Chelsea's Boss Maresca Calls Lead-Up Period as His 'Toughest Two Days' at the Club
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca revealed that the preparation to the weekend's win against Everton was "the toughest 48 hours" he has experienced at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old made a puzzling comment in his after-game press conference even after earning a 2-0 win at home thanks to finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those three precious points sent Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, perhaps improving the mood after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive matches.
But, when asked about the full-back's assist and general display, Maresca surprisingly shared his annoyance over the preceding two days at the club.
"How the players are eager to improve has been excellent and this is the reason why I praise them - because with a host of problems, they are doing very well after a tricky week," he said.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the worst because a lot of people didn't support us."
Pressed on the specifics, the former Leicester City manager continued: "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: "In general. In general," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards supporters or the press: "I adore the fans and we are extremely pleased with the fans."
Injury and Disciplinary Woes
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's persistent fitness and disciplinary problems, noting they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for much of the campaign, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to a couple of significant injuries.
"I truly 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 without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, regardless of who is playing, they are doing brilliantly. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer there, we have said many times that he's our finest player but we play the vast majority of the season minus our top player.
"We play five games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to acknowledge because the work from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's win over Everton consolidated their position in 4th place 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 Remark
It was ambiguous who or what caused Maresca to label the past 48 hours as the most difficult of his tenure as Chelsea manager.
In that window, the coach had traveled back with his backroom team and players from Bergamo, held a training session at the training ground, faced a pre-game press briefing where he appeared relaxed, and secured a win over an high-flying Everton side.
It was not obvious whether any specific media reports had unsettled him, if online discourse were a factor, or if it was something deeper from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an issue involving the club's fans, a section of which have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester during July last year.