The Boss Enzo Maresca Labels Pre-Match Period as The 'Most Difficult Two Days' with the Blues
Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca revealed that the run-up to the weekend's triumph against Everton constituted "the toughest 48 hours" since his arrival with the London club.
The Italian delivered a somewhat cryptic statement in his after-game interview despite earning a 2-0 win at home thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points propelled Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the mood following a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the team's winless run to four fixtures.
Yet, when asked about Gusto's contribution and general display, Maresca unexpectedly shared his displeasure over the previous 48-hour period at the club.
"How the lads want to improve has been fantastic and this is the reason why I praise them - because with a host of issues, they are excelling after a difficult week," he stated.
"Since I joined the club, the past 48 hours have been the worst because several people didn't support us."
When pushed further on his meaning, the ex- Leicester City boss added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."
When asked if he meant people internally at Chelsea, he responded: "Broadly speaking. In general," before clarifying when queried if it was aimed at fans or the press: "I love the fans and we are very pleased with the fans."
Fitness & Suspension Woes
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary problems, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, as well as losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two significant injuries.
"I really praise the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, 5 of them without Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, no matter who is on the pitch, they are doing fantastic. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play the vast majority of the season without our top player.
"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to acknowledge because the effort from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's win over Everton cemented their position in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle scheduled next week.
Speculation Over Maresca's Remark
It was ambiguous what exactly caused Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the most difficult of his time as Chelsea head coach.
In that window, the coach had traveled back with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a training session at Cobham, attended a pre-match press briefing where he seemed at ease, and engineered a win over an high-flying Everton team.
It was not obvious whether any specific press stories had unsettled him, if social media discourse played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester in July last year.
