Cucurella gives Chelsea’s narrow victory over Leicester after Palmer Spot-Kick Miss | Premier League

Some Chelsea supporters remain standoffish with Enzo Maresca, even after watching their side creep back into the top four. The mind remains that the Stamford Bridge-Regular will take some convincingly over the benefits of the careful, possession-heavy character of jumps. It is not exactly to put impulse -racing at the moment, and it told that the mood was far from harmonious during this victory against Leicester City.

Maresca seemed to let out a lot of frustration when he responded to Marc Cucurella breaking the deadwater after an hour of stodginess by gesturing angrily for fans to make more noise. It was grimly about his team’s backwards and sideways passing, had hit a nerve. Then Maresca could hardly complain if there was dissatisfaction with Chelsea working against opponents who look sure to return to the championship after losing 12 of their last 13 games.

There was the excuse for Cole Palmer, nine games have gone without goals after tightening an early punishment and demanding to start despite diarrhea that prevented him from training for 48 hours. Still, Palmer’s nausea stomach wasn’t the only reason Chelsea’s attack stinked the place at times.

Maresca also pointed out that Leicester switched to a back five for the first time under Ruud van Nistelrooy and said it forced him to change his entire plan just before kick-off. Cucurella, which was supposed to be an auxiliary midfielder, was asked to overlap more from left back; Maresca suggested that the shifts were too subtle for outsiders to understand.

The main coach sounded impatient. Maresca, who was talking about his post -goal -celebration, acknowledged that there was boos when Enzo Fernández played a backpass a few minutes before Cucurella scored.

“It’s our style,” the Italian said. “We need our fans – I said that on my Instagram two days ago. We need them behind the players because the spirit they showed today was fantastic. I fully understand when there is a negative feeling, but how many chances did we create in the first half? “

Not many. There was an element of mares that deflected the attention of a softened screen. Was it really such a shock to Leicester to put numbers behind the ball? This was no revolutionary tactics. Onus was at Chelsea to respond.

The rescuing grace was that Leicester couldn’t make life really uncomfortable for their former manager. They have lost their identity since Maresca left last summer and are six points under 17. Placed wolves after their fifth consecutive empty. No wonder Van Nistelrooy, who looks at increasingly thin ice after taking seven points from a possible 45, since replacing Steve Cooper in November, later the appearance of a manager who would not be surprised if this turns out to be his last excursion. “We don’t know if we are running out of time,” said Leicester’s manager. “We know we have today and tomorrow.”

Van Nistelrooy took satisfaction with how Leicester strangled Chelsea by denying them space to run behind. It’s a problem for Maresca’s team. Their passing was slow, and the only Chelsea player who so willing to take any risks was Robert Sánchez, a surprising starts in goal a month after losing his place in the league to Filip Jörgensen.

Leicester had almost a Farcic lead when their right wing, James Justin, delivered a firm cross. Sánchez produced a flying air stance and Tosin Adarabioyo turned the ball against his own bar. Levi Colwill stopped Jamie Vardy from nodding rebound in the empty net.

Chelsea were anxious. Pedro Neto had few opportunities to drive through the middle. Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumaré matched Moisés Caicedo and Fernández in midfield. Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku were quiet on the flanks.

Then there were palm trees that are no longer the mooching, relaxed figure who ruined defenders for fun earlier this season. What came naturally before now feels forced. There was almost an inevitability for Mads Hermansen, who denied palms after Chelsea was awarded a penalty for Victor Kristiansen’s tour of Sancho in the 19th minute.

Chelsea drifted into lethargy before half time. Palms, who had lost its perfect record from the scene, were tired. Hermansen rejected a drive from Nkunku, but much of the play was ahead of Leicester. Wesley Fofana, who started for the first time since December 1, after a hamstring injury, gave no breadth at the right back. Being a wings for mares is not easy.

Like the moaning grew in intensity, a fullback ran up to soothe the noise. Cucurella’s low drive from 20 yards slid past Hermansen and Maresca asked the fans for more positivity.

The mood remained fragile. Palms came earlier than usual, but Leicester was too blunt to capitalize. Vardy tested Sánchez on 0-0, but an equalization was never on the cards. Chelsea, a little uneasy, goes into their journey to Arsenal with something approaching speed.