Garnacho has yet to mature at Chelsea

Despite starting 4 of the last 5 Premier League games, Alejandro Garnacho often leaves fans disappointed.

Garnacho struggled in his last two Premier League starts against Newcastle and most recently Aston Villa. Many Chelsea fans are frustrated not only due to missed chances but also because he has been the least effective member of the blue team’s attack compared to players like Cole Palmer or Joao Pedro.

In the 2-2 draw against Newcastle, Garnacho earned praise for completing 25 out of 26 passes, showing great defensive effort, and creating two scoring chances for teammates. However, the former Manchester United player failed to convert chances into goals, taking five shots but only one on target, and his six crosses went nowhere. In the match against Aston Villa, Garnacho had just one shot, which missed the target. He frequently slowed Chelsea’s attacking pace and struggled repeatedly to get past defender Matty Cash, allowing Aston Villa’s defense to fall back and stop Chelsea’s attacks under Maresca’s coaching.

With 4 goals and 2 assists in 19 appearances, Garnacho’s stats are not bad considering Chelsea spent only £40 million to acquire him from Manchester United. The Argentine striker has often saved Maresca’s team in cup competitions, such as his crucial equalizer against Qarabag in the Champions League last month and a recent brace that helped Chelsea defeat Cardiff 3-1 in the League Cup quarter-finals about two weeks ago. Compared to Jamie Gittens, Maresca still prefers Garnacho in the left forward position due to his attitude and willingness to help defensively: “It’s a pleasure working with Garnacho because he is always open, eager to learn, and works hard whether he has the ball or is off it. Sometimes he plays well, but other times he doesn’t.”