Chelsea supporters believe manager Enzo Maresca may have subtly criticized his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino following a defeat to Real Madrid.
On Tuesday evening, Maresca’s team concluded their pre-season tour of the United States with a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Chelsea experienced three losses out of their five matches in the US, with defensive errors contributing to six of the 12 goals conceded in those games.
Under Mauricio Pochettino, the London club finished sixth in the Premier League last season, which means they will compete in the UEFA Conference League this year.
Pochettino departed Stamford Bridge after just one season, reportedly due to disagreements with club management over the team’s direction and style of play.
Maresca was appointed as his successor, having previously led Leicester City to promotion with a possession-based approach similar to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The Italian coach has struggled to implement his strategies with his new team, and after the defeat to Madrid, he acknowledged that he is working to adjust some of the habits from last season.
“We are not working on defensive lines so high. It’s a habit from last year or previous years. We are trying to drop four or five metres,” Maresca said, according to the Daily Mail’s Kieran Gill.
Enzo Maresca says @ChelseaFC‘s problems defensively are a ‘habit’ which developed last season under Mauricio Pochettino ????
???? https://t.co/ZB3OBYnUC3 pic.twitter.com/yDKlhy4YWs
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) August 7, 2024
“It’s a problem we are trying to solve since day one. One of my first meetings with the squad was about the number of goals we conceded last year with the defensive line very high. It’s something we are trying to work on.”
Some fans have interpreted Maresca’s comments as a veiled criticism of Pochettino’s work at Stamford Bridge in 2023-24.
Certain fans on X supported Maresca’s viewpoint, with comments like “Good point” and “Give him time and patience.”
However, many believe Maresca is merely making excuses for his team’s inconsistent pre-season performance.
“The excuses have started already,” remarked one fan on X, while another questioned, “What is he talking about??”
A third fan commented, “When he’s done taking out the Pochettino in them he’ll have to get out the Lampard in them too.”
A fourth supporter defended Pochettino, saying, “Poch found the right balance at the end of last season. I wonder how long it will take Maresca.”
