Chelsea are limping towards Champions League qualification. They remain in touch with the top four but only by the grace of results going their way. It can only last so long, a win against Ipswich is much needed if they want to fulfil their ultimate ambitions.
By Alex Roberts
Ipswich are all but relegated at this point, sitting 18th, 12 points off Wolves in 17th. It’ll be the second consecutive season all three promoted sides go right back down but only the third time it’s happened in Premier League history.
Still, they did manage to beat Chelsea in the reverse fixture and this is exactly the kind of game Enzo Maresca’s side have struggled in all season. Could a great escape be on!?
An audition for Liam Delap
Ipswich may well go down but it’s unlikely that Liam Delap will. The striker has been linked with almost every side in the Premier League but few more than Chelsea. The West London side have been in need of a striker for around three years. Delap may well fancy himself as the man to fill that spot.
With 12 Premier League goals, the only Chelsea player to have scored more is fellow Man City academy graduate Cole Palmer. He’s also in red-hot form, scoring in his last two league games.
Chelsea will be making moves in the summer, there is no doubt about that. Delap will have plenty of options but considering Palmer’s rise to prominence, a move to the capital may well be at the top of his list.
Some puzzling decisions from Enzo Maresca
It’s been an odd week for the Italian. He decided to rest Palmer and Nicolas Jackson for what was arguably the more important game against Brentford, only to go and do the same this for the 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw.
The fans are starting to get a little antsy. Maresca’s football isn’t exactly entertaining and some of his decisions are starting to confuse. There are only seven games of the Premier League campaign left, it would be in his best interests to field his best eleven for all of them.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League could well be the final nail in the coffin of Maresca’s relationship with the fans. It remains to be seen whether it would cost him his job, however.
Dara O’Shea is leading from the back
Speaking of players that could well stay in the Premier League even if Ipswich don’t, O’Shea has impressed this season. He was fantastic in the unfortunate 2-1 defeat to Wolves last time out, providing the assist for Delap’s goal as well as being solid at the back.
The Republic of Ireland international made ten clearances, including one off the line, two blocks, and four recoveries. Unfortunately, his hard work was undone by a little bit of magic from Pablo Sarabia and a goal from Jørgen Strand Larsen.
It’s been a tough season for defenders in newly-promoted sides. Being asked to play out from the back when they simply don’t have the facilities is a tall order. O’shea has acquitted himself well, however, and Ipswich would do well to keep him.
Prediction
This one is probably a little harder to predict than it should be on paper. On one hand, Ipswich are destined to go down, on the other, Chelsea have failed to impress since the start of December. We’re going with a 1-0 Chelsea win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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