In the passionate 16th round of the English Premier League competition, Chelsea by virtue of the home advantage of 2-1 narrowly won Brentford, after the game, the team manager Maresca stepped into the press conference, straight to the reporters about the team performance, player status and the championship journey of the sharp questions.
The road to the title: cautious optimism
When asked about the title race, Maresca said that despite the team's recent success, he still believes that Chelsea has not yet reached the top of the table. He pointed out that compared to other strong teams, Chelsea's ability to adapt at critical moments is still insufficient, such as the end of the period due to the error of the ball out of bounds and lost points. Maresca emphasized that he is willing to bear the pressure of the championship, but the team still needs to improve in many aspects of the attack and defense.
Cucurelia's red card: an unexpected interlude
Speaking about Cucurelia's red card for his attitude, Maresca said he was celebrating with his coaching staff in a hug and was unable to witness the whole thing. He revealed that the referee explained that the red card stemmed from Cucurelia's misbehavior, but he still gave credit to the player for his performance that day.
Team lineup: streamlining
In response to questions about a "big squad", Maresca vehemently denied that there were only 24 players in the squad, and that if that was "big", then so were many clubs in the Premier League. He emphasized that the team has been playing with 24 to 25 players since he took charge and said that the team has done well in dealing with injuries and suspensions and that the players have been able to fill in and play well.
Fan Support: The Power of Warmth
Maresca expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the support of the fans. He mentioned that the fans sang "We've got our Chelsea back" as well as his name, which gave him a sense of joy and pride. He said that the team works hard every day for moments like this, especially at the end of the game to get three points.
Goalkeeper issues: a solid choice
Addressing the goalkeeping position, Maresca expressed his satisfaction with the performance of Robert Sanchez. He cited a series of great saves by Sanchez in previous matches, including a penalty away to Bournemouth, a one-on-one tackle on Watkins against Aston Villa, and a great save near the end of the game against Nottingham Forest. Maresca emphasized that the team has two strong goalkeepers who are able to compete and help the team win games, which is exactly what they are looking for.
