Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has thrown his support behind Chelsea’s new boss Enzo Maresca, despite a less-than-stellar pre-season tour so far from the Blues.
After a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Celtic in a friendly match, some of the Stamford Bridge faithful have begun to cast doubt on Maresca’s tactical prowess. Yet, Dewsbury-Hall has stepped up to quell the unrest, asserting that the squad is firmly in the Italian’s corner.
The midfielder, who previously thrived under Maresca’s guidance during Leicester’s triumphant Championship campaign last season, attested to the immediate impact the manager had on the team, convincing them of his approach within just a week.
Dewsbury-Hall remains optimistic about replicating that success at Chelsea, expressing his belief in the team’s commitment: “I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They’ve bought into it from minute one.”
He emphasised the importance of unity, saying, “You need everyone to buy in because if they do, you can really achieve something. I’m hoping that continues because if it does, we can be a serious force.”
Despite recent setbacks, including the defeat to Celtic and a 2-2 stalemate with Wrexham, Maresca has been keen to reassure fans that these pre-season fixtures are primarily about building fitness.
In a conversation with Chelsea TV, the boss reflected on the Celtic game: “We don’t like the result as you said. Conceding four is too many. Also the amount of chances we created first half, even when the game started we had two clear chances. Second half we started the same way.
“After the third goal, the game was finished. I think it was quite clear the difference between us and them in terms of physical condition. You can see that they are a team that in one week they are going to start their official season while for us it was just our second game the break. For me, it was quite clear the difference in physical condition.”
Chelsea will kick off their Premier League campaign with a challenging home match against reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday, August 18.
