With the start of the Champions League in mind, Enzo Maresca rejected the proposal to choose a weakened Chelsea team on Saturday for a draw with Brentford, but Alejandro Garnacho was criticized for “falling asleep.”
The Bruce travelled to Munich to win Bayern in the first match of the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, with Maresca choosing to start Jorell Hat and Wesley Fofana as fullbacks for a clash with Brentford.
Before Cole Palmer got worn out at the time mark and turned the game, Reese James, Mark Kukulera and Tyrique George came in, and Chelsea were placed behind Kevin Shade’s goal courtesy in all three attacks.
Read more: Cole Palmer wakes up Chelsea before Ghanacho goes to sleep…
Palmer knocked down from Joan Pedro in the 85th minute before Moises Kaycedo Pilled River seemed to have secured all three points for Chelsea.
However, Brentford’s long throw got the deserved draw for the hosts, replacing Fabio Carvalho in the back post.
After the game, Maresca argued that João Pedro’s opening match was evidence of focusing on Premier League clashes before explaining what his team should do better to secure a victory.
“Pre-match João Pedro said he wasn’t 100% right, he wasn’t playing,” Maresca said. “If you were thinking about Bayern Munich, Jois would be on the bench, but he played because there was tonight’s focus.
“If you want to play the Champions League again next season, you need to do well in the Premier League.”
He added: “We admitted in 93/94 minutes, so that’s a shame.
“We have to be able to avoid transitions and set pieces. We scored from transitions and set pieces.
“That’s something we deal with very well during the game, but in the end we admit it and that’s a shame.”
Read more: Chelsea should plunder the “rog arrogant” Maresca over “trash” football.
Garnacho was key to Kaiseko’s goal as he gave Chelsea a late come out of the bench and gave him momentum ahead and ran to the left before delivering the ball to the box.
However, the 21-year-old was responsible for Brentford equalizer and Jamie Redknap’s summer £40 million signatures and “falling asleep” in the back post.
“They obviously made some changes to try and chase the game,” Rednap told Sky Sports.
“He brings (Fabio) Carvalho, he brings (Christopher) ajer. (Michael) Kayode leaves anyone throwing the ball at such height and pace.
“He launches one in the box. You see that you have (Nathan) Collins and Agere there. What happens as it develops, this is the important battle here. Garnacho is at work. He has to mark Carvalho.
“It’s your job. It’s easy. Don’t lose him, you’re one of the defensive players here now. If he gets behind you, it’s on you.
“Everyone there is trying to win that first contact. That’s not easy. There’s a big name in Brentford, but Garnacho falls asleep at a critical moment.
“The ball comes in from the shade. Garnacho is not concentrated. They get that contact, where he (Carvalho) is in the back post.”
