What Enzo Maresca must do with Joao Felix after he sends clear message in Chelsea vs Bournemouth

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Chelsea were forced to scrap late in order to save a point at home against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

After Cole Palmer had given the Blues the lead at Stamford Bridge, however their first half dominance was long gone as they were chasing an equaliser late on.

Up stepped Reece James to find the net for the first time in more than two years from a free-kick, a goal Bournemouth boss Androni Iraola believed shouldn’t have stood.

Joao Felix sends message to Enzo Maresca with top cameo vs Bournemouth

Enzo Maresca took his time to make any attacking substitutions last night, however finally introduced Joao Felix and Pedro Neto to proceedings with 10 minutes to go.

It was the former who won the free-kick that the club captain scored from, and even in just a brief cameo injected fear into a Bournemouth defence who had held firm the entire second half.

The Portugal international has found minutes extremely hard to come by lately in the Premier League, with it being nearly impossible to displace Palmer and the impact he has.

However, Maresca will now be aware how difficult it is becoming to leave Felix out of the starting side, and that he needs to come up with a solution in order to get him in more regularly.

Enzo Maresca wants to play Joao Felix alongside Cole Palmer

One of the options to get Felix in the squad more is to play him alongside Palmer in the attacking midfield roles.

The manager has previously hinted he is looking for ways to use the summer signing alongside their star man.

He said: “This [lack of physicality in midfield] doesn’t mean that we can’t play with Joao [Felix] and Cole [Palmer] in the pocket, it depends on the game. Probably soon, we are going to see Joao and Cole playing together in the pocket. It’s always the game that requires a little bit different plan.”

The next game against Wolves is one the Blues are expected to dominate, and could be the perfect chance for Maresca to utilise the duo in creative spaces to try and get them back to winning ways in the Premier League at last.