“Sancho is a very good player but he has something he has to fix. I think this is the same issue the manager of his former team had with him. I will try to work with him because this draw with Nottingham Forest clearly shows the issues we have to fix” – Enzo Maresca now faces the challenging task of resolving the complicated Jadon Sancho situation following Chelsea’s draw against Nottingham Forest.

Chelsea’s winning streak was halted by Nottingham Forest, marking the first appearance of the Jadon Sancho issue.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca faced a tactical dilemma during the 1-1 Premier League draw.

Chelsea entered the match as strong favorites after five consecutive victories across all competitions, but the game revealed areas of concern for Maresca’s side. Forest left the happier of the two teams, having secured a point.

Throughout the game, Maresca was seen frequently instructing his players, particularly Jadon Sancho.

While Sancho has the technical skill to beat defenders, his lack of pace often prevented him from capitalizing on those moments. This allowed Forest’s Ola Aina to recover and block him.

Chelsea’s system, which has fueled their strong start, relies heavily on wingers to create dangerous opportunities.

However, Maresca was visibly frustrated as Sancho, a high-profile signing from Manchester United, repeatedly chose to cut back instead of pressing forward to cause problems for the opposition defense.

The Positives
It’s important to highlight that Sancho was excellent defensively, which played a key role in helping Marc Cucurella contain Callum Hudson-Odoi effectively.

While he was often criticized for being lazy during his time at Manchester United, that wasn’t the case here. Sancho consistently showed a willingness to tackle, track runners, and attempt interceptions.

The key issue that needs to be addressed is how Sancho capitalizes after beating his opponent, as this will be crucial, especially in such a competitive environment.

While the draw may seem like dropped points right now, it’s actually a point gained when considering they lost this fixture last season.

Unfortunately, the upcoming break won’t give Maresca the opportunity to work on some of the problems he identified in this match.