Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has expressed surprise at the team’s progress since he joined the club this summer.
Maresca was appointed to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who left by mutual consent, and after a lackluster pre-season, many were concerned it would take time for the players to adapt to his methods. However, Chelsea has made a solid start to the season, earning seven points from their first four games, and Maresca acknowledged that he didn’t expect this level of progress so soon.
“We are ahead of where I expected, to be honest,” Maresca told club media. “The players have been open-minded and are absorbing all the information.
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“We’ve pressed in four or five different ways off the ball. On the ball, we adjust based on how the opposition defends, looking for different solutions. Against Crystal Palace and in the friendly against Inter Milan, we adapted our approach accordingly.”
Despite his optimism, Maresca urged fans to keep their expectations realistic when asked about the possibility of a top-four finish this season.
“This is a good squad,” he said during his pre-match press conference ahead of the West Ham United game. “But in the last two years, we finished 12th and sixth. Progress is essential, and the key to reaching important targets is to focus on one game at a time.”