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Chelsea must recall forgotten man against Brighton after Wesley Fofana’s 17% horror against Lincoln

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Chelsea should consider recalling a forgotten squad member for the upcoming game against Brighton following Wesley Fofana’s horror show against Lincoln City.

Enzo Maresca’s men earned their place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup by defeating the Imps 2-1, but they were pushed to their limits in doing so.

Chelsea’s defensive performance was poor, with Filip Jorgensen struggling and Enzo Fernandez making an individual error that allowed Lincoln to go ahead in the first half.

Tyrique George’s volley and a goal from Facundo Buonanotte won Chelsea the game in the second half, but it was another less than convincing performance at the back.

Wesley Fofana scratching his head while playing for Chelsea
Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Enzo Maresca should consider recalling Axel Disasi into the Chelsea team

One of the most significant question marks over the current Chelsea squad has been their defence, with the Blues having struggled to get to grips with that aspect of the game in recent years.

With Levi Colwill out injured, opportunities have been handed to other players, and Wesley Fofana was given a full 90 minutes against Lincoln City.

The former Leicester City star has struggled with injuries since joining Chelsea, but he was unable to impress in this game as he struggled individually.

Match StatsWesley Fofana
Accurate Passes78/85 (92%)
Touches108
Ground Duels Won1/2 (50%)
Aerial Duels Won1/6 (17%)
Blocks2
Wesley Fofana’s match stats vs. Lincoln City – via FotMob

It has led to question marks over who will be the central pairing against Brighton at the weekend, and the answer could be Axel Disasi, who is part of Chelsea’s “bomb squad.”

Maresca has claimed Disasi has no future at Chelsea, but he previously welcomed back Trevoh Chalobah after loaning him out last season; therefore, all hope is not lost for him.

Disasi spent the second half of the previous campaign on loan at Aston Villa, but he has made 61 appearances for the Blues throughout his career.

He has been training with Raheem Sterling away from the first-team this season, but as Chelsea’s struggles continue, the France international might be given an unexpected opportunity.

Brighton head into the game against Chelsea with confidence

This weekend could be the worst timing for Chelsea to play against Brighton, given their defensive frailties, as the Seagulls are in complete confidence from an attacking perspective.

Brighton defeated Barnsley 6-0 in their EFL Cup third-round fixture, the second time this season that they have scored that many in one game.

The Seagulls beat Oxford United by the same scoreline in the previous round. Meanwhile, they have also put two past Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur this season in the Premier League.

Brighton have no issue causing problems for teams defensively, and Maresca will need to be wary of that, especially after losing against Manchester United in their previous league game.