I wrote an article earlier this week speaking about how I don’t enjoy watching football at the top level as much as I once did. I find it bland for many reasons, one of which is new age styles of play and how it restricts players who like to play with freedom.
So as you can imagine, when I have watched Estevao Willian and Jamie Gittens play for Chelsea lately, it’s been very refreshing to see.
Gittens had a slow start to his Blues career, and I wouldn’t yet say that I am fully convinced by him because he’s still raw. However, for me he has now done enough to earn a run of starts. What I like about him is that he is a direct dribbling player and he always looks to run and beat his man. He has very quick feet, and he has that explosive pace from a standing starting spot as well as when he’s running with the ball. I think he can become better and has a lot to learn and develop with, but I like his intent and the way he drives at the defenders and not just that, but actually gets past them.
Alejandro Garnacho has the same intentions, but I’ve rarely actually see him properly beat a man yet in a Chelsea shirt and again, I’m far from convinced for now. For me, in current form, Gittens is edging it and deserves to start games on merit.
Enzo Maresca has his sort of ‘Chelsea B-Team’ again this season like he had last season in the Conference League. He has pretty much a second Xl who start cup games at the moment. But I think he needs to put two of these players he starts in this Xl into the regular starting Xl for league games, so into his A-Team squad if you like.
Estevao Willian in particular, but also Jamie Gittens have both done enough to be starting regularly now in Maresca’s best Xl.
Estevao is Chelsea’s best attacking and most creative player right now whilst Cole Palmer is out injured. So I actually cannot understand why he is not starting him in most games. I understand bedding him in slowly, but now the time has come for him to play more. I backed the adaptation time and Maresca did good there, but Estevao must be starting for us in our best team right now.
