Published: 22:55, 29 October 2025 | Updated: 22:55, 29 October 2025

Chelsea cannot be taken seriously until they prove they can play for 90 minutes.

Don’t like facing five defenders, ey? Try this on for size, then, Enzo. After Maresca’s comments regarding how much he hates it when opponents surprise him by suddenly playing a back five, Vitor Pereira went one further. He named six defenders in his Wolves XI.

He started Matt Doherty, Yerson Mosquera, Emmanuel Agbadou, Toti Gomes, David Moller Wolfe and Jackson Tchatchoua – defenders all. It was as if Pereira had a healthy sense of humour.

Wolves’ defensive set-up was no obstacle for Maresca initially. Chelsea led 2-0 after 15 minutes, and 3-0 at half-time. It was at this stage that you felt the Molineux faithful could have concocted a new chant, something like: ‘Six at the back, slow in attack, Pereira is asking for the sack.’

Then the complacency kicked in as, not for the first time, Maresca’s side showed how much they struggle to play a game of football for 90 minutes. It was worrying how they allowed...