ENZWOE
Chelsea face £100m midfield conundrum as Enzo Fernandez is one of biggest creators but has to settle for place on bench
Fernandez is proving useful when progressing the ball but Maresca has out of possession concerns
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COLE PALMER has had one shot on target in his past two Premier League matches for Chelsea.
Enzo Fernandez has not started the last two Premier League matches for Chelsea.
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When he came off the bench yesterday against Arsenal, within two minutes the Argentinian provided the assist for Pedro Neto to score the goal that lifted the Blues into third position in the table.
Yet still the debate rages that the £106million midfielder can be a liability for the team and cannot play alongside £115m partner Moises Caicedo.
Fernandez is finding it tough proving to boss Enzo Maresca that he deserves a regular place in the starting line-up.
Proof that a gargantuan price tag counts for nothing in the eyes of the demanding Italian whatever the figures say. And some of them are pretty convincing.
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Chelsea’s highly-priced star might not be able to read the numbers very well on the speedometer of his Porsche when out driving in Wales, having been banned from driving for six months.
But there is a surprisingly strong mathematical argument in the World Cup winner’s favour that he is a key component of the team.
So far this season nobody has done better than Fernandez at playing the ball forwards to Chelsea’s formidable bunch of young, hungry forwards.
In all competitions so far this season, he has delivered 20.3 passes per 90 minutes that finish in the final third of the pitch.
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For someone bought primarily as a holding midfielder that’s life in the fast lane as he would no doubt grasp.
Portuguese winger Joao Felix, a featherweight, waspish forward, is next on 19.7.
Need someone to set up a goal? He’s your man.
Fernandez is second only to Jadon Sancho for assists this term on 0.49. Sancho is streets ahead on 0.88 but only six games into his Chelsea career, the average is bound to be higher.
And going back to Palmer, only Wesley Fofana and Caicedo have picked out Chelsea's talisman with a pass more often than Enzo.
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The tail end of last season was a microscope into the world of the anti-Fernandez brigade who dismiss him as overpriced.
His last game of the season was April 23 - Black Tuesday when Arsenal smashed Chelsea 5-0 under previous boss Mauricio Pochettino.
Fernandez checked out for a hernia operation the next day and did not play again until the summer.
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There were six games left of the Premier League campaign and Chelsea performed a better U-turn that Fernandez could even when being chased by the Old Bill in his flash motor on the way to two speeding convictions.
From abject losers they won five of their last six games. So evidently, with Enzo out of the side, Chelsea can throw off the shackles and pour forwards.
They scored 16 goals in those last six games - but they’d scored that in the previous six too.
He missed the 6-0 thrashing of Everton eight days before the Arsenal debacle but was in the team when Chelsea smashed four past Manchester United 11 days prior to that on April 4.
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So whatever Chelsea’s problem at the time was, it wasn’t his, even if Fernandez was clearly struggling with abdominal issues.
Now fit-again, Fernandez has created 1.9 chances per 90 minutes this season - fifth most in the squad. And that includes Sunday’s assist.
The salient point is that Chelsea paid nine figures for Fernandez primarily to shield the defence.
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It is now six Premier League games since they kept a clean sheet. Chelsea are third in the table but could be even higher.
Maybe it’s not the attacking part of Fernandez’s game that Maresca is upset about?
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Chelsea ratings vs Arsenal
Robert Sanchez - 6
Still punches the ball clear when a catch would be much safer - and reassuring for the fans behind him.
Malo Gusto - 6
Went close with a header in the first-half. But was missing at right-back when Arsenal took the lead through Gabriel Martinelli’s 59th minute goal. The problem with also playing in midfield.
Wesley Fofana - 7
Strong challenges and now fully back from lengthy injury. Also went close to a goal in the second half when he pumped the ball just over.
Levi Colwill - 6
Forging a partnership with Fofana at the heart of defence. Got caught dangerously in possession by Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard but recovered.
Marc Cucurella - 7
Cracking tussle with Bukayo Saka. Despite being one of only three men on the pitch wearing gloves, including the keepers, Chelsea’s left-back is a formidable defender.
Moises Caicedo - 6
Enjoying a run of form at the moment that includes last weekend’s volleyed equaliser at Manchester United. Strong tackler and smooth through the gears in midfield.
Romeo Lavia - 6
A surprise package keeping £107million Enzo Fernandez out of the team. After a terrible run of injuries is forming some consistency. But any twinge is a scare and came off in the 66th minute.
Noni Madueke - 6
Called up to the latest England squad and is mobile and nippy. Also seemed a bit stroppy and went straight down the tunnel when subbed in the 66th minute. Perhaps needed treatment.
Cole Palmer - 6
Maybe the sore knee is still troubling him. Only trained yesterday for the first time in almost a week. But it hampered his impact on a disjointed London derby.
Pedro Neto - 7
Starting to make his presence felt after being relegated to the Conference League matches. Stunning powerful drive for the equaliser and full of energy.
Nicolas Jackson - 6
Feisty and fiery but went to ground too easily to win a couple of free kicks when he could have done more damage on his feet. Gives everything though.
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