Enzo Maresca Has Turned £180k-p/w Chelsea Star into ‘a Different Player’

Chelsea faced a stern test on Sunday afternoon as Aston Villa made the journey to London for their Premier League match. But the Blues were on fire at Stamford Bridge, dispatching their opponents with ease 3-0 as they continued their pursuit of a top four finish.

Unai Emery’s side struggled to get going in the first half as Chelsea put them under relentless pressure, and they were rewarded early on when Marc Cucurella won the ball high up the pitch. He drove into the box and cut the ball back for Nicolas Jackson, who finished well in the seventh minute.

Although Villa had chances, they were made to pay once again in the 36th minute as Enzo Fernandez crashed the ball past Emiliano Martinez for Chelsea’s second of the day. Cole Palmer rounded things off with a superb strike from outside the box late in the second half. The Englishman was on fire again, but so was his Argentine teammate. Fernandez shone in midfield and it was indicative of a marked improvement that the midfielder has made under new manager Enzo Maresca.

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Fernandez’s Performance Against Aston Villa

The Argentine shone in midfield

While it was a fine performance from almost the entire Chelsea team, Fernandez stood out for his exceptional display in the middle of the park. He was here, there and everywhere throughout the match, contributing in a number of key areas for the Blues as they ran out deserved winners.

The acting skipper controlled the midfield and whether it was defensively or driving forward, he was a real difference maker for Maresca’s team. Fernandez got on the scoresheet with a wonderfully taken strike in the first half, but also recorded two key passes, helping create chances for his teammates. He had 73 touches on the ball, demonstrating how influential he was throughout Chelsea’s victory.

He helped out defensively whenever it was called up, making three tackles for his team whenever Villa threatened to break through the midfield and won six of his ground duels too. While Cole Palmer will earn plenty of plaudits for his performance, which included a sublime shot from distance that curled into the top corner and the assist that set Fernandez up, the former Benfica man also deserves some praise for his outing.

Recently, though, these sorts of performances are something that Chelsea fans have grown accustomed to as Fernandez has transformed into a top class midfielder following Maresca’s arrival.

Fernandez has Stepped up His Game Lately

He’s been transformed under Maresca

His impressive showing against Villa was just the latest in a series of strong performances from Fernandez. The midfielder has really turned his Chelsea career around under Maresca after a disappointing start to life in England. Initially arriving at Stamford Bridge in January 2023, he failed to make a positive impression and struggled to meet the lofty expectations that surrounded him when the Blues made him the most expensive British transfer ever.

In his first one-and-a-half seasons in England, Fernandez managed to record just seven goal contributions in the Premier League. He did so in 46 appearances in the division. After his strike against Villa on Sunday, he’s now already chalked up four goal contributions in the league this season alone and he’s reached that figure in 12 games. It’s a significant upgrade on his previous output and reflects the major improvements he’s made under Maresca’s tutelage. Following the manager’s arrival, he was handed the role of vice captain and has risen to the challenge.

This season, Fernandez is averaging more key passes a game (1.4) than he did last time out (1.1) or the campaign before (1.1). He’s being dispossessed less on average, too, than he was last year. A higher percentage of his shots are hitting the target this year, with 37.5% of his efforts forcing a save out of goalkeepers in comparison to last season’s figure of 28.9%. It’s not just himself that he’s creating opportunities for, though. According to FBRef, the Argentine on average is recording 0.64 goal-creating actions every game, which is a big improvement on the 0.29 figure he averaged in 2023/24.

Defensively, he’s also stepped things up and is averaging 2.4 tackles a game in the league during the 2024/25 campaign. That’s a significant jump from last season’s 1.8. It’s clear the impact his absence has on the team when he’s unavailable and he’s become one of the most important players at Stamford Bridge. It just took a little longer than expected.

All statistics courtesy of SofaScore, FBRef & WhoScored and accurate as of 01/12/2024