Enzo Maresca was put on the spot in his post match press conference, specifically on the subject of the multiple yellow cards handed out to his players, plus the brawl triggered when Marc Cucurella was tripped and fell into his own manager.
“This kind of things can happen. Then in terms of emotion or these kind of things happen the team is fighting altogether and I don’t think some of them lose their heads. I think they all of them were in the game and I was happy with that,” Maresca said, defending his group.
“I like the spirit of the team. I like the spirit of our team. I don’t see any problem.”
Maresca was then asked about Nicolas Jackson, who had been subbed off at that point but in typical style still managed to get involved – and potentially get himself a retrospective ban for a slap he gave out.
“For sure, there are things that we can control and do better, for sure no doubt, and probably this is one of the things. But if you ask me about the team spirit, the way they are fighting together, the way they are doing things together, I’m very happy.”
Maresca backs his players – but good will won’t last forever
Look we don’t expect Maresca to come down too hard on his own players, and we can see why he likes to see this fight from them. But he’s only just arrived this summer – Chelsea supporters are far less patient because they just spent all of last season watching this same group of players doing the same thing.
Jackson in particular is lucky he has a new coach who will give him more leeway – Mauricio Pochettino was at the end of his tether by the end of last season.
