• How Is Enzo Fernandez Affecting Chelsea ‘s Efficiency?
  • Does He Offer Enough For The Blues?

While it might be a little early to fully assess how every Chelsea player fits into their new system, Enzo Fernandez’s challenges at the club did not begin this campaign. The Argentine joined Chelsea in January 2023, and Graham Potter, the former boss, initially utilized him effectively as a deep-lying playmaker.

However, when Mauricio Pochettino took over in the summer of 2023, he moved Enzo Fernandez further forward, sometimes deploying him in an advanced number 8 or number 10 role. This shift marked the beginning of Fernandez’s struggles at Chelsea.

Fast forward to the 2024/25 campaign, and Enzo Maresca has also opted to play Fernandez slightly further forward, due to injuries and tactical considerations, as seen against Manchester City.

In Maresca’s box midfield, Enzo isn’t as exposed as he was under Pochettino, but signs indicate that the World Cup winner might not possess the dynamism required for the roles Chelsea needs him to play this season.

Enzo’s Weaknesses

Enzo Fernandez does not influence the game enough in the final third to thrive as one of the key players in Maresca’s box midfield system. This was evident against Manchester City and Crystal Palace. Whenever Enzo reached the final third or received a pass there, his touches were not sharp enough to finish chances or assist his teammates. Players like Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes, and even Rodri excel in these scenarios.

Stat: Enzo Fernandez made his most ball recoveries this season so far against Wolves (6), with most of them occurring in the second half, which Chelsea won 4-0 (6-2 final score). However, in the game against Crystal Palace, he only made 3 recoveries, leaving Caicedo to handle the bulk of the defensive work, which benefited Crystal Palace.

In the defensive phase, the Argentine midfielder lacks the energy to cover ground like Lavia and Moises Caicedo. Pairing him with Caicedo against strong low blocks leaves Chelsea more vulnerable to counter-attacks and creates larger spaces in the midfield to defend.

Enzo is an exceptional deep regista/playmaker who can venture forward occasionally during games. However, much like former Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, he has not demonstrated the decisiveness required to excel in a more advanced role, nor the defensive strength to cover spaces throughout the game.

When Romeo Lavia regains fitness, Enzo Maresca will face a choice between the solidity that Lavia and Moises Caicedo offer or the ability of Enzo Fernandez to break down low blocks with his exceptional passing either from deep or further forward.