5 days ago
41
The full transcript from Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, who has recently concluded his pre-match press conference ahead of the Blues' Premier League fixture with Leeds United on Wednesday night
Enzo Maresca has just completed his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with Leeds United.
The Blues make the lengthy trip up to Elland Road tomorrow as they look to return to winning ways following Sunday's fiercely contested draw with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Maresca has just previewed his side's next game, and you can read every word below:
Team news?
Yeah, everyone is fine. Romeo [Lavia] is still trying to recover. Dario [Essugo], he was okay to start some sessions with us. Now he needs to slow down a little bit, so he will be out again. Hopefully nothing important. And the rest, they are all fine.
And you're going to protect Reece James? We don't expect him to start after his...
It's complicated. I would like to start him, but we need to do the right thing.
What is the plan for James when you play him in midfield?
I think he can play in both positions. He has been full-back all his life. He also has played as a midfielder. But I think he can be good in both positions. When we decide for him as a midfielder, most of the time it's also when we want physicality in terms of midfielders, when we face some teams that are strong in the middle. So it depends a little bit on the game plan. But as you said, he's doing very well in both positions.
What have you made of Robert Sanchez's season so far?
I think Robert, in terms of saving, he has been always good since I joined the club. In terms of build-up, he struggled a little bit. But I said since day one, our build-up depends a little bit on how the other team press so sometimes we go long, sometimes we go short. I think Robert's game against Arsenal has been one of his best games also in build-up because we played also some goal kicks short when we arrived in the other box. He played four or five balls between the line. One for Estevao [Willian], the other one for Malo [Gusto]. But sometimes we also need to go long. Two games ago against Burnley, we scored starting the second goal from Robert. So he's improving especially in the build-up.
There's a stat that your players cover less distance when against the sides lower down in the league. What is this down to?
No, probably it's also the way the other team try to defend against us. Again, when they try to do high pressing, so that means that you have more space, you can run more because there is more space to attack. When they just sit back, there is not enough space to cover in terms of running behind. So personally I think it depends on how the other team behaves. So I think this is the reason.
Has Cole Palmer got a chance of playing against Leeds?
He is available. The last game he was on the bench for sure with the players was more complicated for Cole because now he needs to come back in terms of fitness condition. He is available, he can start the game. The idea of the game is to start giving minutes until he can play 90 minutes.
How difficult is it to replace Moises Caicedo?
Yeah, absolutely yes. For sure, again, we are a better team with Cole, we are a better team with Moi, we are a better team with Levi [Colwill]. But when these players are not available, we try to find a solution. We did the same thing with Levi, we did the same thing when Cole was out. And now we have to do something different because of Moi.
Is Andrey Santos ready to be the guy who steps up?
Yeah, Andrey is ready. His position, once again, is playing as a six, like Moi's position. But he's ready. We have more options, we have more service, we can have different positions. I think one that can play good in that position is Josh [Acheampong], but we'll see.
Important to tell your players to treat Leeds and Bournemouth exactly the same as Barcelona and Arsenal?
Yeah, I think Leeds and Bournemouth, both games, especially away, they are difficult for Chelsea, but they are difficult for any team. Now they're going to be a different game compared to Barcelona, Arsenal. We need to be ready, we need to try to win both if we can, thinking that we always go game by game, so the first one is tomorrow, and then we start to focus on the next one.
What lesson do you think you as a coach and the players may have learned from about a year ago, where everything was going well, and then from the full defeat onwards on Boxing Day, suddenly there was that long dip. Do you think that will actually help you?
No, no. For sure, when you play games and you have experience, you're going to be better. Now, the main message for me is quite clear. How many points beating Barcelona? Three points. How many points beating Arsenal? Three points. How many points beating Leeds? Three points. I understand that there are games that are more important for different reasons, but again, it's three points, so it's important to beat Leeds, because we need to win games.
Daniel Farke said Gianluigi Donnarumma was faking injury at the weekend. Is this something managers tell their players to help manage the game?
I never saw Pep [Guardiola] doing that when I was there, in the past and now. I don't know if that one was with a different intention, to be honest. So I cannot say more things. The only thing I can say is that the time I spent there, he never done this.
What formation are you expecting from Leeds?
This is a good question. I don't know. Farke played more than 200 games with Norwich and he played just 16 or 17 games with a back five and he played always back four. With Leeds, he played all games with a back four and then second half against City, back five. They were 2-0 down, 2-2. So now, what do you think? They play so well in 3-5-2. That's why. That's why. So we try to prepare for both and then when we see the line-up, we can organise. But it's the main doubt for me in this moment, if they're going to play one way or the other way. I don't know.
What are you doing to become a better manager?
Try to learn as much as I can. I always take, especially the game, a way to learn because you prepare the game in one way and then during the game you need to adjust. Half-time you need to adjust. After the game, you review the game plan and you see things like this works well, this not. So next time, I always try to learn, try to evolve. But especially, I think, in general, a manager is there to service players. So you need to help players, improving them as a player and as a team. This is the main thing that I always try to be focused.
Is there a reason your away form is stronger than your home form?
It depends also a little bit on the teams that we face away at home. Now, I don't know. But for sure, I think there is no coincidence. For sure, there is something there. And probably, we need to analyse. The problem is that in this moment, it's very complicated to stop and analyse the game. Finish the Barcelona game, and the day after, two days after, I've been there, analysed the game, enjoyed that moment. But we were already thinking about Arsenal. Finish Arsenal, we are already thinking. But for sure, I don't think it's a coincidence. Probably, there is some reason why. And we need to try to analyse.
English (US) ·