during the second half of this season and Maresca’s role in that.
It has even been claimed that Palmer feels restricted under Maresca, but Robert Sanchez is the player who is really being impacted by a lack of freedom on the pitch, according to Murphy.
In his column for the Daily Mail, the 48-year-old said: “Although Chelsea need a new goalkeeper — Liverpool have two reliable ones in Alisson and Caoimhin Kelleher and the Blues don’t have any — I don’t think Maresca’s approach has helped Robert Sanchez.
“I don’t get the sense the manager gives his players much freedom to make their own choices on the pitch. Whereas Pep Guardiola would prefer Ederson to play out from the back, he also allows him the freedom to go longer if the match situation dictates; Sanchez doesn’t receive that same backing from his manager.”
After his struggles this season, Chelsea could now replace Sanchez with a new No.1 in the summer.
Chelsea have an interest in Diogo Costa of Porto, while AC Milan’s Mike Maignan has also been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
For Murphy, though, the goalkeeper situation at Chelsea is not the only problem that the Blues have.
Danny Murphy slams Chelsea for not replacing Thiago Silva
Thiago Silva left Chelsea on a free transfer last summer, and Murphy thinks the club made a huge error not replacing him.
In the same Daily Mail column, Murphy said: “Most great Premier League teams have a proper leader like John Terry, Tony Adams, Nemanja Vidic, Vincent Kompany or Virgil van Dijk.
“Where is the Chelsea equivalent to organise team-mates and dish out verbal volleys at the right time? There isn’t one and their failure to replace Thiago Silva to aid the youngest team in the league has been a mistake.”
Chelsea are likely to sign a new central defender this summer, with Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen being heavily linked with a move to west London.
Chelsea are targeting Huijsen and Marc Guehi, but with the former still being just 20 years of age, he cannot replace Silva’s experience. At 24, Guehi is a bit older and more proven in the Premier League, but neither player is Silva.
