The Manager Enzo Maresca Labels Lead-Up Period as The 'Most Difficult 48 Hours' with the Club
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to Saturday's win against Everton was "the toughest 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club.
The 44-year-old offered a somewhat cryptic statement in his after-game press conference despite notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge through finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those crucial points propelled Chelsea back into the Premier League's top four, potentially lightening the atmosphere following a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had stretched the side's drought without a win to consecutive outings.
But, when asked about the full-back's contribution and general performance, Maresca unexpectedly shared his displeasure over the preceding 48-hour period within the organization.
"How the lads want to improve has been superb and this is the explanation why I praise them - because with a host of problems, they are doing very well after a tricky week," he stated.
"Since I joined the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because several people failed to back us."
Pressed on his meaning, the ex- Leicester City boss elaborated: "Most difficult 48 hours since I came to the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When asked if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he answered: "In general. In general," before specifying when asked if it was aimed at supporters or the media: "I adore the fans and we are extremely content with the fans."
Fitness & Suspension Woes
Maresca also drew attention to Chelsea's ongoing fitness and suspension issues, noting they had been missing key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-match ban and striker Liam Delap to two significant injuries.
"I truly applaud the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them minus Liam Delap," he explained.
"And this squad, regardless of who is on the pitch, they are doing exceptionally. Today was 5 games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our top player but we play the vast majority of the season without our top player.
"We play five games in the Premier League without Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so pleased for the players and it's something that I would want people outside to acknowledge because the effort from the players is remarkable."
Chelsea's success over Everton consolidated their standing in fourth in the Premier League table, with a Carabao Cup last-eight tie at Cardiff and a league journey to Newcastle scheduled in the coming days.
Speculation Over Maresca's Remark
It was not immediately clear who or what caused Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his time as Chelsea manager.
In that window, the coach had traveled back with his backroom team and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at Cobham, faced a pre-match press briefing where he seemed at ease, and secured a win over an high-flying Everton side.
It was unclear whether any specific press stories had irked him, if social media discourse were a factor, or if it was something more significant from within the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an matter involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his arrival from Leicester in July last year.
