Chelsea held off Brighton 4-2 at home in the 5th round of the Premier League on Saturday night, and after the match manager Maresca attended a press conference to give an in-depth review of the match and the performance of his team's new star, Palmer.
Maresca began by saying that while every victory is worth celebrating, this one was especially important because it helped the team manage to keep the momentum going after winning back-to-back away games. He emphasized that in soccer, it is often more difficult to keep a winning streak alive than it is to win a single game, which Chelsea did, making him very happy with the result and the team's performance.
Speaking about Palmer, the man of the match, Maresca was not shy about his praise. He said that Palmer scored four goals in the game, but actually had the chance to score more. Maresca spoke highly of Palmer's goal-scoring ability and pointed out that not only is Palmer's skill outstanding, but what is even more valuable is that he always maintains humility and hunger, which is the driving force for him to keep moving forward on the soccer road. Maresca revealed that he has known Palmer for many years and has followed his growth from his time at Manchester City U23 to the first team. He emphasized that Palmer's humility and simplicity were the qualities he valued most, qualities that allowed him to maintain his beginnings and keep pursuing higher goals even after achieving success.
On the change in Palmer's position on the field, Maresca said it was part of the team's tactical adjustments. He believes that Palmer is a very versatile player who can play multiple positions, including the false nine, number nine and winger. He emphasized that Palmer's performance on the field proves that he is an integral part of the team and can play regardless of position.
When asked if he needs to work on keeping Palmer humble, Maresca laughs and says that's nothing to worry about. He believes that Palmer has been through a lot, but has never changed his nature. He emphasized that Palmer's humility and simplicity is one of the key reasons why he has been able to continue to improve. At the same time, he also expressed his expectations for young players, hoping that they can maintain their love and beginnings for soccer like Palmer.
In addition, Maresca spoke about Chukwuemeka's playing time. He said that Chukwuemeka is a very good player, but due to the large squad and tactical needs of the team, he did not get much playing time at the beginning of the season. He revealed that the team had considered letting Chukwuemeka leave the team to get more experience in the game, but it didn't work out in the end. He promised to work hard to create more playing opportunities for Chukwuemeka to help him show his strengths in the game.
Finally, Maresca reviewed the first half of the game. He admitted that the team played poorly without the ball and was surprised by Brighton's tactical setup. However, he also emphasized that the team performed well with the ball and made effective adjustments in the second half. He particularly praised goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and the players for their performance in the game, believing that they showed great team spirit and attitude to the game. He believes that Chelsea will continue this good form in the coming matches and bring more exciting matches to the fans.
