Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has insisted that the young age of his squad cannot be used as an excuse when explaining their disciplinary issues.
The Blues possessing the youngest squad in the Premier League has been well-documented throughout his campaign as they bid to earn Champions League qualification.
While they may only sit in fifth position in the top-flight standings, Maresca’s squad sit at the top of the table when it comes to yellow cards.
A total of 96 cautions and two red cards have been given to Chelsea players during their 36 matches, with as many as seven players collecting seven cautions or more.
Nicolas Jackson‘s dismissal against Newcastle United last weekend has ensured that the issue remains a hot topic for debate, and Maresca has indicated that lessons must be learned.
“It is not about the age”
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday morning, Maresca was initially quizzed on Jackson, suggesting that no debate was needed over whether the Senegal international deserved to be sent off for a stray forearm on Sven Botman.
The Italian said: “I think Nico is intelligent enough to recognise that there has been an error, a mistake.”
When asked on Chelsea’s total of yellow cards, Maresca added: “For me it’s not about the age because no matter the age you are if you make a mistake and then it’s okay, all of us we make mistakes but if you make the same mistake again probably it’s not the best thing.
“I think he’s the first red card this season for us. Unfortunately it’s been for Nico. Then in terms of yellow cards, probably it’s something seriously that during the summer because now we have no time to fix and to see the reason why of this yellow card the amount of them that we can avoid and try to improve for next season.”
While Marc Cucurella was dismissed against Brentford in December, it came after the full-time whistle.
Should Chelsea be singled out?
Although Chelsea sit in first place of a table that they would prefer not to, Bournemouth are only two yellow cards behind them.
Furthermore, Arsenal (six), Ipswich Town (five), Crystal Palace (four), Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Manchester United and Southampton (three) have all accumulated more red cards.
However, Chelsea did set the all-time record for most yellow cards (105) in a Premier League season in 2023-24 and are in contention to equal or break that unwanted feat.
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