Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell has issued a challenge to Jadon Sancho, Noni Madueke, and Christopher Nkunku, urging them to step up and help the struggling Blues navigate their turbulent season.
Chelsea started the campaign on a promising note under Enzo Maresca, suffering only three league defeats before Christmas.
However, a Boxing Day loss to Fulham marked the beginning of a rough patch, with the team managing just two wins in their last seven Premier League matches. Injuries, including a crucial one to Nicolas Jackson, have only worsened their situation.
The slump has seen Chelsea slip out of the top four, and following a humbling 3-0 defeat to Brighton, they now face a crucial clash against Aston Villa.
Sidwell, who spent a season at Stamford Bridge, believes the squad lacks experienced leaders to rally the team during tough times.
While he acknowledges the challenges faced by the young squad, he insists that players like Sancho, Madueke, and Nkunku must now take greater responsibility.
“Chelsea’s model has been to buy the best young talent in England, Europe, and beyond. They have the youngest average squad in the Premier League and haven’t fielded a player over 30 in a league match this season,” Sidwell said on The Dressing Room Podcast.
He added that while developing young players takes time, Chelsea’s lack of senior leadership has become evident in difficult moments:
“Until Christmas, everything was going well, but now that they’ve hit a rough patch, there’s no one pulling the squad together. Their performances in the first and second halves of games have been drastically different in terms of scoring and conceding goals.”
Sidwell also pointed out that injuries and an overreliance on Cole Palmer have hurt the team, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for other attacking players.
“Sancho, Madueke, and Nkunku although it’s been unfair on Nkunku since he hasn’t had a proper run of games need to step up,” he asserted.
Despite Chelsea’s struggles, Sidwell believes Maresca’s progress should not be overlooked. In his view, securing Champions League qualification, even via a top-five finish, would be an impressive achievement.
“They are in a project, and they’ve already overachieved this season. When they were second in the table and two points behind Liverpool, that wasn’t a true reflection of where they are. Since Maresca pointed that out, results have gone the other way.”
Sidwell emphasized patience with Chelsea’s long-term vision but maintains that improvement is needed now. If the Blues can secure a Champions League spot, he sees it as a foundation for further growth in the seasons ahead.