The Manager Maresca Calls Lead-Up Time as The 'Toughest 48 Hours' with the Blues
Chelsea gaffer Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to the weekend's victory against Everton represented "the most challenging 48 hours" of his tenure with the London club.
The 44-year-old made a rather mysterious message in his after-game media briefing even after earning a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge courtesy of finishes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.
Those three precious points lifted Chelsea once again into the Premier League's top four, perhaps lightening the mood after a loss to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the team's winless run to consecutive outings.
However, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall display, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his displeasure over the preceding 48-hour period within the organization.
"How the lads want to improve has been fantastic and this is the reason why I praise them - because with so many problems, they are performing admirably after a complicated week," he said.
"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the toughest because many people withheld support from us."
When pushed further on the specifics, the former Leicester City boss elaborated: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people failed to back me and the team."
When questioned if he was referring to people within at Chelsea, he answered: "In general. Overall," before clarifying when asked if it was directed towards fans or the press: "I adore the fans and we are very happy with the fans."
Fitness and Disciplinary Crisis
Maresca also highlighted Chelsea's ongoing injury and disciplinary issues, remarking they had been without star attacker Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing linchpin Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and forward Liam Delap to two serious injuries.
"I truly applaud the players and the squad because we played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, 11 of them without Cole Palmer, almost all of them without Liam Delap," he said.
"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing exceptionally. Today was five games in 12 days so certainly when you see Cole Palmer there, we said many times that he's our top player but we play the vast majority of the season minus our best player.
"We play 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the explanation why I'm so happy for the players and it's something that I would like people outside to appreciate because the effort from the players is outstanding."
Chelsea's triumph over Everton cemented their standing in 4th place in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come next week.
Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments
It was ambiguous what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his spell as Chelsea manager.
In that timeframe, the coach had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, held a training session at the training ground, attended a pre-game news conference where he seemed relaxed, and engineered a victory over an high-flying Everton side.
It was not obvious whether any specific press stories had irked him, if social media comments played a role, or if it was something more significant from inside the club at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca specifically took care to deny that it was an issue involving the club's fans, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July last year.
