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Enzo Maresca, the Chelsea manager, finds himself in a delicate position. Despite guiding the team back into contention for a top-four finish, a segment of the Chelsea fanbase remains unconvinced by his approach to the game. The prevailing sentiment at Stamford Bridge suggests that Maresca needs to do more to win over the supporters, particularly those who are skeptical of his possession-based style of play, often dubbed 'Marescaball.' The football on display isn't exactly electrifying, and the atmosphere during the recent victory against Leicester City was far from celebratory, indicating a lingering disconnect between the manager's vision and the fans' expectations. Maresca's visible frustration boiled over when Marc Cucurella finally broke the deadlock after an hour of uninspiring play. His animated gestures urged the fans to raise their voices and provide more vocal support. The grumbling, especially concerning the team's tendency to pass the ball backwards and sideways, had clearly struck a nerve with the manager. However, Maresca's reaction could also be seen as somewhat unjustified, considering the opponent. Leicester City, a team seemingly destined for a return to the Championship after suffering 12 defeats in their last 13 matches, hardly represented a formidable challenge. Some mitigation could be found in Cole Palmer's condition. Despite suffering from diarrhea, which prevented him from training for 48 hours, Palmer insisted on starting the match. However, even with Palmer's illness taken into account, Chelsea's attack often lacked spark and creativity. Maresca offered another explanation for the labored performance, pointing to Leicester's unexpected decision to switch to a back five formation under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy. He claimed that this tactical shift forced him to drastically alter his own game plan just before kick-off. Cucurella, initially intended to operate as an auxiliary midfielder, was instead tasked with overlapping more frequently from his left-back position. Maresca suggested that these subtle adjustments were likely too complex for those outside the team to fully grasp. There was a palpable sense of impatience in Maresca's tone. He acknowledged the boos that echoed around the stadium when Enzo Fernández played a backpass shortly before Cucurella's goal. "It's our style," the Italian manager insisted. "We need our fans – I said it on my Instagram two days ago. We need them behind the players because the spirit they showed today was fantastic. I completely understand when there is a negative feeling but how many chances did we create in the first half?" He then added, with a hint of exasperation: "If you think football is just PlayStation and you win easy? No way. Every game is difficult."
Maresca's remarks can be interpreted as an attempt to deflect attention from a lackluster performance. The idea that Leicester's deployment of a packed defense came as a surprise seems disingenuous. Such tactics are hardly revolutionary, and the onus was on Chelsea to find a way to break them down. The saving grace for Chelsea was that Leicester failed to capitalize on their defensive resilience and pose a serious threat to the home side. The Foxes have seemingly lost their identity since Maresca's departure last summer and now sit six points adrift of safety, languishing below 17th-placed Wolves after enduring their fifth consecutive match without scoring. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has overseen a dismal run of results, having secured just seven points from a possible 45 since replacing Steve Cooper in November, cut a dejected figure on the sidelines, appearing resigned to the possibility that this could be his final game in charge. "We don't know if we are running out of time," Leicester's manager lamented. "We know we have today and tomorrow." Despite the defeat, Van Nistelrooy took some solace in the fact that Leicester had successfully stifled Chelsea by denying them space to run in behind. This is a recurring issue for Maresca's team. Their passing was often slow and predictable, and the only Chelsea player who seemed willing to take risks was Robert Sánchez, who made a surprise return to the starting lineup after losing his place to Filip Jörgensen a month prior. Leicester almost snatched a bizarre lead when James Justin, their right wing-back, delivered a dangerous cross. Sánchez's attempted clearance resulted in an own goal attempt by Tosin Adarabioyo, which rebounded off the crossbar. Levi Colwill was on hand to prevent Jamie Vardy from converting the rebound into an empty net.
The tension within the Chelsea ranks was palpable. Pedro Neto struggled to find opportunities to exploit the space in the middle of the pitch, while Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumaré effectively neutralized the threat of Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández in midfield. Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku were largely anonymous on the flanks. Even Cole Palmer, who had previously dazzled defenders with his effortless skill, appeared to be struggling. What had once come naturally now seemed forced and contrived. There was a sense of inevitability when Mads Hermansen saved Palmer's penalty after Victor Kristiansen was penalized for tripping Sancho in the 19th minute. Chelsea's performance deteriorated further as the first half progressed. Palmer, having lost his perfect penalty record, looked increasingly weary. Hermansen did well to repel a shot from Nkunku, but much of the play remained in front of the Leicester defense. Wesley Fofana, making his first start since December 1st after recovering from a hamstring injury, failed to provide any width on the right flank. Playing as a winger under Maresca is proving to be a challenging assignment. However, just as the boos from the Chelsea supporters were reaching a crescendo, Cucurella stepped up to calm the rising discontent. His low drive from 20 yards eluded Hermansen, prompting Maresca to implore the fans to show more positivity. Despite the goal, the atmosphere remained fragile. Palmer was substituted earlier than usual, but Leicester lacked the cutting edge to take advantage. Vardy did test Sánchez at 0-0, but an equalizer never seemed likely. Chelsea, albeit unconvincingly, now head into their crucial clash against Arsenal with a semblance of momentum.
Source: Maresca warns fans over ‘PlayStation’ expectations after Cucurella calms noise