Five Improvements Maresca has made in Chelsea
Chlesea’s head coach, Enzo Maresca. Photo Credit- Getty Images
When Chelsea appointed Enzo Maresca as head coach in 2024, there were initial doubts about his lack of top-flight managerial experience. With the only impressive record as a Head coach of a senior team is promoting Leicester City back to the Premier League and winning the 2023/24 Championship trophy.
However, his innovative tactics which can be traced to the maestro of modern football managing, Pep Guardiola and his own creativity, have revitalized a struggling Chelsea side, turning them into genuine competitors for trophies both in domestic and European competitions. This piece is set to give a detailed look at the five pivotal changes Maresca has implemented to make Chelsea become successful.
Reinventing Full-Back Roles with Inverted Tactics
One of Maresca’s most effective changes has been his use of inverted full-backs, a hallmark of his tactical philosophy learned under Guardiola at Manchester City. In this system, players like Marc Cucurella and Malo Gusto frequently move into central midfield when Chelsea is in possession. This adjustment creates numerical superiority in midfield, allowing Chelsea to dominate central areas, control tempo, and unlock defenses with fluid movement.
By pushing these full-backs into midfield, Maresca empowers wingers like Noni Madueke, Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk to maintain wide positions, stretching opposing defenses. This not only creates more attacking opportunities but also prevents opponents from controling the midfield. It’s a tactical shift that helped Chelsea become one of the Premier League’s most dominant sides in possession and goal scoring.
High-Risk, High-Reward Build-Up Play
Maresca has revolutionized Chelsea’s build-up play by emphasizing possession from deep positions, involving even the goalkeeper in distributing the ball. Maresca’s defensive line often appears to lure opposition presses, creating space behind them for Chelsea’s midfielders to exploit. This system demands supreme technical ability and composure, especially from defenders like Levi Colwill, Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo, as well as goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.
Although, this method shows great risk that could be exploited by a good attacking opposition team, making Chelsea vulnerable to turnovers when pressed aggressively. The approach however, has allowed Chelsea to bypass high-pressing teams and control games more effectively. Their ability to dictate games has improved significantly compared to previous seasons when they struggled to move the ball forward to make goal scoring threats.
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Aggressive Counter-Pressing and Defensive Compactness
Maresca has instilled an aggressive counter-pressing philosophy, ensuring Chelsea win back possession quickly after losing it. Midfield anchors like Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández are key to this strategy, applying pressure high up the pitch while also breaking up opposition attacks.
This counter-press is part of Maresca’s broader defensive philosophy, which includes maintaining compact team structures when out of possession. By crowding central areas and cutting off passing lanes, Chelsea has significantly reduced the number of high-quality chances they concede. This tactic mirrors the high-energy style associated with Guardiola’s City but aligns to Chelsea’s unique squad.
Revitalizing Wide Play and Fast Attacking Transitions
Under Maresca, Chelsea’s attack has become significantly more dynamic, with a heavy emphasis on exploiting wide areas. The wingers, particularly Mykhailo Mudryk and Jadon sancho, have thrived in this system, combining blistering pace with precise movements into central positions when necessary. This allows midfielders like Cole Palmer to make underlapping runs into the penalty area.
The addition of targeted passes and intelligent movement has transformed Chelsea into a more clinical attacking side. Their ability to transition quickly from defense to attack has added an extra layer of unpredictability, resulting in improved goal-scoring consistency compared to the stagnant performances of previous seasons.
Rotation and Tactical Adaptability
Unlike his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino, Maresca has shown a strong grasp of squad management and tactical flexibility. Recognizing the physical demands of modern football, he frequently rotates key players like Nicolas Jackson and Levi Colwill, keeping them fresh for big and tougher matches. This rotation has also created opportunities for young players, such as Marc Guiu, to contribute meaningfully.
In terms of tactics, Maresca has demonstrated the ability to adapt. Against high-pressing teams, he deploys a deeper midfield line to soak up pressure and exploit spaces. Against low-block defenses, he switches to a more direct approach, utilizing quick passing combinations and overlapping runs to break down compact setups. This adaptability has made Chelsea more resilient and effective against a variety of opponents.
Results: A Renewed Chelsea
While, these managerial changes discussed above have been more of tactics and managerial skills which have become beneficial to the club. Maresca has also improved the club mentally with players like Joao Felix and Jadon Sancho improving and getting back their form which has been difficult in formers clubs and under former managers like Ten Hag.
Chelsea now boasts as one of the Premier League’s most balanced and entertaining team, marked by a mix of defensive solidity and attacking ability. Their improved performances have not only elevated them in the league standings but also re-established them as credible challengers in domestic and European competitions.
Maresca’s Chelsea is a team that reflects his philosophy: bold, dynamic, and disciplined. With continued investment in his ideas and the squad’s development, Chelsea’s future under Maresca looks incredibly promising. If he continues to build on these foundations, Chelsea might finally get back their dominance in English and European football.
