Now World ViewEvery word Enzo Maresca said on why Cole Palmer went straight down the tunnel and Leicester surprise
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Enzo Maresca has just completed his post-match press conference after Chelsea's narrow Premier League win at home to Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues edged past the struggling Foxes on Sunday afternoon thanks to Marc Cucurella’s brilliant goal on 60 minutes with the win moving Maresca’s team back into the top four. Maresca has just conducted his presser, reflecting on the three points, and here is every word the Italian had to say:
What was the feeling at the final whistle?
"Yeah, very happy. Very happy. The main reason is because when we prepare the game, we watch as many games as possible. We watched the Leicester games under Ruud [van Nistelrooy], almost all of the games since he arrived and you can imagine how many games. They play always a line of four but they arrived here with a line of five and they completely changed their plan.
"All the training sessions you have done, they go rubbish. You need a new plan. Before the warm-up, before the players go out, you need to give them a new plan. This is why I was so happy because the way the players adapted – that is something you probably struggle to see and understand from the outside – has been top, fantastic; you have to completely change the plan, the way you attack and the way you defend.
"Leicester came here with a line of five. This is something, I said to the players, it is probably the other teams starting to respect us. Copenhagen, three years with the same manager and there was two games with a line of five… we play there, a line of five. So, the players have been so good this season in the way they are adapting.
"I feel really sorry for Leicester because I will always be thankful for them. But the reason why is because of this. They come here thinking they can surprise us but the players adapted fantastic and this is the reason why I was so happy."
Did you see in the warm-up that they have a back five?
"I don't watch warm-ups and the reason why is because they warm up with a line of four and then play a line of five. My grandad did exactly the same. They warm up with a line of four and then play a line of five, so I don't watch the warm-up. Sometimes I go out, sometimes I go inside. When you see the first XI, you can realise sometimes and you can see they had a line of five.
"The players have been so good because before the warm-up, 'guys, everything we have done in the last two or three days; forget about this – we have a new plan, a new plan so you have to adapt'. They have done fantastic."
Before the goal, there seemed to be a few rumblings from the fans. What is your reaction to this?
"This guy [points to a Leicester journalist] was with me last season at Leicester, it happened exactly the same. The people have to understand this is our way, our style and this is the way we are going to play. When a team creates the amount of chances we created today, you have to be happy. It's not easy.
"Leicester, until minute 83, they were 0-0 against Arsenal; the same thing happened against City. If you think football is just a PlayStation and you win easy, no way – every game is difficult. The way the players have done today is fantastic.
"We need our fans. On my Instagram, I said two days ago, our Champions League target will be with our fans supporting us and especially when you play at home. We need them behind the players with the spirit they showed today."
There was some booing when Enzo Fernandez played a back pass. Is that unhelpful?
"Yeah, but the good thing is that Fernandez knows that if he doesn't play back, I will change him. If the 'keeper plays long, I will change him. This is what we have."
What was your thinking behind Cole Palmer coming off?
"It's very easy: Cole, yesterday, didn't train and during the night, he didn't feel well. The reason why he didn't train yesterday is because he didn't feel well. This morning, he woke up and he asked me, 'I want to be on the pitch because I want to help this team, this club to play Champions League'.
"So in the last two days, he was completely out. Fever, is it something I can say in English? Diarrhoea. In the last 48 hours, he didn't train with the fever and this bad feeling. This morning, he asked to play the game and this shows how these players want to bring the club where it belongs to."
Is that why he went straight down the tunnel? Did he need to use the toilet?
"And then he was back, yeah."
Can you talk us through your plan after seeing how they set up?
"The plan was Marc Cucurella next to Moi Caicedo as a midfielder with three and two, three at the back with Cucurella next to Moi. But when we saw them defending with five, we needed to attack with six, so Cucurella was higher, Christo Nkunku in the pocket, Cole, Enzo, Pedro [Neto] and Jadon, so we tried to attack with six.
"You need to change the pressing because it is completely different. The way the players have adapted has been top. As I said, sometimes they come here and try to surprise us and they have been so good for that."
Cucurella an unlikely goalscorer in Nicolas Jackson's absence?
"Marc scored already when Nico was there. Marc has something that is difficult to find. He is clever and is intelligent. He scored two goals against Wolves and Brentford and he is probably the smallest one in the team and this showed you how intelligent he is because he is in the right position.
"He is playing like an attacking midfielder and is doing fantastic. He has scored four or five goals with us. The way Pedro Neto, you also have to realise we are playing without a No.9. Both Nicolas and Marc Guiu were deadline day injuries. Pedro is doing fantastic – he was running everywhere today, he was running. This spirit is what we need and what we all need to be aware; fans, you, us, it's what we need."
Do you see different atmospheres from other stadiums (your rival clubs)?
"In general, yeah, for sure. In the moment we can hear our fans, it's so nice. It's so good."
Your away fans are very loud…
"Yeah, but even at home sometimes. I completely understand when there is some negative feeling but today, how many chances did we create first half? The second half, exactly the same. The players were giving everything. It's normal because they don't see behind [the scenes].
"On the way back from Copenhagen, 2 o'clock in the morning, the staff we were watching Leicester games with a line of four. We prepared the session with a line of four and then suddenly they have a line of five. So the players need to change that. I can understand that from the outside you struggle to see that. It's difficult. They change the plan and the players did fantastic.
"But for sure, as I said already, with our fans behind us, we feel so good."
You're going to need a 12th man for the rest of the season…
"Absolutely. And it's such a nice feeling when we can feel the fans in behind. It's something the players mention after the game, 'Did you hear how good the fans were?', they mention between them. It's so good. We need the fans. We need the fans. We need the fans."
How did Robert Sanchez do?
"The idea is not to change 'keeper every game. But we change in the past because I was thinking to give Robert some rest. Today, Robert did well. The last game at home in the Premier League, we won and kept a clean sheet with Filip Jorgensen, today happened the same with Robert and Robert did well. So now we have a game on Thursday which is an important game and we will see."
Are you surprised by Leicester's struggles?
"I met the best people in my life in terms of football at Leicester. The owner and the sporting director – so I hope for Leicester that they are going to be in the Premier League. I'm surprised but it's not my job. I'm thinking and I'm focused just about Chelsea but I feel really sorry in case they are not Premier League club because the people are very good people; care about you, care about the family, care about the kids. It's so difficult to find these kind of people in football so I hope for them they stay in the Premier League."
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