Despite Chelsea’s first win as manager against Servette on Thursday, Enzo Maresca said his players still need time to learn his system.
Chelsea beat the Swiss side 2-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League tie at Stamford Bridge. Christopher Nungu And Noni Maduke.
Maresca described the win as „crucial” after a 2-0 defeat by Manchester City to open the Premier League season on Sunday. But he admitted that his team could have managed the latter stages of the game better.
„The last 10 minutes we played with fire a little bit,” Maresca told a news conference. „I was a bit worried. We could have managed the game in a different way. I expected that because we are in the moment of learning things.
„At some moments the idea of keeping the ball is right, especially when you are 2-0 up, but where is not good. In the last 10 or 15 minutes we tried to manage the ball on our pitch. We have to do the same on the opposite side of the pitch, but we can learn from there.
„Everybody needs more time to get to know the system better. It’s not going to be easy tonight for some of them physically.”
Chelsea made nine changes from the side that lost to City, but did enough to leave them in pole position with a week to go in the second leg in Geneva to reach the Conference League group stages.
Ngungu scored from the penalty spot in the 50th minute after Servette goalkeeper Jeremy Frick was brought down in the box. Maduke came off the bench to give the Londoners a breather in the 76th minute with a powerful finish.
„I really like Noni,” Maresca said of Maduke. „The only problem with Noni is that he has to understand that he has to be consistent all week, every practice, every practice, every practice, every practice, but he’s a good player, he’s been doing well since he started with us. He’s the type. The player I like.
„The only thing he needs to improve is to be consistent every day, work hard, and then he’ll get minutes.”
Chelsea’s start to the season has been dominated by talk of comings and goings with England internationals Raheem Sterling And Ben Chilwell Neither was included in the squad for Thursday’s game and Maresca confirmed that both are available for transfer. Meanwhile, the latest signing John Felix Presented to fans prior to the game.
A player who remains at the club Michael MudrykDespite struggling since his €100m move to Stamford Bridge in January 2023. The Ukraine winger played a rare 90 minutes on Thursday and Maresca said he was working to help Mudric „make the transition”.
„This is the task, this is Mudric, not only tonight but since he joined the club,” he said. „I think he’s had good moments, but when he bowls you never know if you’re going to get one or the other. It’s consistency. We’re going to try and help him transition.
„When he’s in the final third it makes the right decision. Most of his mistakes are about choice.”
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