Noni Madueke was axed by Enzo Maresca for Chelsea’s first Premier League defeat since October, with the Blues boss making an example of the 22-year-old English international.
Madueke was not injured as the winger missed out on making the squad here, and Maresca instead named a bench that included two goalkeepers and a pair of academy graduates.
He only used a single substitute, replacing Nicolas Jackson with Christopher Nkunku, as Fulham went on to win at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 45 years.
Maresca has not yet explained exactly why he dropped Madueke, but he has previously criticised the Englishman for not training properly in between matches.
After axing him from the team for their Premier League win over Aston Villa earlier this month, Maresca told us: ‘He can do much more. The moment he starts to score or assist and is happy, he starts to drop.
'The reason why he was not playing is because I do not like the way he trained.’
Maresca also took aim after a Conference League clash with Servette at the start of the season, saying at the time: ‘I really like Noni. The only problem with him probably is that he has to understand he needs to be consistent during the week.’
Maresca also suggested this derby defeat by Fulham was proof of why Chelsea are not in this season’s title race with Liverpool and Arsenal.
The Blues clumsily conceded twice in the 82nd and 95th minutes as Fulham came from behind to win.
‘It’s more the feeling we have inside and the reality we have inside that we can do better,’ Maresca said. ‘One of the things is game management.’
Biecdklpsz
22
it's a derby I know but the gaffer got the subs all wrong.Jackson was doing well,it was even Palmer that suppose to leave for Jaoa Felix then Sancho for Nkunku and George for Pedro Neto
Voices
18
Did he said game management? He want to manage the game while having tired players on the pitch, all the goals scored against us was from the bench which should tell him that those players came in with fresh energy. He can't be managing a game with 90% of the players being tired while have 4 good substitutions to do but decided not to do it. He should learn that the more he rotate his team the more his opponents would be confused to what to train and prepare for, our opponents are matching Palmer now which means he need to change his role or add Felix to him to make opponents have double man making to do in the game which could open up more space for us and this can be Don when playing low black teams. Felix needs to be playing