'Find a solution': John Obi Mikel urges Enzo Maresca to bring back £42m Chelsea player he has 'frozen out'
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John Obi Mikel has suggested what Enzo Maresca should do with Joao Felix amid Chelsea’s need for more goals.
The West London club have now dropped points in each of their last four matches leaving their title push in doubt for now. Chelsea were flying under the Italian in the early stages of the season, however, they have struggled to get over the line in recent matches.
Marseca’s ability to change a game has been called into question with suggestions that he isn’t getting his substitutions right. Now, the former Chelsea midfielder has called for the manager to start using Felix differently.
John Obi Mikel wants Joao Felix to play more for Chelsea
John Obi Mikel has urged Enzo Maresca to find a way to bring Joao Felix back into the team. The ex-Nigerian international can’t understand why the 25-year-old isn’t getting more opportunities.
Obi Mikel believes the Portugese forward has been ‘frozen out’ by Maresca and he needs to find a solution to get more out of Chelsea’s £42 million summer signing.
Obi Mikel said on The Obi One Podcast: “I keep thinking why has Joao Felix not been playing? He’s been frozen out, he not getting a kick. Listen, I understand he plays sometimes in the same position as Cole Palmer and he doesn’t find a way to get him into the team or bring him on because he doesn’t want to bring Palmer off.
“But find a solution because I think he’s a fantastic player, Joao Felix, we need to get him on the pitch and start playing. I think he is going to help the team and Enzo [Maresca] needs to find a way to make those changes that can affect the game.”
How could Chelsea’s attack look with Joao Felix?
The big issue facing Felix is that his best position is in the same role as Cole Palmer, just behind the striker. However, the forward has shown to be versatile and can play anywhere along the front line.
The winger is also unlikely to start on the left with Jadon Sancho beginning to find his feet in that position, so really it only leaves the striker role or right wing. Maresca has been starting Pedro Neto on the right and this is maybe where the Portuguese star could play.
Neto has just three goal contributions this term and needs to be offering a bit more to the Blues’ attack. Meanwhile, the striker role is also open given Nicolas Jackson’s recent poor run of form.
