Chelsea's Manager Maresca Labels Lead-Up Period as The 'Most Difficult Two Days' with the Blues
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca stated that the run-up to Saturday's win against Everton represented "the most challenging 48 hours" since his arrival with the London club.
The 44-year-old offered a rather mysterious statement in his after-game interview despite earning a 2-0 win at home thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those points propelled Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, potentially improving the atmosphere after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive outings.
Yet, when questioned about the full-back's assist and overall display, Maresca unexpectedly divulged his annoyance over the previous 48-hour period at the organization.
"How the lads are eager to develop has been excellent and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with so many problems, they are excelling after a complicated week," he stated.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because many people didn't support us."
When pushed further on the specifics, the ex- Leicester City manager added: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people didn't support me and the team."
When questioned if he meant people within at Chelsea, he answered: "Broadly speaking. In general," before clarifying when queried if it was aimed at supporters or the press: "I love the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."
Fitness & Disciplinary Crisis
Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing fitness and disciplinary issues, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the season, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to a couple of serious injuries.
"I truly praise the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them minus Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing fantastic. Today was five games in 12 days so for sure when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our finest player but we play almost all season minus our best player.
"We play 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would like people externally to appreciate because the work from the players is fantastic."
Chelsea's success over Everton cemented their standing in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup last-eight clash at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come next week.
Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments
It was ambiguous who or what prompted Maresca to label the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.
In that window, the Italian had returned with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, held a session at Cobham, faced a pre-game press briefing where he seemed at ease, and engineered a win over an in-form Everton side.
It was not obvious whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if online comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from within the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca only sought to rule out that it was an matter related to the club's fans, some of whom have still have yet to fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester during July last year.
