“Chelsea’s Tactical Masterstroke Almost Pays Off: Enzo Maresca Praises ‘Complete Game’ Despite Goalless Draw”

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has defended his team’s changes in the goalless draw against Brentford, insisting that leaving Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer out of the starting XI nearly worked. The pair were rested after playing Thursday’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham, though both came on in the second half.

A Tactical Masterstroke
Maresca’s decision to rest his two key players was a bold move, but one that he believes nearly paid off. “I think we shot more than 20 times, the only thing we missed was a goal but overall it’s a good performance,” Maresca said in a press conference. “We played Thursday night, so the idea was to start the game in one way and finish in another way. I think the plan nearly worked. We just missed the goal.”

A Complete Game
Despite the lack of goals, Maresca was pleased with his team’s performance, describing it as a “complete game.” “We prepared the game in the way the game was, in terms of starting one way and finishing the other way,” he added. “We played Thursday night, demanding game, 24 hours less than them. Tricky stadium, tricky game. Sunny day, the pitch was dry. They tried to kill the tempo of the game, so for me it was a complete game.”

A Patchy Run of Results
The draw takes Chelsea up to fourth and on course to qualify for the Champions League, despite an extended patchy run of results. The Blues have won just four of their last nine Premier League games, while Palmer is without a goal since January. However, Maresca remains optimistic about his team’s chances. “But overall, as I said, I think we did enough to win the game,” he said. “We shot more than 20 times and probably the only thing we missed has been the goal, but overall happy with the performance.”

The Bigger Picture
Chelsea’s recent form has been inconsistent, but Maresca believes that his team is on the right track. “We just need to keep working and improving,” he said. “We have a good squad and we’re confident that we can achieve our goals.”

What’s Next for Chelsea?
Chelsea’s next match is against a tough opponent, and Maresca knows that his team will need to be at their best to come out on top. “We need to focus on our game and play to our strengths,” he said. “We have a good team and we’re confident that we can get the result we want.”

Conclusion
In conclusion, Chelsea’s goalless draw against Brentford was a tactical masterstroke that nearly paid off. Enzo Maresca’s decision to rest his key players was a bold move, but one that he believes nearly worked. The team’s performance was impressive, and Maresca is confident that they can achieve their goals with a bit more work and improvement. With a tough match coming up next, Chelsea will need to be at their best to come out on top.

Source: Africa Publicity