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Every word Enzo Maresca said on Chelsea defeat, poor form, Liam Delap, VAR controversy

Enzo Maresca
-Credit:Micheal Regan


Enzo Maresca has just faced the media following Chelsea's 2-0 defeat to Ipswich Town on Monday evening.

The Blues head coach has just conducted his post-match press conference after the disappointing performance from his team at Portman Road. Here is every word Maresca had to say...

How do you diagnose what went wrong today?

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"A bit of a strange game. We created so many chances in the first-half and in the first five or 10 minutes of the second-half, we had two clear chances; the header from Joao [Felix] and another shot.

"Then I think the second goal killed the game a little bit. Sometimes when you create so many chances, the post, the VAR, the keeper saves or the defenders that block the shot, sometimes it has to go in that way. It's a shame because it was another chance for us but congratulations to them because probably when you save so many shots on the line, the goalkeeper, the body, the desire from them was very high."

How good was Liam Delap?

"This is Liam. I know Liam from some time ago. Probably in some moments we can defend a bit better. But congratulations to him and to them."

Your two centre-backs did very well against a physical striker vs Everton. What could they have done better today?

"I think Liam is a bit different to [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin in terms of skills. But I think first-half we conceded a penalty and then we conceded one or two more chances in the same way; long ball for Liam, try to defend the ball and shoot.

"In the second-half, it was copy and paste. Again, we conceded the goal because we unfortunately made a mistake. Then they had some more moments, exactly the same; a longer ball for Liam and he fights against everyone and shoots. This is Liam. Liam and Calvert-Lewin, I think they're a bit different."

This seems to be your first challenge as Chelsea boss. How much is this a test of what you and the players can do?

"We expected this kind of moment during the season because we know that this kind of moment belongs to the football. It is almost impossible to have a season where you do not have a moment like now for us.

"But in the same time, not one of us in this room expected us to be where we are now. This means and shows that we are in the right direction, as I've said many times, but also shows that we are far from competing and consistency and to be there with the best teams in England.

"Again, I think we have to be satisfied where we are but at the same time, we have to know we need to do many things better."

Is there anything from these last three games you've noticed is different or a cause for concern?

"I like to analyse game by game. I think tonight, when you create so many chances, you can probably do something better defensively but offensively, it's not many things to say. The Fulham game, I don't think we played in the way we like to play; it was more up and down and that is not our football.

"Everton is a difficult game for everyone. We tried to win the game. Probably, also, December I think we played nine games. We started with the first five or six winning all the games but then we struggle a little bit finishing [the month].

"We probably also arrive at the end of the month feeling a little bit tired in general. We have finished the first part of the season, we are going to start the second part. We are happy with where we are but we know we can do many things better."

When you talk about consistency, do you think it is a physical thing or more of a mental thing?

"No. Tonight's game, I don't think it's physical or condition. When you play and you don't create chances, you don't create nothing and you are not dangerous, then you can say we probably struggled physically, we are not good enough, or we are not fresh.

"But when you create so many chances, the post, the amount of chances, the VAR; I think we have so many chances in the first-half. In the second-half, we started in the same way. We have two clear chances and then the second goal kills the game. It is just a matter that sometimes it is not the right day for us."