I think there are a few who agree with Enzo Maresca’s feelings about January as a “disaster”, but perhaps for different reasons, writes Sky Sports’ Gail Davies.
The Chelsea manager seemed to have plenty of time for New Year’s resolutions, taking a few minutes to work out when his last day off was. for the record it happened during the November international break.
What occupies most of his mind is finding a way to restart Chelsea’s season. The club’s last league win came back in mid-December against Brentford. they missed their chance as they topped the table at Fulham on Boxing Day and haven’t enjoyed a league win since.Add to that the increased ‘noise’ that the January transfer window brings, especially at a club like Chelsea, and you begin to understand his disdain for the month.
His answer to being a happy Chelsea manager, he jokes, might be to keep the phone silent this month.
“I better not answer,” he laughs.
The other burning issue for Chelsea to find a way to win again may not be as easy as plugging in. Chelsea’s concern is that a bit of a pattern is emerging.
Against Fulham on Boxing Day, they dominated the first half and took the lead only to find themselves in a game plan they didn’t want to play at half-time, and the match ended in a 2-1 victory for Fulham. Defeat to Ipswich followed after Maresca’s side were again wasted in front of goal, then drew with Crystal with Palace after Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead but they couldn’t close out the game.Chelsea had 26 shots and 10 on target against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge last Tuesday; Palmer scored first but the latter needed a Rhys James free-kick to salvage a point.
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From Chelsea’s Premier League game against Bournemouth
Maresca has faced similar struggles before in his short managerial career, last year at Leicester after blowing the Championship in the opening few months.
He has learned from it, he says, and can take some lessons from what he did to get to Leicester and return to the Premier League. Ultimately, he says, the stakes may seem higher, but the solutions are the same.
“No, I don’t feel pressure, whether I was at Leicester last year or here. I mean, I feel pressure because I put pressure on myself to see how we can do better, like we can help the players improve, he said.
“So, this kind of pressure, for sure, but it’s not just here. It was last year, it was kind of two years ago. So it’s not a big change for me between last year and this year.
“At the end, the best thing is to work with 20 players day in and day out. Young players, they want to improve. And this is the same job at Leicester as I said for two years ahead.”
“If you look at the table at the moment, if you’re not Liverpool, the rest of us have had bad moments, bad results in four or five games and it’s Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa, City and all of us.
“So I think the normal thing is that this kind of thing is going to happen during the season, the normal thing. It’s not really about Liverpool and if they can finish the season the way they do, that means they fully deserved to win, but there are so many games to play that anything can happen.”
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In those more difficult moments, I ask, “Do you have a network of people outside of your coaching team that you can call?”
Given that Maresca has played for 11 different clubs in four different countries, alongside Carlo Ancelotti and Marcello Lippi and of course Pep Guardiola, you can only imagine the names and numbers stored in his contacts, so the answer is surprising.
“My four children,” she says.
“I guess you can’t be more honest than your children,” I add, “But really, no one else?”
“No, I don’t have any,” replies Maresca. “I have a coaching staff with me that we try to help each other, and then I don’t have anyone outside the club or the coaching staff,” he admits.
There is clearly an unwavering belief in what he does. You don’t need anyone else, I ask.
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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has explained the club’s reasoning behind recalling defender Trevor Chalobah from Crystal Palace.
“Not right now, hopefully not in the future, but right now I’m fine. I spend almost all day here from 7 to 7, then I go home to my four kids and my wife and I try to recover little energy.”
“So come on,” I ask, “what’s the best thing one of your kids has said to you in the last few weeks? “Dad, when are you going to start scoring?” I joke.
“The good thing is that now they understand,” says Maresca. “The biggest one is 11, so sometimes he asks me about some changes, I say, it’s already the press, it’s the fans. they ask me, and now my children are about the changes.
“Can’t you just love your daddy and not worry? Okay, okay, I love you daddy.”
If only it were always as easy as we laugh.
There is lightness and warmth behind Maresca, but the overwhelming feeling when talking to her is one of intensity and true steel; unsurprising when you consider Guardiola’s influence on his coaching career.
He has already shown in his short time at Chelsea that he can sometimes make unpopular decisions.
“I think if you’re honest with the players, if you’re open, if they can see that you’re real and not fake, I think that’s the best way. And since we’ve started, you’ve been trying since day one I’m open with them, I try to be honest with them, and I think they can see that.
“I hope they can appreciate that. Trying to be close to the players because I think the way I like to be close to the players, and then like I said, be honest to make it work.”
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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca discusses the transfer rumors surrounding Renato Vega and the realities of getting playing time at a young age.
The team can never doubt where they are and where they need to be, and that is the focus right now, although Maresca admits it is difficult for some players in January.
One player who sets that standard, and who certainly isn’t going anywhere for a while, is Cole Palmer, who has been phenomenal this season since losing to Wolves on Monday his opener in the game was another, adding to the extraordinary end to his name in a Chelsea shirt.
Palmer signed a nine-year deal that was confusing at the time and perhaps until news of the Erling Holland deal broke just before our interview.Two Premier League banners, two players Maresca has had the privilege of working closely with but who could become an even bigger legend for their club if we look back over a decade.
“It’s so complicated,” Maresca replies. “It’s something that’s almost impossible, first because you can imagine the future a little bit, but in the end you don’t know, a lot can happen.
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After signing a brand new contract with Premier League champions Manchester City, we take a look at Erling Holland’s best goals during his time in England’s top flight.
“The thing is, a club like City, like Chelsea, they try to protect or keep the best player as long as they can. The good thing is that both are top players and they are there to be. for a long time, and we can enjoy them.”
There is an argument that Palmer’s skills give his team more than Holland, Maresca smiles. “We’re happy with what he’s doing, but as we said starting out, it’s not right to rely on Cole for everything. He helps us, but also we have more players who are doing well and that is important.”
Those players could get their chance on Monday, and if they can take it, the mood of the month could change for the Chelsea manager.
Watch Chelsea v Wolves live on Monday Night Football from 6.30pm on Sky Sports Premier League, kick-off 8pm.
