Advertisement

Every word Enzo Maresca said on Chelsea ownership row, Sancho, Lavia injury, Bournemouth clash

-Credit: (Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
-Credit: (Image: Chelsea FC via Getty Images)


Enzo Maresca faced a really busy pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

With all what is happening behind the scenes at the top of the club, it was a hectic presser for the Blues head coach. Plenty was asked about what is happening with Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, but there is the small matter of Chelsea's return to Premier League action against the Cherries on Saturday evening.

You can read every word Maresca had to say at Cobham in football.london's full transcript below...

What is Enzo Fernandez's best position?

"I think it's very, very difficult in the way we play to find a midfielder that can attack like an attacking midfielder and defend like a holding midfielder. For instance, Arsenal is using Declan Rice, playing on the ball as an attacking midfielder and defending like a holding midfielder, City in the past have done with [Ilkay] Gundogan; attacking like an attacking midfielder and defending like a holding midfielder.

"In our case, we are trying to find the balance and find the players that can give us this kind of solution. At the moment, Enzo is the only one that when we have the ball is playing like an attacking midfielder and off the ball is dropping next to Moi [Caicedo] and trying to help us with defensive balance.

"The first game, for instance, we used Romeo [Lavia] and Moi as holding midfielders. Enzo is at this moment playing on the ball as an attacking midfielder and off the ball as a holding midfielder - and he is doing very good with us so the idea is to continue with that."

READ MORE: Joao Felix start, Cole Palmer absent, right-back problem - Big Chelsea changes vs Bournemouth

READ MORE: Chilwell decision, Sancho and Felix included - Chelsea's dream 25-man Premier League squad

Carney was included in the Conference League squad. What does his future look like?

"I said already to him personally, and to you in the press conference: I really, really like Carney. The problem is that we have so many attacking midfielders that he is going to struggle to find space. Because of his past, in terms of injuries, the best thing to do was to go and prove himself that he is fit and can play 30 or 35 games and then come back here.

"Unfortunately we didn't find any solutions and now he is one of the players in our squad and we can use him."

How do you see Jadon Sancho being utilised?

"I decide the first XI. It depends on the training session. Jadon is one of our wingers. I'm seeing the exact way I expected of him. He is a very good player in the last third, one-v-one, quality in the last third, so he is exactly the player we were looking at.

"It's a matter of finding the right moment for him and to give him a chance."

How far are Romeo Lavia and Reece James from returning?

"Romeo looks very close, hopefully for the next game. Unfortunately Reece needs more time."

What have you made of what's going on with the ownership situation?

"I said many times, I try to be as honest as possible. If I spend my energy about something different, I don't think it's worth it. My focus is just on tomorrow's game, to be honest.

"In the last week, I try to do exactly the same; focusing on the way we want to prepare the game, in the best way. The other things, they are things I cannot control."

Have you spoken with either of them?

"I spoke with Todd when we played City, more or less. I spoke with Behdad days ago. I'm speaking with both, there is not any problem at all. As I said, my focus is about the pitch because it is the only thing I can control."

Are you happy with the squad you have now got after the transfer window?

"I said after the Palace game that I feel very lucky that we have many players that can play in any position, they are versatile and that is something I like. All of the targets we were looking at, they are all here. Some players that we were looking at that didn't arrive is because we want players on our conditions, not on their conditions. When we find a solution, it is good, otherwise they do not arrive."

What is the situation with Ben Chilwell?

"Ben is now probably the only one that is still here. We are going to sit with him and find a solution because he is the only one. He is probably going to be back with us in a training session, we will see, because right now he is not training with us."

So Chilwell could re-join the group and still play for Chelsea?

"The reason why he is training apart is because the idea was for him to leave but because he didn't find a solution, he is probably going to start to train with us. In the moment, if we decide that, he is going to be one of the players."

What frame of mind is he in?

"He is good. He is not training with us but I saw him this morning. He is okay."

How is Malo Gusto?

"Malo is still out. He is not available for tomorrow's game."

You haven't defended set-pieces too well this season... Has the set-piece coach started working?

"Absolutely but we also score from set-pieces. So you don't have to just watch the goals we concede. From now until the end, we are going to concede goals from set-pieces and we are going to score goals from set-pieces.

"This is not because it is working well or working bad. In football, you are going to concede goals from set-pieces, even if you are the best at set-pieces in the world."

How important is it that the ownership situation is not a negative distraction on the squad?

"I think the players are professional enough to understand these kinds of things, they are things we cannot control. The main focus for me is exactly the main focus for the players, on the pitch, we need to do the things to improve and this is the main target for them, for me and for all of us."

Would you rather the ownership situation is sorted soon?

"I don't know if something is going to happen, to be honest. I don't have an idea. The only thing I can say is that in terms of the football side, we are in the right direction and the team is improving.

"I used the international break to review the games and these kind of things. I think the three Premier League games that we played, it's true we conceded goals but it's also true that we conceded the first shot on goal against Palace and that was the goal.

"Against City we did not concede many chances and that is very strange to not concede chances against City. Wolves, in the second-half, we don't concede any shots. So I think we are in the right direction and this is the most important thing and the thing I can control."

What are you working on with your players?

"For instance, we used this international break to try something new for the future that we can probably use. We also did some defensive work to find the balance.

"That doesn't mean we are not defending well because in my personal opinion, the first game against City we did not concede too much, the second game apart from the last 20 minutes in the first-half we did not concede anything and the last game against Palace it was clear we deserved to win the game.

"I try to focus on these things. The main target is to improve players. Improving players, you are probably going to improve the team."

How happy are you with the size of your squad and the players you have?

"At this moment, we have 24 players. It's a quite normal squad. I said many times, even at the beginning I was working with 25 or 26, never with 40 players. So in terms of the squad, I already said many times that I really liked Chelsea's squad before I joined the club and when I joined the club, we did some things and I think doing something more in January and next summer, we will have exactly the squad we are looking at for the future."

Happy with Nicolas Jackson signing a new contract?

"Very happy. First of all because he is doing very well. Since I joined the club, he is working hard off the ball and on the ball. He is the kind of player that will always score goals. With us, in the first three Premier League games, he already gave some assists, he has scored goals. Very happy for Nico and also for us."

How important is it to be physical as well as technical?

"For sure. Today if you want to compete, you have to find the right balance between the technical side and the physical side. Man City, Arsenal and also Liverpool, they are physically strong, but we are there too."