Chelsea Football Club delivered a powerful response to critics of manager Enzo Maresca's rotation policy with a convincing 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The win came just days after former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney questioned the Italian manager's team selection decisions.
Rotation Controversy and Rooney's Criticism
The match followed significant controversy surrounding Maresca's decision to make seven changes for Chelsea's Champions League clash against Azerbaijani side Qarabag, which ended in a 2-2 draw on Wednesday. Rooney had publicly stated that Chelsea's senior players should "question" Maresca's selections, creating substantial external pressure on the manager.
Maresca defended his approach by emphasizing the increased physical demands on modern footballers. In response to the criticism, he made eight changes for the Wolves encounter, marking the sixth consecutive match where he altered seven or more players in the starting lineup.
Second Half Dominance Seals Victory
The first half saw Chelsea struggling to convert opportunities despite controlling possession. The team appeared affected by their long flight back from Baku, having arrived in London at six o'clock on Thursday morning. Several chances went begging, including a missed opportunity by Joao Pedro just before halftime, leading to frustrated boos from home supporters as teams left the pitch.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half. French defender Malo Gusto broke the deadlock in the 51st minute with his first professional goal since joining from Lyon in 2023. The breakthrough came from Alejandro Garnacho's driving run and precise cross into the six-yard box, which Gusto headed home with confidence.
The introduction of emerging Brazilian talent Estevao Willian proved decisive, as the teenage sensation made an immediate impact. Within just 67 seconds of coming on, Estevao set up Chelsea's second goal in the 65th minute with a perfectly-weighted cross for Joao Pedro, who fired a fierce strike past Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
Climbing the Table and Silencing Critics
Former Wolves winger Pedro Neto completed the scoring in the 73rd minute, tapping in Garnacho's inviting cross to seal Chelsea's fourth win in their last five Premier League games. The comprehensive victory lifted Chelsea into second place in the league standings, just six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Although Chelsea will drop from second position after Manchester City face Liverpool on Sunday, the result provides perfect momentum heading into the international break. Maresca expressed satisfaction with his team's response to external criticism, stating: "It's more noise from outside. Inside, we are convinced that as a club as a team we are going in the right direction and doing good things."
The manager addressed the rotation controversy directly, adding: "It's part of my job, it's part of the game. At the end this is a business that when you don't win there are problems but when you win everything is good."
For bottom-placed Wolves, the defeat represents their ninth loss in eleven league games, leaving them eight points from safety. The team is currently led by academy coaches James Collins and Richard Walker following Vitor Pereira's dismissal last weekend, with Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards granted permission to discuss the vacant position.
