Every word Enzo Maresca said on Chelsea injuries, Man Utd, Ruben Amorim and Enzo Fernandez form
by Bobby Vincent · football.londonEnzo Maresca has just finished his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's trip to Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues currently sit six points better off in the Premier League table than the Red Devils, who recently parted company with Erik ten Hag, and will be determined to extend that advantage at the weekend. However, Chelsea's recent record at Old Trafford is poor - something Maresca was quizzed about during his press conference.
Fortunately for you, football.london has provided its usual full transcript from the presser. You can read every word the Chelsea head coach had to say down below...
Manchester United have just announced Ruben Amorim. What do you think of the appointment?
"First of all, all the best to him. If the people in charge took that decision it is because they think it's the correct one. All the best to him and all the best to Manchester United."
Have you spoken to Ruud van Nistelrooy?
"I haven't spoken with Ruud. I will give him a big hug on Sunday before the game. We expect a tough game."
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What are your memories of playing with him?
"First of all, a fantastic guy - very humble and professional. Unfortunately I shared with him a time where he was already finished [laughs] but even with that, you can see how good he was. We had a very good group of human beings with Malaga at the time so it is always nice to remember that moment."
Chelsea haven't won at Man United in over a decade. Is this a good time to be playing them?
"We didn't win there since 2013? Hopefully it is a good time. That shows how difficult that stadium is; not only for us but for every club."
Team news?
"They are all available apart from Jadon [Sancho] because he has been ill in the last days."
Were you willing to sacrifice the Carabao Cup to win at Old Trafford?
"No. We prepared the game to win in the last game against Newcastle. Unfortunately we lost but we prepare every game to try and win. The reason why we make changes is not because we are the 'A team' or the 'B team' - we are all one team.
"The only reason is because they all deserve to play. Some of them are playing Premier League games, some of them in the Conference League or Carabao Cup. But in one game or two games, it can change; the ones playing Carabao and Conference games can then play in the Premier League.
"We have 24 or 25 outfield players, and there is only one team, only one squad. What we try to do is to share minutes with all of them."
You showed some frustration with Enzo Fernandez against Newcastle. Do you still believe in Enzo?
"I showed frustration with Enzo? I show frustration with all of them. Don't only look at Enzo. I still trust Enzo; there is not one reason in the world to lose confidence in him.
"The reason why he is not playing in the Premier League is because in this moment, I take different decisions. But my confidence is 100% with Enzo."
Cole Palmer scored four times against Man United last season. Are you expecting a big performance from him?
"I hope so. He is going to play. Cole is doing every time very good. I said at the beginning of the season; if we expect 20 goals and 20 assists from him, then it is probably wrong because we don't need to put all of the pressure on his shoulders. He has to enjoy football.
"If he enjoys, for sure he is going to score and assist his teammates. Cole is playing well, not only when he is scoring goals, but he is playing well when he doesn't score because he allows the rest to play in a great way."
What is your reasoning for playing Malo Gusto on the left instead of a natural left-back? And can we expect to see him stay in that role now Reece James is back?
"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.
"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."
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall played on the right wing against Newcastle. Was this planned or was it to do with Jadon Sancho being ill?
"No, no, no. The idea was to try with Kiernan. We played in a different shape against Newcastle, just to try and control the game a little bit more. Try not to make it a basketball game.
"I think for 20 or 25 minutes until their goal, the plan was there but then we conceded a goal and 10 minutes we lost the game. It could be an idea for the future."
Andrey Santos has been doing well on loan in France. How much can you consider him?
"Andrey Santos shows what we have said already many times; probably for some players, it is better they go and prove themselves and then they can come back. Now is too early but if he continues in the way he is playing, then he could be an option for us."
Is Enzo Fernandez no longer indispensable?
"I like to say that we have, as I said, we don't have an 'A team' or 'B team'. There are players that are fantastic players but for me, we don't have indispensable players. If Cole, for whatever reason, is not playing, then we have Joao [Felix]. If Nico [Jackson] is not playing, we have Christo [Nkunku].
"The reason we change players is because we think all the players are good. Some of them, for sure, are better than the rest but it doesn't mean they are always going to play. In this moment, I know you are looking for some different reasons for Enzo. But for Enzo, it's very simple; he is not playing in this moment but we have so many games in the future. He is not playing but it doesn't mean he is not going to play tomorrow or in two days or that Romeo [Lavia] and Moi [Caicedo] are going to."
What do Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo bring that Fernandez doesn't?
"First of all, it is a matter of balance. I think in this moment, Romeo and Moi give us physicality and strength in the middle. This is the reason why we found the option of Malo in the pocket. Otherwise, if we play with Enzo, it has to be Enzo and one between Moi and Romeo and when Enzo moves, we probably struggle in the middle in terms of physicality.
"It doesn't mean in one game we cannot play with Cole and Joao in the pocket. It depends on the game. Probably soon we are going to see Joao and Cole together in the pocket with a striker. It's always the game that requires a different plan."
How do you find the balance in playing quickly and being patient in possession?
"It's not playing slow or playing fast. If you think of the Brighton game, we prepared the game and tried to attack quick and get in behind. But we cannot prepare the same game against Nottingham Forest when they sit back and they are in their side.
"It depends on the game. For sure, we have wide players that can attacking quick, for sure, but I said many times, when you attack quick then they attack quick. That becomes, like Newcastle, up and down, up and down.
"For teams that are physically strong, that is much better for them than for us. The reason why we score many goals in the second-half, it happened last season at Leicester, is because probably in the first-half, because we touch, touch, touch, touch, and they run, run and run, they cannot maintain that for 95 minutes. In the second-half, they start to drop and then we start to score goals."
In the last six games, no clean sheets and five of those goals have been in the six-yard box. Is this a worry?
"From the last six, you said? How many have we won? If we concede one and then we score two, I'm happy. It depends. We have many, many things we need to improve but I said, the way we attack and the way we defend.
"For sure, there are things we need to improve. But because there are so many things we need to improve, you cannot focus on all of them, so you start with the priority and then for sure, it is something we need to consider and improve."
How pleased are you with Nicolas Jackson?
"Very happy. First of all, Nicolas is helping us not only in terms of numbers but he is also helping us in terms of the way we want to play; the way he links with his teammates. He is helping us a lot in the process. Every time he drops, he gives us an extra man.
"We saw against Newcastle, when he drops he is causing problems. When he attacks in behind, he is quick and he can score goals. We are very happy and we are trying to work with him in different areas and one of the areas is when he drops, what he has to do."
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