Chelsea’s Rotation Gamble: Are The Blues marching toward the unknown?

Chelsea's rotation policy under the microscope

Chelsea have been rotating their lineup at a striking pace this season, with manager Enzo Maresca making wholesale changes to the starting XI in most of the latest fixtures, a trend that has seen the club among the most active in altering their lineup in the Premier League this campaign.

The policy has begun to raise eyebrows, especially after a 2-2 draw with Qarabağ, a result that felt more like a stumble than a statement of intent for the workers in blue.

The substitute Alejandro Garnacho grabbed the equaliser early in the second half, in a chaotic and open match staged at the Tofig Bakhramov Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The young Brazilian Estevão Willian had opened the scoring for Chelsea, but defensive errors by a Qarabağ defender allowed Leandro Andrada and Marko Janković to seize the moment, in a game that underscored Qarabağ’s smaller market value of around £22 million overall, roughly less than a million per player.

In contrast, Chelsea’s squad is valued at well over £1 billion, yet their first-half display in Baku was markedly below the level of the strong, controlled performance they showed in a 1-0 win at Tottenham just days earlier. The Qarabağ game was played with a markedly different starting XI from the Tottenham encounter at the Spurs Stadium.

Only goalkeeper Robert Sánchez, full-backs Reece James and Marc Cucurella, and striker João Pedro started the match; Maresca made seven changes or more in starting lineups across competitions for the fifth time this season.

According to statistics, no Premier League club has made as many changes as Chelsea, totaling 85 alterations in a mere 16 matches.

The heavy rotation has sparked wide criticism and even drawn comparisons with the old tag of a “man who changes” once attached to Claudio Ranieri during a previous era at the club.

Maresca has defended the approach, arguing that changes are made because the starting plan remains the correct one, and that the team started well and scored, only to concede two avoidable goals. He stressed the importance of area play and opportunities, noting that with many bodies in the box, decisiveness could have been improved.

He also added that the team was better in the second half than in the first, and that every game is a chance for each player to demonstrate why they deserve a place at Chelsea.

The “two teams” label seems to describe Chelsea this season, with performances swinging from one game to the next. The side can look dazzling against big opponents but sometimes falters against lesser rivals, as Qarabağ illustrated.

In big fixtures, the front trio of Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández and Garnacho typically starts, yet Maresca manages their physical load carefully and welcomes the return of Liam Delap. The squad also has to cope without key players like Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill at times.

The heavy schedule has left little time for rest, with the season stretching into a long arc that included the Club World Cup triumph last July, compressing the pre-season preparation to less than two weeks.

Maresca has stated that the plan was to rest Enzo, Moisés, Cole Palmer, and other players who cannot play every three days, emphasizing the need for full recovery from last season’s fatigue, and acknowledging the toll of the Club World Cup on their readiness.

He concluded that when rotation is paired with a win, the reaction is muted; but when results dip, rotation becomes the headline. Now the team must recharge before Saturday and start again with renewed energy.

A quick comparison with north London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal shows that they have reduced rotation in recent weeks, helping to build team cohesion even if results have been mixed recently.

The performance of some substitutes didn’t help the cause, with a number of younger players failing to deliver against Qarabağ, while Romeo Lavia’s cameo ended early due to an injury, raising concerns about his fitness after Chelsea paid around £53 million in 2023 for the Belgian midfielder.

Transfer-market data show Lavia has suffered nine prior injuries and missed 568 days, with 87 matches absent since arriving at Chelsea. He has appeared in 29 matches but never completed a 90-minute outing for the Blues.

All told, the rotation debate looks set to persist in the weeks ahead as the club weighs rest against rhythm and the squad’s evolving chemistry.

Punchline time: Chelsea’s squad list is starting to look like a never-ending magic show—every time you think you’ve seen the same lineup, abracadabra, a fresh 11 appears. Punchline two: If rotation is the plan, at least they’re keeping the physiotherapist in business; he’s got a full calendar and a very happy calculator.

From Azerbaijan to the bigger picture

The match in Baku can be read as a microcosm of Chelsea’s season so far: a club capable of elite moments but hampered by inconsistency and fatigue. The rotation policy, while arguably designed to preserve energy and adapt to tactical needs, has not yet produced a clear path to sustained coherence. As Maresca refines his selection decisions, supporters will be watching for a more stable spine and a demonstration that depth translates into steady results rather than headlines about changes.

In the end, the balance Chelsea hope to strike is simple in concept but difficult in execution: the right players on the pitch at the right time, without tipping the scales toward fatigue or dissonance. Whether that balance arrives this season remains to be seen, but the club’s supporters will certainly be watching closely as the fixtures pile up and the clock keeps ticking.