The complex Jadon Sancho problem Enzo Maresca now has to solve after Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest draw

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was presented with a complex tactical issue in the 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Chelsea went into the game as huge favourites, having won their last five in all competitions, but it was clear that the match against Forest would give us an idea of how strong this Chelsea team was and in the end Forest was the happy side after getting a point.

The game itself saw the Chelsea manager having to spend time instructing his players on where they needed to be, especially Jadon Sancho, who has always had the ability to beat his man but frustratingly didn’t seem to have the pace to capitalize on it. Sancho is technically brilliant but appears not to be quick enough to consistently make an impact, which allowed Ola Aina the chance to come back and make a block.

Chelsea's setup was quite simply the one that has carried them to a strong start, but this game was keenly contested. Given that they rely on their wingers to create opportunities that hurt or weaken teams, the Chelsea manager was visibly frustrated when his signing from Manchester United would often cut back instead of going in to cause havoc.

The Positives

It’s worth noting that Sancho was brilliant defensively, which helped Marc Cucurella handle Callum Hudson-Odoi very well. When he was at Manchester United, the criticism was that he was lazy, but that wasn’t the case here; he was always willing to make a tackle, track a runner, and attempt to make an interception.

The only thing that will need to be addressed is what he does when he beats his man, as this will be pivotal, especially in the highly competitive environment.

The draw might feel like points dropped at the moment but in reality, it’s a point gained if you take into consideration that they lost this fixture last season. The break will not give Maresca a chance to work on some of the issues he saw in this game.