Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend believes Chelsea are suffering from the lack of a "settled side". The Blues' hopes of qualifying automatically for the Champions League knockouts were dealt a blow as Atalanta came from behind to win 2-1 in Bergamo on Tuesday. Maresca made five changes for this game as he continued his run of rotating players in and out of his starting line-up.
Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend believes Chelsea are suffering from the lack of a "settled side".
The Blues' hopes of qualifying automatically for the Champions League knockouts were dealt a blow as Atalanta came from behind to win 2-1 in Bergamo on Tuesday.
Maresca made five changes for this game as he continued his run of rotating players in and out of his starting line-up.
The changes here came after he made the same number for the loss to Leeds and six for the draw with Bournemouth prior to the trip to Atalanta.
"It seems Chelsea haven't found a consistent team and starting XI," Townsend told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"Because they have so many players it is so easy for Maresca to chop and change.
"He changed his two centre-backs against Atalanta, he changed his left winger.
"He's making too many changes and they just haven't found that formula to settle on an XI and go on a run like they did in the summer at the Club World Cup.
"At the Club World Cup they had a settled side and went on to win that competition.
"Now it feels like Maresca makes four or five changes every game and that doesn't help any team."
When asked about his rotation post-match, Maresca said: "I think tonight [in] the first XI we had eight or nine players who played against Tottenham, Barcelona and Arsenal.
"If you see the five changes that we did compared to Bournemouth it is is different but it is the eight or nine players playing Barcelona.
"The ones who played tonight are the ones playing almost all the games."
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Category: General Sports
