We as Chelsea fans are just still very much learning all about our new head coach Enzo Maresca and how he wants his team to setup and play, position by position.
We see more every game and unfortunately the results aren’t great at the moment, with another big defeat last night going down 4-2 to Manchester City. But his style of play is always going to take some time to implement, as embarrassing as those mistakes and the scoreline was last night pre-season or not.
Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke came on as subs last night and really made an impact, both scoring in some late consolation goals.
But the reporters after the game noticed that Sterling was playing much wider, hugging the touchline, and asked if this was how Maresca wants him to play.
Touchline wingers
It seems this is a Maresca tweak and something he’s told his wingers to do.
In words cited by Football London, Maresca said on Sterling’s role:
“The position of Raheem, for me, is a winger; the position he was in the first four games with us. I don’t see him in another position. In any game, it can happen when we need to use him in a different position. For sure, he is one of our important players, together with the rest.
“At this moment, sometimes he is playing from the start, sometimes he goes inside. The important thing is we give him minutes, and he is doing well.”
The reporter then asked: ‘He seemed really wide, like at Manchester City, really hugging the touchline…‘
Maresca replied, “yes.”
