Glenn Hoddle has just put forward a strong case for why Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca should be picking one Blues player every game rather than bringing him in and out of the starting XI.
Enzo Maresca was making things look pretty easy during his first few months as the Chelsea manager. However, every decision he makes is now under scrutiny because the team’s form has significantly dropped since December.
There was unrest in Chelsea’s squad earlier in the season because those impressing in cup competitions weren’t getting much of a look-in for the Premier League schedule.
If we look at the state of things now, Maresca is shuffling his pack a lot with plenty of changes each week, but that lack of consistency isn’t helping.
Glenn Hoddle urges Enzo Maresca to start Chelsea player every game and stop dropping him
Glenn Hoddle is desperate to see Chelsea’s Pedro Neto, 24, get an extended run in the starting line-up as the right-winger.
Hoddle told The Athletic: “Neto is a top player. He can play on the left side, but he is lethal coming onto his left foot from the right.
“If he knows he is in the team every week, you will see him grow into the player he was at Wolves. We have seen a few big moments, but he has not been consistent because he has been in and out of the side. Give him the shirt and let him play on the right flank.”
Unfortunately, Neto’s form hasn’t quite ignited since his summer transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers. In 29 Blues appearances, he’s scored four goals and created five assists.
The versatile wide man has played a mixture of the left wing and the right wing, but we’d agree with Hoddle that he’s most effective on the latter.
It must be so frustrating for the Portugal international that he’s in and out of the XI.
| Date | Fixture | Did Pedro Neto start? |
| 14 February | Brighton 3-0 Chelsea | Yes |
| 8 February | Brighton 2-1 Chelsea | Yes |
| 3 February | Chelsea 3-1 West Ham | No |
| 25 January | Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea | No |
| 20 January | Chelsea 3-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers | Yes |
| 14 January | Chelsea 2-2 Bournemouth | No |
| 11 January | Chelsea 5-0 Morecambe | Yes |
| 4 January | Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea | Yes |
Neto only started on the right wing in three of the matches above, so it might not be a surprise that his form is up and down this campaign.
Jason Cundy suggests Neto’s solves Chelsea’s striker crisis. The last thing he needs is even more change to his game right now, though.
The door may now be open for Pedro Neto
In terms of Chelsea’s wingers, Neto moves around a lot because he’s got the flexibility to operate from both flanks. In contrast, Noni Madueke starts from the right when he plays, while Jadon Sancho predominantly operates from the left.
Unfortunately, Chelsea winger Madueke could be out for “a while” because of the hamstring injury he picked up in the recent Premier League defeat to Brighton.
For Neto, his eyes should be lighting up in the hope that it gives him a consecutive run of starts on the right wing.
It simply can’t just be on Cole Palmer to bail the Blues attack out of trouble with his genius, so the likes of Neto must step up and take more of the burden.
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