Enzo Maresca admits Chelsea's defensive risks in new playing style
- Planet Sport writer
- 25 July 2024
Chelsea's coach Enzo Maresca has acknowledged that playing out from the back comes with risks that will inevitably lead to his side conceding goals.
Errors in the second half saw League One Wrexham come from behind to take a lead in their friendly in Santa Clara but Lesley Ugochukwu's late equaliser, after Christopher Nkunku's first-half strike, secured a 2-2 draw.
However, Maresca said the benefits of the style of play he is trying to introduce outweigh the negatives.
"The first came from one bounce, we lose a duel and then we concede the goal. For sure, we are going to concede goals this season playing out from the back," he told a post-match press conference.
"Hopefully, not too many. It is one of the risks that you have trying to build from behind.
"I think you are going to concede in different ways, so you need to decide in which way you need to concede a goal.
"Sometimes teams that try to build from the back concede goals but I think you are going to score more than you concede."
Maresca declared himself happy with the performance of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez but refused to comment on links with a bid for Villarreal's Filip Jorgensen.
"What I can say is Robert did very well tonight and did very well since we started," he added.
"For sure, the way we want to play, the goalkeeper is very, very important — one of the main positions.
"And I don't want to talk about players that are not Chelsea players but I am very happy with Robert.
"In this moment we have four goalkeepers. (Djordje) Petrovic is still with us but injured. We will see with the timing.
"When the transfer window is open, anything can happen for us and for the rest."
