The big headline from Enzo Maresca’s press conference at Chelsea was that Cole Palmer is fit again, and that means a terrifying prospect for opposition teams preparing to face the Blues.
Palmer and Estevao a terrifying double duo for Chelsea’s opposition
Enzo Maresca subs off Estevao.
Enzo Maresca subs off Estevao. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
Estevao Willian has stepped up to become a key player in Palmer’s absence, and now we’re all looking forward to seeing them play together. It’s not a setup we’ve seen often, partly because of Palmer’s injuries, but according to Maresca it’s something he’s working on:
“No, they can play together. It depends on which team, it depends a little bit on the game plan, but for sure they are excited. The fans are excited to watch both together. We are also excited, thinking that at the end we need always a balance between the two phases.”
With Palmer now confirmed to be coming back, Maresca noted that the mood in the camp had lifted significantly.
“Yes, everyone is happy. The team-mates are happy. We are all happy and the most important thing is that Cole is happy because at the end, a football player, they want to play games and make sessions every day.”
We suffered a bit without Cole, but we also gained a lot of confidence that we can win without him – and players like Estevao will benefit from the extra minutes and responsibility they had while the star man was out.
In other Arsenal news…
On the subject of whether this game was as big as the Barcelona game, Maresca said just what you’d expect him to – they’re both just 3 points.
Maresca was asked about the battle between Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice on Sunday, but refused to admit it would likely define the shape of the game.
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Cole Palmer's left boot.
Estevao Willian with a Chelsea News logo.
Estevao in action for Chelsea.