Maresca Criticises Adarabioyo’s Performance as Chelsea Eye Vital Bournemouth Tie

Key Takeaways:

• On Wednesday evening, Chelsea fell to a 3-1 defeat to Leeds United at Elland Road, halting their recent positive run
• Manager Enzo Maresca openly criticised Tosin Adarabioyo’s performance, disputing claims that experience was the team’s downfall
• Chelsea will visit Bournemouth on Saturday, aiming to retain fourth place before their Champions League clash with Atalanta

Leeds Defeat Highlights Issues in Chelsea’s Lineup

Chelsea suffered a setback in their Premier League campaign after a 3-1 reverse against Leeds United on Wednesday evening at Elland Road. The hosts went ahead through a set piece within the opening ten minutes, with Ao Tanaka further extending the advantage before half-time. Although Pedro Neto pulled one back shortly after the interval, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late strike ensured victory for Leeds and left Chelsea unable to respond.

Enzo Maresca cooks Tosin Adarabioyo 🤔

🗣 "Who was the most experienced player for us in the week? Tosin. Did he play good? So it is not about experience." pic.twitter.com/ZFbZYgOGOF

— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) December 5, 2025

This outcome interrupted a promising spell of form for the Stamford Bridge side and leaves them occupying fourth spot in the table. With a visit to Bournemouth on the horizon, maintaining their top-four status remains a pressing concern for Maresca’s team.

Maresca Takes Aim at Adarabioyo and Reflects on Selection Choices

In the aftermath of defeat, manager Enzo Maresca addressed questions on the squad’s lack of experience and leadership, especially with Reece James rested on the bench and Moises Caicedo unavailable owing to suspension. Rather than attribute the loss to youthful inexperience, Maresca pointed towards individual displays, notably singling out Tosin Adarabioyo for criticism. He stated on Friday morning: “We are always talking about experience when we drop points but when we beat Barcelona and drew with Arsenal, no one is talking about experienced players.”

“This was not the reason. We have experienced players, one that was suspended and one who has an injury. Who was the most experienced player for us in the week? Tosin. Did he play good? So it is not about experience.”

Maresca also admitted that his tactical choices could have been improved for the midweek fixture. With James kept in reserve, Trevoh Chalobah started at right-back, alongside Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile in central defence. On reflection, Maresca revealed that he regretted not including teenager Josh Acheampong in the starting XI instead. “One of the regrets I have after the game is that I didn’t play with Josh,” he confessed. “The reason why we played with Trevoh, Benoit and Tosin was because we saw long balls to their strikers, but even that, we lost most of them.”

Upcoming Fixtures: Critical Stretch for Chelsea

The Blues are set for a crucial Premier League battle away at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon, needing victory to consolidate their place amongst the league’s elite. Attention will quickly turn to European matters as the squad travels to face Atalanta in the Champions League midweek, before welcoming Everton shortly thereafter.

In the European league phase, Chelsea currently occupy seventh position, which is inside the automatic qualification spots. Their remaining group-stage matches will see them take on Pafos and Napoli in addition to Atalanta, as they look to secure progression.