Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has explained that one player has improved drastically after he pulled him to one side and spoke with him.
The decision from Chelsea’s owners to appoint Enzo Maresca as the head coach in the 2024 summer has been a masterstroke, having won two trophies during his first season in charge last year. Now, the Italian manager is aiming to follow it up with more success during his second season in the dugout.
Robert Di Matteo claims Maresca is very knowledgeable when it comes to football, so he doesn’t need to give him any advice.
We’ve noticed his man-management has been spot on recently, dealing with a competitive squad by rotating. In addition, he’s got the ability to impact a game from the bench with his substitutions or change of tactics.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca speaking to the media at Cobham.
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Enzo Maresca explains stern chat with Marc Guiu
On Friday morning, Maresca shared during an intriguing press conference that Chelsea striker Marc Guiu wasn’t meeting his expectation recently in training sessions, which led to a conversation with him.
Thankfully, he’s a lot happier with the 19-year-old’s levels at Cobham, so he’s started to get minutes in the first team.
Maresca said via Football.London: “Marc is a typical number nine, you will see physically strong, he is a box player, again he is [born in] 06, he can improve and he can do many things better and we are working with him every day to help him and as I said many times, he is going to play games with us… We had a chat with Marc two weeks ago, I told him that the way he was training I didn’t like and he needs to change. He changes and he got a chance, so it is like that.”
One interviewer asked: “What didn’t you like about the way he was training?”
Maresca responded: “He was not training well.”
The interview followed up: “In what way?”
Maresca explained: “In all the ways.”
The interview probed further: “And why do you think that was for a young player?”
Maresca said: “I don’t know, that’s why young sometimes they are in one way, the other way so you need to go slowly, slowly with them but since we chat, it’s top, it’s fantastic, it’s working very good.”
Reece James and Marc Guiu in Chelsea training at Cobham.
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
In fairness, Guiu has had a turbulent season so far, where he joined Sunderland on loan and was recalled just a few weeks later due to a shortage of available centre-forwards. We can cut him some slack if he took a bit of time to lift himself.
Most importantly, the Spanish teenager appears to be back in the manager’s good books.
Liam Delap’s imminent return from injury does crank up the competition for the starting striker role. However, we’re confident that Guiu has plenty to offer this team when he does feature this season.
He could be a great option to lead the line at home to Sunderland on Saturday in the Premier League fixture.