Why Chelsea fans still doubt Enzo Maresca in his second season is not a mystery when you consider the team’s recent struggles on the pitch. Tactical concerns and poor results, coupled with a reactionary fanbase accustomed to success with previous coaches, have left many questioning if the Italian is truly the coach to take them to greater heights.
Eyebrows were raised when Chelsea handed the reins to Enzo Maresca, the former Leicester City boss who had guided the Foxes back into the Premier League. His arrival at Stamford Bridge was met with cautious optimism – doubts lingered then, and they still linger now.
Seen as a young, progressive coach, he was expected to bring stability and a clear tactical identity to a squad that had moved from one manager to another since the abrupt end of the Roman Abramovich era. To a large extent, he has lived up to that expectation, restoring stability to the team.
In the last three months, Maresca led Chelsea to two pieces of silverware and secured a top-four finish, achievements that earned him plenty of praise and a positive first-season report card.
But as his second campaign unfolds, the mood has shifted. The same supporters who quietly celebrated victories like the Club World Cup final triumph over Paris Saint-Germain are now questioning his tactical ability.
Chelsea’s 11-match unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and a subsequent league defeat to Manchester United only deepened the frustration.
Suddenly, the murmurs turned into loud critiques, as if many had been waiting for the first stumble to pounce. It’s the hallmark of “plastic fans” – praise in the good times, doubt at the first sign of trouble.
Poor showings in the UCL and EPL might have been dismissed as a temporary dip in form, but struggling against a League One side in the EFL suggested it was more than just that.
The World Champions failed to register a single shot on target in the first half, while their opponents could easily have been three goals up, if not for their lack of quality in the final third, but they were able to get one after a lazy pass from Enzo Fernandez to Trevoh Chalobah was intercepted, gifting the Imps a goal.
After the break, however, the Champions responded like a side determined to avoid an upset, striking twice to seal their place in the next round.
After the game, fans were left unhappy at the display, despite the win, and directed their frustration towards the Head Coach. The below-par performance against Lincoln City added fuel to the conversation on why Chelsea fans doubt Enzo Maresca despite a bright start to the season.
Enzo Maresca In Tuchel’s Shadow
Most Chelsea fans feel the sacking of Thomas Tuchel was premature and unfair and feel the German’s legacy at the club is hard to overlook. He delivered the 2021 Champions League, restored pride in the team, and forged an emotional bond with supporters through his passion. His dismissal left a sour taste.
Every manager since the Clearlake takeover – Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, and now Enzo Maresca – has been judged in Tuchel’s shadow, a frustration of what might have been.
Maresca’s Questionable Substitutions
In the Blues’ visit to Old Trafford, spectators were left scratching their heads after seeing the puzzling changes Maresca made in the game.
A red card to goalkeeper Robert Sánchez in the fifth minute quickly tilted the contest in the hosts’ favour, forcing Maresca into changes to limit their chances – but his adjustments failed to make an impact.
At full-time, Chelsea supporters flooded social media with frustration, directing much of their anger at head coach Enzo Maresca, whose in-game substitutions only deepened their concerns.
Chelsea’s recent triumphs in the Club World Cup final and Conference League already feel like distant memories, as frustrated Blues fans turned on their manager after a string of questionable decisions.
The Italian’s first substitution was understandable – sacrificing an attacker to bring on a goalkeeper in the wake of Sánchez’s red card. But what came next left many baffled.
He withdrew Pedro Neto and introduced defender Tosin Adarabioyo, before later taking off Cole Palmer for Andrey Santos. In doing so, Maresca effectively stripped his side of any attacking spark, leaving Chelsea with little threat going forward and inviting United to dominate the remainder of the contest.
Just before the end of the first half, United’s Casemiro – already on a yellow card – was booked again for pulling down Andrey Santos, reducing both sides to ten men and restoring balance in numbers.
In the second half, however, Maresca made substitutions that hardly reflected a team desperate to get back on level terms. He replaced Marc Cucurella with Malo Gusto, a decision that only made it harder for his side to maintain width and create attacking overloads, leaving them predictable.
These tactical concerns highlight why a section of Chelsea fans still doubt Enzo Maresca even in his second season, despite bringing in silverware in his first.
A History of Impatience at Chelsea
A fanbase known for expecting results as soon as possible would not want a first trophy-laden season under Maresca to falter. They would expect the same momentum to be taken into the second season.
Under Abramovich, managers lived and died by trophies. Even successful coaches like Carlo Ancelotti, who won the Premier League and FA Cup in 2009, were abruptly sacked when they couldn’t continue in the same manner. In the new era under Todd Boehly, the rhetoric has shifted toward long-term projects, but the impatience remains embedded in the culture.
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The Problem of Mentality: Coach Enzo Maresca’s Lack of Ruthlessness
A manager’s role goes beyond tactics; it is also about motivation – building belief, resilience, and determination. Under Tuchel, Chelsea flourished against the world’s top teams, driven by the fearless mentality he instilled – captured perfectly in his famous words: “We will build a team nobody wants to play against.”
In contrast, Maresca appears overly respectful of opponents, and his cautious tone, both in tactics and in words, often gives the impression of a team already conceding inferiority.
Against United, Chelsea wilted. Even when Casemiro’s red card brought the teams back to 10 men apiece, the Blues still lacked urgency. They failed to capitalize on the momentum shift, playing timid football instead of seizing control.
The substitutions the gaffer made earlier on in the game gave fans the feeling that he had thrown in the towel and was comfortable defending all through the encounter.
Should Chelsea Fans Still Doubt Enzo Maresca?
The football world is an unforgiving space, where poor run of results can overshadow past successes and quickly turn admiration into criticism. This is what Chelsea head coach is facing.
In his previous posts as a manager, he might not have felt this amount of pressure, but this is what it’s like being in a World-Class institution.
To win back the fans, results must improve drastically – it’s that simple. He needs to show his blueprint on the pitch, speak, and carry himself like the coach of the Champions of the World.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Every Second Media
Recording Date: 23.09.2025