“It’s impossible to attack quick” – Enzo Maresca defends his team’s “pathetic football” | OneFootball

Chelsea’s football in recent months has been pretty sterile, with slow possession and a lack of intensity in attack.

It’s the style of play which Gary Neville called “pathetic football” when he was on commentary duties for Sky Sports not long ago during Chelsea’s win over West Ham.

It’s a stark contrast to the blistering, end to end stuff we saw in the Autumn where they swept all before them.

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It was put to the head coach in his press conference today that perhaps the return of injured attackers like Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke, who have been out for a couple of months, would help the team “play quicker.”

Maresca blames defensive opposition setups for attacking struggles

Malo Gusto takes a throw in in front of Enzo Maresca. (Photo by Chris Lee/Chelsea FC)

But Maresca put the blame not on the injuries to key attacking players, but instead on the fixture list:

“I’ve said many times, no matter who is playing, we want to be direct and quick when they press higher, but we cannot be direct and quick when they sit back. Probably the last game at home, if you review Leicester, West Ham, Wolves, Southampton, if you have a reminder of that game, there are all games where 11 players were behind the ball, almost at the edge of the box,” the  manager explained.

“It’s impossible to attack quick. Now, against a team that they press higher, you can attack more quick for sure. But it’s easier when you have players who are running behind, maybe the players you’ve had before in that period, they don’t really like running behind, they like balls to feet.

“For skills, for character, for sure when you have players that they love to run behind more, it’s more easy. But even when you have that and teams sit back, it’s complicated. There is no space to attack in behind.”