Enzo Maresca has spoken to the media following Chelsea's draw against Nottingham Forest(Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Every word Enzo Maresca said on late scuffle, Jackson incident, Colwill and Madueke injury issues

Here is every word Enzo Maresca had to say in his press conference following Chelsea's 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon

06 Oct 2024, 16:30 by Rob Guest · football.london

Enzo Maresca has spoken to the media following Chelsea's 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon. Making 11 changes to the team that beat Gent on Thursday evening, the hosts started the game brightly but struggled to create chances initially before Cole Palmer struck the post on the stroke of half-time.

Forest did have a couple of openings for themselves and they did take the lead in west London on 49 minutes after Chris Wood prodded home in the box following a free-kick from the halfway line. Nuno Espirito Santo's men weren't ahead for long, though, as Noni Madueke restored parity eight minutes later.

It was a frantic finale to proceedings at Stamford Bridge as James Ward-Prowse saw red for two yellow cards and a scuffle broke out in front of the Chelsea bench in the last few minutes. Chelsea really should have won all three points late on as Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku missed glorious chances.

Maresca's men did have Sanchez to thank in stoppage time, though, as the Spaniard saved from Neco Williams and then Jota Silva right at the death. Here is every word Maresca had to say in his post-match press conference at Stamford Bridge:

What did you make of that game as it was quite a feisty one to watch?

I think first 45 minutes we didn't concede nothing, we controlled the game, created the chances and the performance was very good because you can get frustrated against this kind of team. But, as I said, compared to the Brighton game it's a completely different kind of game so you need to learn how to play.

I thought first half was top and then second half we concede the goal and become a little bit more up and down. After we score immediately and then again we were in control.

Probably the red card we think most of the time that 11 vs 10 is more easy but probably today was even more difficult as they were a line of five with more players inside the box defending. Then you take the risk to lose some balls and you concede counter attacks or set-pieces that they are very strong. But overall I thought the performance was very good and I think we deserved to win the game.

Where you happy to see your team fighting or was it a bit too much for you?

First of all, fortunately I was in my area so I was where I was supposed to be. This kind of things can happen. Then in terms of emotion or these kind of things the team is fighting altogether and I don't think some of them lose their heads. I think they all of them were in the game and I was happy with that.

On the discipline you've got two players suspended for the Liverpool match and likely to get a fine again for over six bookings...

I'm not going to pay!

Are they going too far?

It’s something we need to improve but overall, I like the team the way they are fighting. I like the way they are becoming a team in these kinds of things. I don’t see any problems about that.

But there's a problem for the next game as you're without two of your players...

I know. But now we have international break, time to see how we can organise. The good news is they are all ready.

Nicolas Jackson was involved and came from the dugout, that's a little bit different?

In that moment, I think not only Nicolas was inside the pitch. If you look, more players from the bench were inside the pitch. I don't see that kind of things. If you ask me if I prefer when something like that happens, players from outside involved or not, I like the spirit of the team. I like the spirit of our team. I don’t see any problem.

Nicolas put his hand into someone's face and could get done retrospectively...

Yes but also someone tried to kick me there. When I fell down, I was there like this, and someone arrived. For sure, there are things that we can control and do better, for sure no doubt, and probably this is one of the things. But if you ask me about the team spirit, the way they are fighting together, the way they are doing things together, I’m very happy.

What went through your head when you were wiped out?

I was just there. In my area. This is the most important thing. If these kinds of things happen when you’re not in your area, probably people can say, "He was not where he should be.” At least I was in my area. It can happen. I’m OK, thank you.

You not hurt?

No, no I'm ok thank you.

Levi Colwill seemed in discomfort when coming off and Noni Madueke was limping when coming off, are they ok?

I think both are ok now that we are inside. We will see but I don't think any problems with them.

Fourteen points from seven games, are you happy with the level of your team?

Yeah. When we started the season with some of us or in general you think the second international break you are in fourth and the team are playing the way we're playing and learning to play a different kind of game, for sure it is something that I am very happy.

Seven games, 14 points is important but for me it's also important to see the way we get 14 points and it has been in different ways, home and away, team like today who sit back and is difficult, team who try to be aggressive and you have to use different weapons. I think in general we are very happy where we are but for sure we can do many things better.

You've got three wins on the road but one win at home from four games, why is that?

The fans today were unbelievable. I felt in that moment we needed a little bit more and the fans today have been and today has been top. The reason why we won one game at home, as I said many times before I prefer to analyse the game.

I think today we did everything to win the game and we deserve to win the game. Sometimes you don't score. Again against [Crystal] Palace more or less was similar to today and I think there is not a reason why in this moment we won away and we didn't win many games at home. Also we've played four games in a row at home and we've won three, drawn today so it's a good point.

What did you make of Jadon Sancho's performance?

Jadon was very good, Noni was very good and when Misha was inside he was very good. Happy with all of them. Jadon, as I have said many times, he is doing exactly what we expect from him. Once again he was good today.

Much has been made of the squad size, is this the one benefit to having so many players?

I think we have 25 first-team players since the Premier League start. I think all the clubs have around that number, so I don't think it's something just for us. The way we try to do the things is to try and share the minutes with all of them. The reason why is because they all deserve it.

The ones who played the other day in Conference League did well and probably today deserve to play again but there was another eleven who did a fantastic job against Brighton. We just try to use them in the best way and for sure when we have injuries or red cards, like we do now the games we don't have Wes [Fofana] or Marc [Cucurella] we are going to use some of the guys who today were not in the first XI.

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