‘It’s a habit from last year’ – Enzo Maresca working to solve huge Chelsea ‘problem’ as he aims dig at Mauricio Pochettino after Real Madrid defeat

Enzo Maresca Criticizes Former Coach Pochettino After Chelsea’s Pre-Season Loss

Chelsea’s pre-season tour in the United States concluded on a sour note as they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid on Tuesday. Throughout their American tour, the Blues played five matches, managing just one win and one draw while losing the remaining three.

The Broader Context
Following this disappointing performance, new Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca highlighted an ongoing issue that originated during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure. Maresca, who joined Chelsea this summer from Leicester City after serving as an assistant coach at Manchester City, took over after Pochettino’s departure from Stamford Bridge, which occurred just a year after his appointment.

Maresca’s Comments
In a post-match press conference, Maresca addressed a significant flaw in Chelsea’s defensive strategy that has persisted since Pochettino’s time. “One of my first meetings with the squad was about the number of goals we conceded last year with the defensive line positioned very high,” Maresca explained. “We are not working on such high defensive lines. It’s a habit from last year, or even earlier—I don’t know for sure.”

“We are attempting to lower the defensive line by about four or five meters to gain some advantage. Last year, we conceded many goals due to this issue. Hopefully, we can resolve it very soon.”

Looking Ahead
Chelsea has one final pre-season match against Inter Milan at home this Sunday before they face the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City, in their season opener on August 18.