When things are rosy, the media tends to soak up whatever insights a manager offers. But a rough patch? That’s when questions start drilling down to specifics. This is exactly where new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca finds himself, under scrutiny after a single win in his last four matches.
Today, the questions came thick and fast, zeroing in on Maresca’s unconventional choice for his full-back lineup. While he’s opted to deploy Reece James on the right and Malo Gusto on the left, there’s been no consistency; sometimes, Maresca flips the script.
It’s a tactical shuffle that’s raised eyebrows, leaving Chelsea to rely heavily on their right backs every game. This, in turn, pushes Axel Disasi out of his comfort zone as a makeshift right-back during cup matches. Meanwhile, just one of the team’s three left-backs sees action, a scenario that’s hardly ideal.
Responding to the media’s questions, Maresca provided his reasoning:
“The reason why, first of all, is because we think with Malo there, playing as a 10, we think we can create and cause problems for the opponent. For sure, he is doing fantastic.”
He went on, describing Gusto’s versatile role: “I said in the last press conference: Malo is helping us a lot in the process because he is playing as a holding midfielder, he is playing in the pocket, he is playing I think for some moment like a central defender. It is a little bit like Renato [Veiga], playing in different positions but for sure, Malo is doing well and he is going to continue in that way.”
Of course, another win this weekend might just quiet down any critics circling his tactical choices. But in football, momentum is everything—and Maresca knows it.
