Enzo Maresca Puts Positive Spin on Chelsea’s Disappointing Loss to Newcastle
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca took a glass-half-full approach after his side’s disappointing performance against Newcastle United. “I think it worked if we analyzed the performance. If we analyzed the result, it didn’t work,” Maresca reflected post-match. “For 20 minutes until their goal, we were in control of the game.”
The Chelsea boss continued, “In the last 10 minutes of the first half, we had two clear-cut chances but didn’t score, and in the second half, we were in control of the game. We lost the goal because of 10 minutes. For the rest, we were quite good.”
While Maresca tried to find positives, many would argue the reality was different. With eleven changes to the lineup and a visit to a notoriously tough ground against a motivated Newcastle side, Chelsea’s performance struggled to inspire. Nervous defending, a lack of cohesion in midfield, and attackers barely making an impact left fans far from satisfied.
Chelsea may have dominated the stats—leading in shots, possession, touches in the box, corners, and forcing more saves—but that didn’t translate to the game’s feel. Despite controlling the ball after Newcastle’s second goal, it always seemed more likely that the Magpies would add another on the counter rather than Chelsea making a comeback.
This weekend, Chelsea will return to their first-choice lineup and a chance to rebound. Fans will be hoping for more than just “quite good” as they aim to get back on track.
