Maresca, adaptability and the Cobham Cobras
A look at what Chelsea's CWC win means to the title race
On the day Liverpool started pre-season games, Chelsea finished last season’s games. The extent of the Club World Cup’s significance to the Premier League will become apparent only as the season unfolds, and if fatigue and injuries prove an expensive legacy of Chelsea’s triumphant summer exertions. What events out in the US showed is that the champions of the world will be more confident of challenging the champions of England. Beating the champions of Europe adds to that belief. They are more of a balanced, dangerous team, especially with Joao Pedro in attack. So what could Chelsea’s 3-0 thrashing of Paris St-Germain mean for the Premier League season? A look at some key positions and points….
Head coach. Enzo Maresca proved he can be adaptable and tactically smart at spotting opponents’ flaws. Chelsea’s head coach was understandably criticised by many followers of the club, especially over the winter period, for over-deliberation in defence. Too slow, also too vulnerable to pressing and mistakes. Against PS-G, and throughout the tournament, Maresca showed he could mix it up, and particularly speed it up.
He saw PS-G’s vulnerability behind Nuno Mendes. Arsenal had sought to exploit this with Bukayo Saka and Liverpool with Harvey Elliott when he came on in Paris. Elliott spoke afterwards of noting that Nuno Mendes’ concentration could drift or he could get caught upfield. So Maresca got Chelsea to target PSG’s left-back area with long balls from Robert Sanchez and Levi Colwill. Malo Gusto played high and was physically too strong for Mendes while Cole Palmer was too clever. Maresca’s use of Palmer slightly right and Enzo Fernandez attacking as a 10 also worked perfectly.