Every word Enzo Maresca said on Chelsea injuries, Reece James, Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto role
Enzo Maresca spoke to the media on Friday afternoon as he previewed Chelsea's Premier League match with West Ham United tomorrow.
The Blues make the short trip to the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they look for their third successive win on the road in the Premier League. Maresca, as always, had plenty to answer and discuss during his presser, and you can read every word he had to say below...
Team news?
"Enzo [Fernandez] is back, Kiernan [Dewsbury-Hall] is back and Reece [James] is still out."
How will the club manage Reece's injury?
"Wait until he's fit. It's a bit delayed but the most important thing for him, for any injury, is that they come back when they are 100% fit. Reece is still out."
How pleased are you with Jadon Sancho's work ethic in training sessions?
"I said last week - since he arrived here, he is working hard, working good, on and off the ball. We used the international break to focus a little bit more on him. He is doing good."
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What are your views on players playing too much football?
"I said the reason why Cole [Palmer], Wes [Fofana] and Romeo [Lavia], they are out of the Conference League squad is just to protect them a little bit. For Wes and Romeo it is a bit different because they came from long injuries last year.
"For Cole, it is a mix; in terms of it has been a tough season for him, an intense season last year. We try to protect him. As I said, the reason why is just because of that."
Is it a good battle for the striker spot between Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku?
"We used Christoph as a nine in the last game, for the last 10 minutes. He is completely different to Nicolas in terms of quality and skills. Nico is a No.9, Christo is not a real No.9, we can use him as a nine but in a different way.
"I am completely happy with the squad, not just Nico and Christopher. With the amount of players we have, they are versatile and we can use Christo as a nine, Christo in the pocket.
"He doesn't like to be used wide, he prefers to be inside - we know that. But sometimes for balance, sometimes they have to play in positions that are not the best for them. Christoph, against [Manchester] City, first game of the season, he was used in a wide area but the important thing is they adapt and try to be their best."
Do you think the players are playing too many games?
"Yes, no doubt."
What solution would you come up with?
"In terms of games, it is too much. I don't think we protect players. The only ones that can do something are the players. We can say what we think but for me, it is completely wrong the amount of games that we have.
"But the only ones that can do something are the players. We can help them. In the last week or two weeks, some of the players have tried to explain what they think and I think that is a good starting point."
What, going on strike?
"Some of them said that. That could be an idea for them."
If I was one of your players and asked for you to leave me out of a cup game, how would you view that?
"This is never going to happen. It's not going to happen. Since they were very young, they have trained, they have worked and the dream was to always be a football player.
"They are not going to say they don't want to play. It's not going to happen. All the players want to play the game."
You've had a quiet week...
"It's been great also the previous one, to be honest. I try to take every day and every week in the same way; focus on things I can control. This week, for me, was not different to the previous one: my focus has been on training sessions and the games."
Would you back the players if they went on strike?
"The only thing I can say is that for me, they have too many games. This is the only thing I can say."
Do you have an idea on when Reece James will come back?
"Unfortunately we do not have an idea at the moment. In terms of injuries in the past, we always hope that we can find the right solution. In this case, it has been very unlucky. We planned on changing him after 65 minutes and he got the injury on 62 or 63. Hopefully we can have him back as soon as possible and fit."
Is Gusto fit?
"Malo, no he is not fit."
Is this squad good enough to get in the top four this season?
"I said before, since I met for the first time with the owners and sporting directors, they never mentioned to me to finish top four and that the target is top four."
Do you think the squad is good enough to finish top four?
"I think this is a very good squad but I also said in the last two years, we finished 12th and sixth. To improve, it is not something automatic. You need progress. I think the squad is good. The only way to reach an important target, like top four, is to be focused on game after game otherwise if you think about April or May, it is too far."
Will Pedro Neto play on the right?
"I can hopefully clarify. As a left winger, we have Jadon and Misha. As a right winger, we have Noni and Pedro. As an attacking midfielder, we have Joao [Felix] and Cole [Palmer]. As a No.9, we have Nicolas and Christo.
"We have two players in each position. Now, Christo can play as a nine, an attacking midfielder or as a winger. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall can play in the pocket and can play wide.
"Pedro was playing as a left winger because Jadon was not here, was not fit, and Misha; between him, Jadon and Pedro, I preferred Pedro for that game. But that doesn't mean I will always prefer Pedro.
"The squad is quite clear in terms of position. All of them have positions and we have two players in each position. Now, because they are versatile, for sure, we can move them. Christo played the first game against City as a winger."
Is Josh Acheampong ready to get minutes?
"I really like Josh. For me, potentially he can be a top player, a top defender for the future. With young players, I have quite a bit of experience and I like to modify them a little bit. Today, with young players; they can change very quickly. They can think they are so good, or so bad, so I think you need to moderate the way they train."
How will Mykhailo Mudryk develop with less minutes?
"Training session. Training sessions are the only way to improve players. We try to improve all of them every day with some of them doing an extra session at the end. Misha is one of them. At the moment, he is not playing, but that does not mean he will not play in the future."
What have you made of Nicolas Jackson this season? He played perhaps more than expected last season...
"He is doing very good. Day by day in training sessions and then in the Premier League games. City, he was very good, second game Wolves away he scored and gave an assist. Again, Palace, until the end, he was fighting. He did well against Bournemouth. He had two or three chances but sometimes when you miss chances, it does not mean you are not playing well.
"At the moment, Nicolas is our striker. I don't have any doubt because the way he is working day by day, and the way he is working on the ball and off the ball during the games."
When Nkunku came in at the same time as Jackson, it seemed like Nkunku was the established one. Have their roles almost reversed this season?
"The only thing I can say is Christo last season was injured so the reason probably why Nicolas was ahead of Christo was because of this reason. In the way we play, I have used Nicolas but it doesn't mean we are not going to use Marc [Guiu] or Christo as a No.9.
"At this moment, Nicolas, we are very happy with him and he is doing very well. The numbers this season and last season, they are important numbers."
You're now top of the table for most bookings...
"Fantastic [laughs]."
Is there a discipline problem?
"I don't think it is a discipline problem at all. The Bournemouth game was the kind of game because of the pitch, because of the game, sometimes you are required to make some fouls.
"I don't think it's about that. The day after, I watched Arsenal and Tottenham and I think in the first-half there were seven or eight yellow cards, so the average was there. I don't think there is any type of discipline problem."
So you haven't had to talk to the players?
"No, no, absolutely. After the international break, especially in that kind of stadium. Then the last 72 hours last week, we changed the team three times because Enzo was ill and then Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was ill, so we changed again.
"In the last 72 hours, it was quite busy. It was a normal game and some of the yellow cards were probably avoidable from the referee, but he decided to go another way."