138 touches, lost the ball 23x: Chelsea liability was just as bad as Disasi for Maresca

Chelsea lost 2-0 to Newcastle in the League Cup. The match was at St. James’ Park. Chelsea had beaten Newcastle 2-1 in the Premier League just days earlier. This time, they could not win.

Alexander Isak scored the first goal. Chelsea made a mistake in midfield that allowed Newcastle to score. An own goal by Axel Disasi sealed the game for Newcastle. Enzo Maresca chose Disasi to play as a right-back. Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile played in the center. Disasi struggled during the match.

Disasi’s own goal came before half-time. It was a tough situation. His teammates failed to clear the ball, which landed in a dangerous area. Disasi did not handle it well and kicked it into his own net. He lost four of six duels. He was also dribbled past once. Joelinton challenged him physically. Disasi did create two chances for his teammates. However, he was not the only player who underperformed. Captain Enzo Fernandez also struggled.

Fernandez had a poor game as captain. He lacked creativity and quality. His teammates made mistakes, like Renato Veiga’s bad pass that led to the first goal. Instead of challenging for the ball, Fernandez raised his arms, asking for a foul. The Evening Standard rated him 3 out of 10. They pointed to his lack of leadership and the team’s struggles in the first half.

Fernandez had many opportunities but failed to capitalize. He had 138 touches but created only one chance. He did not create any big chances. Early in the game, he made a poor long pass that went out of play. Overall, Fernandez’s performance mirrored Disasi’s struggles. Both players need to improve. Maresca will be looking for better performances from them in the future.

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