Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca believes his staff’s frailties in pre-season are right down to the gamers studying to maneuver away from a excessive defensive position which had triggered them points previously.
The Blues conceded 63 objectives in 38 Premier League video games in the course of the 2023/24 marketing campaign underneath Mauricio Pochettino, who’s famed for his aspect’s aggressive urgent fashion and dangerous excessive line.
Maresca has since changed Pochettino within the Stamford Bridge hot-seat and has up to now taken cost of 5 pre-season matches, transport 12 objectives in that point.
Chelsea rounded off their tour of the USA with a 2-1 defeat to Actual Madrid in Charlotte, with each of Los Blancos’ objectives coming with a good bit of ease because of the lack of depth within the Blues’ defending.
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Talking to the media post-match, Maresca recognised Chelsea’s vulnerability on the again and defined his plan to alter their fortunes.
“One in all my first conferences with the squad was in regards to the quantity of objectives we conceded final yr with the defensive position very excessive,” he mentioned.
“We aren’t engaged on defensive traces so excessive. It is a behavior from final yr, or years in the past, I do not know.
“We are attempting to drop the defensive position slightly bit, often about 4 or 5 metres, simply to have some benefit.
“Final yr, we already conceded many objectives with this drawback. Hopefully we are able to resolve it very quickly.”
Chelsea will fly again to England and play one closing pre-season sport earlier than the beginning of their Premier League marketing campaign.
Italian champions Inter head to west London this Sunday, earlier than Manchester Metropolis develop into the primary guests to Stamford Bridge for 2024/25 seven days later – the Cityzens beat Chelsea 4-2 in a pleasant final week.
