Enzo Maresca has been adapting his model of play and setup relying on opponents and the way they play/setup. For me, it’s changing into fairly clear to see this.
He has even mentioned that he prepares video games primarily based on how the opposition crew assault and defend.
I wouldn’t name ‘Maresca-ball’ possession soccer. Up to now, from what I’ve witnessed, I might name it transitional soccer.
So maybe the ‘mini-Pep’ shouts weren’t correct in any respect, and perhaps he’s a ‘mini-Conte’ as a substitute?
And in addition, perhaps the ‘he has no plan-b’ and may solely play one model of soccer claims are additionally mistaken?
Actually, for me he has already confirmed these claims have been mistaken after simply six league video games at Chelsea.
No matter occurs subsequent and down the road, what Maresca has proven me is that he truly is a realistic supervisor, and proper now I’m seeing extra comparisons in his Chelsea setup to that of Antonio Conte, than what I’m to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis setup. And for me, that may be a good factor.
I discussed in my match report from the Brighton win that I noticed us taking part in in a counter-attacking model, and for me, this fits our gamers.
Simply take a look at these examples from the sport as fast transitional performs and the way devastating we’re taking part in them…
We have now a lot tempo and high quality in assault now that it simply is sensible to play this fashion. However Maresca is doing this primarily based on the opposition. It doesn’t imply we are going to play each recreation like this, as a result of not each crew we meet will play with such a high-line as Brighton do. Maresca would have recognized this, completed his analysis, and opted to play a transitional recreation in opposition to them. And it labored a deal with. As I additionally mentioned in my match report, we exploited their high-line in transition and seemed like we may rating each time we did.
We utilised the imaginative and prescient and creativity of Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer, who have been looping passes in behind for enjoyable, and the tempo and direct mindsets of our attackers actually prompted Brighton issues.
We stayed compact and organised on the again, we broke up their assault, and we went in to assault mode ourselves. And this isn’t the primary time I’ve seen this model of play underneath Maresca at Chelsea this season, and it isn’t the primary time we now have had much less possession than our opponents however nonetheless received the sport.
This isn’t dominating soccer, that is transitional soccer, and it’s getting outcomes to this point.
Maresca talked about after the sport that he would favor to have extra possession. However the actuality is we didn’t want it. Objectives win you video games, not possession.
The Maresca and Conte Italian connection is shining by, however while there are some comparisons in how Maresca is taking part in and they’re additionally each Italian, they’re additionally very completely different coaches too.
The comparisons are the counter attacking model, however Maresca is exhibiting pragmatism, that means that we wont see this on a regular basis and we are going to see completely different setups for various opposition.
I’m wanting to now see us play in opposition to a low block and the way that can work. However this present Chelsea squad for me is setup to play transitional soccer, and to this point, that’s what we’re thriving at.
So perhaps what all the large shops have been saying about Maresca and his lifeless set model of play and the way Chelsea wish to play that approach earlier than he arrived was not truly true in any respect?
In case anybody will get confused with this, this text is all optimistic on Maresca, I’m saying all of this as a very good factor. I believe a few of the greatest ever soccer coaches are pragmatic and are in a position to adapt and be versatile, and Maresca is exhibiting that he can try this as properly proper now. I consider he’s setting as much as the strengths of what he has in his squad, and that may be a good factor.
Perhaps I’ve judged this mistaken, perhaps not. However that is what I’m seeing trying from the surface in. I’m intrigued to see video games going ahead in opposition to completely different opposition to see if it stays like this or not. Personally, I believe Maresca has seen what we now have and believes a transitional setup is greatest for us.
