18 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

J. Pedro has 3 goals and 2 assists in the 7 games he’s played behind a striker this season. Agreed he looks lost as a lone 9 though.

Going off goals and assists alone Enzo has 6 goals and 1 assist in 18 games (Premier League only) starting mainly in the 10 role (I don't have the exact stats from where he's started in the 10 vs in the pivot) . So if you scale up Joao Pedro's output in that position it's quite similar. Only major difference is one is expected to be covering all of the midfield (Enzo) and one isn't.

2 hours ago, Jordan711 said:

Going off goals and assists alone Enzo has 6 goals and 1 assist in 18 games (Premier League only) starting mainly in the 10 role (I don't have the exact stats from where he's started in the 10 vs in the pivot) . So if you scale up Joao Pedro's output in that position it's quite similar. Only major difference is one is expected to be covering all of the midfield (Enzo) and one isn't.

As a number 10, Enzo has zero goals and one assist in 6 appearances this season.

Arsenal (H)

Spurs (A)

Liverpool (H)

Atalanta (A)

Barca (H) 1 assist

Bayern (A)

Enzo Fernández - Stats

13 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

As a number 10, Enzo has zero goals and one assist in 6 appearances this season.

Arsenal (H)

Spurs (A)

Liverpool (H)

Atalanta (A)

Barca (H) 1 assist

Bayern (A)

Enzo Fernández - Stats

Whilst I respect you bringing stats to the table, the way Maresca has the team lining up he pushes forward into the left hand side 10 with normally the right full back inverting into a CM role. This is my main issue with the role Enzo plays, he's asked to push forward and crash the box in search of goals, the space often left behind him can lead to transitions/counters in the opposition favour. He just doesn't have the legs to be a box to box midfielder. But this has been a major part of my point all along, as fans we can see the weaknesses in his game but he is being asked week in, week out to perform a role he simply cannot do/ struggles with.

His goals from open play this season were rated as 0.83, 0.96, 0.74, 0.24 and 0.87 xG chances respectively.

Basically, nothing amazing happening here apart from being in the right place at the right time. Scored from 2 yards vs West Ham, Brighton and Man City, 10 yards vs Burnley (not a great shot as I think that one is saved if it isn't deflected off the defender) and then that very nice strike against Bournemouth.

He's actually the most wasteful player in the squad when it comes to his shooting ... -1.8 vs his xG. (as per FBREF)

38 minutes ago, Jordan711 said:

Whilst I respect you bringing stats to the table, the way Maresca has the team lining up he pushes forward into the left hand side 10 with normally the right full back inverting into a CM role. This is my main issue with the role Enzo plays, he's asked to push forward and crash the box in search of goals, the space often left behind him can lead to transitions/counters in the opposition favour. He just doesn't have the legs to be a box to box midfielder. But this has been a major part of my point all along, as fans we can see the weaknesses in his game but he is being asked week in, week out to perform a role he simply cannot do/ struggles with.

We’ve watched him play deep and he doesn’t have the legs or defensive discipline to play that role, as well as thinking he has more time than he does on the ball. Which takes us back to the original point, where is best for him? It looks like the 10 role, which we have far better players than him for.

1 hour ago, GarnachoCheese said:

We’ve watched him play deep and he doesn’t have the legs or defensive discipline to play that role, as well as thinking he has more time than he does on the ball. Which takes us back to the original point, where is best for him? It looks like the 10 role, which we have far better players than him for.

I'd argue we only have one definitively better player in that position and that would be Palmer. Anyway I feel like we're starting to go round in circles a little bit now, I say he's not useless, you say he is. Thanks for sharing your opinion and hearing mine. At the end of the day we all want what's best for the team and only time will tell if that's with or without Enzo. Here's hoping for a great result on Wednesday against Fulham.

On 04/01/2026 at 20:57, Scott Harris said:

Yes, it is mostly Enzo's fault. He's not playing strictly as a 10, he's more like a support player when we go forward. His main position is midfield. In high intensity games, the guy gets left behind and it's like we are playing with 10 men.

I'm bored of this merry go round with Enzo. He plays sh*t for months and his defence force say nothing. He suddenly scores a goal and they all come out and pretend everything that came before it didn't happen and then disappear again the next game when he plays sh*t. It's been going on for years at this point and it's been the same with many other players over the years, like Jorginho for example.

You mean Euro Championship and ECL winner Jorginho.

Edited January 5Jan 5 by MyWord

I wonder how he gets on in a Rosenior formation. 3-4-3 is his preferred formation in France and he also plays a similar formation we played against City. If he mimics Maresca’s 4-2-3-1 then Enzo isn’t starting ahead of Santos anymore. Santos was played most of last season in the Enzo role at Strasbourg.

I don’t believe he’s nearly as bad as some on here think but I do see players not getting minutes behind him that are at the very least better suited to that particular game.

Happy for him to stay but if we get an offer that gets to his book value (however much that is) then we should sell.

2 hours ago, MyWord said:

You mean Euro Championship and ECL winner Jorginho.

Changes nothing about what I said. Jorginho over the course of a full season was more of a hindrance because his weaknesses were regularly exposed. There's a reason why he could never win league titles.

9 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

His goals from open play this season were rated as 0.83, 0.96, 0.74, 0.24 and 0.87 xG chances respectively.

This is a very good skill trait to have though.

Imo Enzo is a very good player, he is simply not 100m player

8 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

I wonder how he gets on in a Rosenior formation. 3-4-3 is his preferred formation in France and he also plays a similar formation we played against City. If he mimics Maresca’s 4-2-3-1 then Enzo isn’t starting ahead of Santos anymore. Santos was played most of last season in the Enzo role at Strasbourg.

I don’t believe he’s nearly as bad as some on here think but I do see players not getting minutes behind him that are at the very least better suited to that particular game.

Happy for him to stay but if we get an offer that gets to his book value (however much that is) then we should sell.

I think if it's a 3-4-3 formation the best option would be a Caicedo-Santos pairing. However I think the board won't be allowing a 100m signing to be sitting on the bench too often so I can easily see a pairing of Enzo-Caicedo. Could this work utilising Enzo as a deep lying playmaker? He wouldn't have to cover as much ground and would have protection behind with an extra CB. Either way I hope the team is picked on merit and not price tag.

Edited January 6Jan 6 by Jordan711
Spelling

6 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

Changes nothing about what I said. Jorginho over the course of a full season was more of a hindrance because his weaknesses were regularly exposed. There's a reason why he could never win league titles.

And its the same reason I dont want Enzo played ahead of Santos, his negatives always outweigh any positives in every single game he plays for us, so its a simple choice to not play him in Marescas tactics, or at least it should have been.

GOOD CHANCE IT COULD HAPPEN, ROSENOIR LOVES SANTOS

According to E-Noticies, Maresca’s departure from Chelsea has opened the door for Madrid to make a move for Fernandez.

The Catalan media outlet has claimed in the headline of its report that Fernandez ‘dreams of Real Madrid after Maresca’s dismissal’.

The report has noted: ‘The Argentine is the team’s most decisive player in the engine room.

‘He has leadership, volume of play and the ability to set the pace, something that not all midfielders in the world possess.

‘Therefore, the possibility that he is considering a change of scenery is not a detail, it is a bombshell.’

While claiming that the Argentina international midfielder would be ‘the perfect fit for Xabi Alonso’, the report has outlined how the Real Madrid manager has been ‘looking for a conductor capable of organising the game for months’.

The Spanish and European giants ‘needs a midfielder who can command, make sense of possession and connect with those up front’.

4 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

GOOD CHANCE IT COULD HAPPEN, ROSENOIR LOVES SANTOS

According to E-Noticies, Maresca’s departure from Chelsea has opened the door for Madrid to make a move for Fernandez.

The Catalan media outlet has claimed in the headline of its report that Fernandez ‘dreams of Real Madrid after Maresca’s dismissal’.

The report has noted: ‘The Argentine is the team’s most decisive player in the engine room.

‘He has leadership, volume of play and the ability to set the pace, something that not all midfielders in the world possess.

‘Therefore, the possibility that he is considering a change of scenery is not a detail, it is a bombshell.’

While claiming that the Argentina international midfielder would be ‘the perfect fit for Xabi Alonso’, the report has outlined how the Real Madrid manager has been ‘looking for a conductor capable of organising the game for months’.

The Spanish and European giants ‘needs a midfielder who can command, make sense of possession and connect with those up front’.

The thing is that there is a way to keep Enzo in the side, just don't play him in a 2 man midfield. Make it a 3 man midfield and move Palmer back to the right and Enzo can keep ghosting into that 10 role without us having to worry about the massive hole he is leaving behind him. If we are going to continue with a 2 man midfield, then Enzo can't play if we want any chance of improving on the pitch.

My two cents...I'm an old-fashioned supporter...that hug to our fans after the 1-1 goal against City, is worth more than any technical consideration. 💙

11 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

The thing is that there is a way to keep Enzo in the side, just don't play him in a 2 man midfield. Make it a 3 man midfield and move Palmer back to the right and Enzo can keep ghosting into that 10 role without us having to worry about the massive hole he is leaving behind him. If we are going to continue with a 2 man midfield, then Enzo can't play if we want any chance of improving on the pitch.

Disgusting feeling that Rosenior will simply look to use James and invert him to "balance" that space Enzo leaves behind. It's pathetic because Rosenior, at Hull and at Strasbourg, played a midfield 2 that sits. But since Enzo has to play it seems, he'll opt to what Maresca has done.

Like I said in the Rosenior thread, IMMEDIATE respect is given if he drops Enzo and plays with a base midfield 2 that sits.

Edited January 6Jan 6 by Sconnie Blue

18 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Disgusting feeling that Rosenior will simply look to use James and invert him to "balance" that space Enzo leaves behind. It's pathetic because Rosenior, at Hull and at Strasbourg, played a midfield 2 that sits. But since Enzo has to play it seems, he'll opt to what Maresca has done.

Like I said in the Rosenior thread, IMMEDIATE respect is given if he drops Enzo and plays with a base midfield 2 that sits.

Given how important a player Santos was for Rosenior at Strasbourg, including making him captain (almost unheard of for a loan player), there is no way he isn't a nailed on starter now that Rosenior is at Chelsea. If Andrey continues on the bench then we will know that Rosenior has his hands tied by Eghbali and the SDs ...

PR machine in overdrive.

Have a look at this load of crap LOL

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/why-you-voted-enzo-fernandez-as-your-player-of-the-match-vs-man-city

They say : "In what was his 101st Premier League appearance, the midfielder made seven tackles - his most in any game in the competition."

What they don't say was that while he might have attempted seven tackles ; he was only actually successful in 3 of them, but they make out it was 7 with the way they've written it.

PR waffle personified ... they must be sh*tting themselves that Rosenior will want to play Andrey Santos instead of Enzo ...

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

Given how important a player Santos was for Rosenior at Strasbourg, including making him captain (almost unheard of for a loan player), there is no way he isn't a nailed on starter now that Rosenior is at Chelsea. If Andrey continues on the bench then we will know that Rosenior has his hands tied by Eghbali and the SDs ...

Enzo will 100% play unfortunately.

2 hours ago, Eugenio_67 said:

My two cents...I'm an old-fashioned supporter...that hug to our fans after the 1-1 goal against City, is worth more than any technical consideration. 💙

One thing I will give to Enzo is that he shows he cares. Can't fault that his heart is definitely in it. Fans will always love that kind of passion.

While he’s an untouchable we will never dine at the top table.

We were literally about 200% better by swapping out him for Reece immediately.

8 minutes ago, 2211 said:

While he’s an untouchable we will never dine at the top table.

We were literally about 200% better by swapping out him for Reece immediately.

Because Reece isn't an imbecile and realized it be best to close the gap with Caicedo instead of leaving him on a f**king island.

15 minutes ago, 2211 said:

While he’s an untouchable we will never dine at the top table.

We were literally about 200% better by swapping out him for Reece immediately.

Enzo isn't in the top 10 reasons we won't dine at the top table