12 hours ago
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Enzo Maresca believes it is nonsense that a team can have too much possession for their own good, despite a concerning pattern showing how Chelsea fail to win when they dominate the ball.
The Blues are winless in the four Premier League fixtures in which they managed their highest possessions this season.
That included losing 2-1 to Sunderland last weekend with 68.4 per cent at Stamford Bridge. A similar pattern presented itself in Maresca’s first campaign in charge also.
Facing a trip to Tottenham on Saturday, Maresca pledged to stick with his philosophy at a time when others in the Premier League are appearing to prioritise set-pieces including long throw-ins.
‘It’s football,’ Maresca said. ‘Everyone tries to use their own threat. If there are teams that think it will work for them and create more chances, why not? Everyone is trying to use different weapons.
‘The problem against Sunderland was we didn’t attack well enough. I prefer the ball as much as we can. Their manager (Thomas Frank) last year played some games with a back five (with Brentford). This year they (Tottenham) are playing back four. They played back five against PSG at the beginning of the season. I don’t know. We expect both. We need to be ready.’
Enzo Maresca has vowed to stick with his high-possession philosophy at Chelsea
Chelsea are winless in the four games in which they have managed the best possession stats
Chelsea's possession own goal
- Crystal Palace (h) 0-0 - 71 per cent
- Sunderland (h) 1-2 loss - 68 per cent
- Brentford (a) 2-2 - 66 per cent
- Brighton (h) 1 - 3 loss - 59 per cent
But Chelsea's results are much better in the games where they haven't had quite as much of the ball (though still generally having the majority).
- West Ham (a) - 1-5 win - 58 per cent
- Manchester United (a) - 2-1 loss - 58 per cent
- Fulham (h) 2-0 win - 54 per cent
- Liverpool (h) 2 - 1 win - 53 per cent
- Nottingham Forest (a) 0-3 win - 50 per cent
Chelsea have shown some vulnerabilities from set-pieces, including long throws, which have been in vogue this season. They conceded from one such scenario in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win at Wolves.
Maresca has faced some criticism for not prioritising set-pieces more, but he defended himself in saying: ‘If you score from a set-piece, from a corner, how do you get the corner?
‘From open play, no? It’s not a divide. Open play, defensive, offensive, it’s football. Set pieces are a part of football. If you have a free kick on the edge of the box, or a corner, it’s because you created a situation to get corners or free kicks. That’s from open play. It’s all football.’
On criticism of Chelsea not being consistent enough to win a major trophy, Maresca continued: ‘Everyone has the right to say what they think. I don’t get nervous when anyone says anything.
‘But I also think that no one expected Chelsea to be Club World Cup winners because of our age. But we did it. We won. The goal, the main target for us, is to improve and to be consistent.’
Chelsea have received six red cards in their last nine games, including one shown to Maresca, who said he had ‘not yet’ installed a fine system as punishment for indiscipline.
Liam Delap will be suspended for Saturday's trip after his two unnecessary yellows received at Wolves after being brought on as a substitute. Chelsea’s striker has since apologised to Maresca and his team-mates for losing his head.
