8 hours ago
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If Enzo Maresca was interested in ending speculation that he has a problem with elements of Chelsea’s hierarchy then he would have done so on Monday . Instead the Italian made no attempt to clear up a situation entirely of his own making.
He rebuffed questions about his cryptic response to beating Everton on Saturday and even reacted with exasperation when he was asked if he regretted saying a lack of support from unspecified people had put him through his “worst 48 hours” since joining the club.
What did Maresca expect? It was unclear why he decided that a standard home win over Everton, who have a dismal record at Stamford Bridge, was the time to air frustration with the criticism that followed last week’s defeat against Atalanta in the Champions League. He did not single anyone out, but he was not talking about supporters and he gives no indication that he cares about the media, so he can not complain about outsiders assuming there are issues either with Chelsea’s owners or their sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
When that was put to him before the Carabao Cup trip to Cardiff on Tuesday, though, Maresca offered little. Saying repeatedly he had nothing to add, he mused that “we are in an era where everyone can say what they want”. An insistence his comments were “quite clear” was laughable. It continued with Maresca refusing to reveal whether he has spoken to his bosses since Saturday.
After much prompting, he later relented and said:“It’s OK, it’s good,” when asked about his relationship with the ownership. He added that owners are the most important figures at any club as they “put the money in”. While the 45-year-old said he remains happy at Chelsea, he declined to retract his comments about those 48 hours.
It had been a tough fortnight for Chelsea, who followed fine performances against Arsenal and Barcelona by losing at Leeds and drawing at Bournemouth before the reverse in Bergamo. One theory is that Maresca had bristled at being given more feedback than usual by the sporting directors after his substitutions backfired against Atalanta. Another is that he expected public backing from the club after three games without a win.
Chelsea, though, have repeatedly stood by Maresca this season. Backing does not have to follow every setback. Chelsea’s plan is to review his position next summer. The danger is that this episode will go down badly. Chelsea are baffled.
Some have attributed the outburst to inexperience and the hope is that the dust will settle, but Maresca has taken a risk. He was not speaking from a position of strength and it will be awkward if Chelsea lose at Newcastle on Saturday. It also feels unnecessary. Chelsea have not put pressure on Maresca to win the title this season. They just want evidence of progress.
The strategy implemented by Behdad Eghbali, the co-controlling owner, and carried out by the recruitment team is starting to work. Chelsea have built a talented young squad, are fourth in the league and remain in every cup competition. They are nowhere near crisis territory.
It is true some of Maresca’s recent selection and tactical decisions have not been received well. Overall, though, he has done a fine job since replacing Mauricio Pochettino. Chelsea qualified for the Champions League, won the Conference League last season and destroyed Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final in the summer. Maresca has maintained their progress this season, even though he has had to deal with a disrupted pre-season and long-term injuries to Cole Palmer, Liam Delap and Levi Colwill.
Even then, though, it would be a grave miscalculation from Maresca to assume his achievements would earn him more power. Managers who want to work at Chelsea have to exist within the club’s collaborative structure. Their voice carries weight, but it is never going to be a one-man show. Stability comes from the sporting leadership team. Maresca would be naive to start a civil war.
It is hard tell which way this goes. There was tension when Maresca’s request for a new centre-back after Colwill ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in August was dismissed. A key dilemma is that Chelsea are a match for anyone when they field their strongest side. However, some of their most important players are unable to play three games a week. Wesley Fofana falls into that category, but the alternatives to the centre-back are unconvincing.
Chelsea are supportive of Maresca managing his team’s workload. The problem is that standards fall when he makes changes. Maresca has said Andrey Santos is a downgrade on Moisés Caicedo in midfield and has shown little faith in Jorrel Hato since the 19-year-old defender’s nightmare against Qarabag last month. Facundo Buonanotte, the Argentina forward on loan from Brighton, has not been in the squad for a league game since October.
Maresca has often spoken glowingly of the Chelsea project. The problem now is that he has left it open for outsiders to question his true feelings. He talked himself into a hole on Saturday and should have made more of an effort to dig himself out of it. Any more hints of discontent will do nothing for his chances of being at Chelsea next season.
