Chelsea secured another clean sheet in their 3-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium, marking a significant improvement under Enzo Maresca's leadership. Early in Maresca's tenure, there were concerns about Chelsea's defense, especially after a shaky pre-season where they conceded several goals.
In their first friendly, the Blues leaked two goals to League One side Wrexham, needing a late equalizer to salvage a draw. Against Celtic, they were fortunate to only concede four, given the number of chances the Scottish side created. Then, alarm bells rang even louder when Erling Haaland scored twice for Manchester City in the first five minutes of their 4-2 defeat.
Despite these worrying performances, Maresca remained optimistic. Speaking after the Celtic game, he said, “We are, for sure, going to be ready for that game or at least we are going to improve things for that game," adding that his team needed time to adapt to his system. "The result is always important, but at this moment, we need to judge and analyze different things. Off the ball, we probably conceded too much, and that is something we need to improve" (Chelsea FC website).
Defensive concerns peaked when Chelsea conceded 12 goals in five games during their US tour, including a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid. Maresca explained that the issue stemmed from a "habit from last year" where the team played with an excessively high defensive line. "It’s something we are trying to work on," Maresca said. "Offensively, we are there – the patterns are there. The problem is defensively; I don’t just mean the defensive line, but all the players" (Chelsea FC website).
Fast forward to the Premier League season, and Chelsea’s defense has made significant strides. After securing back-to-back clean sheets, including Saturday’s win against West Ham, Chelsea’s defense looks far more organized. West Ham posed little threat, allowing Robert Sanchez a quiet afternoon in goal.
Maresca’s preferred backline of Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, and Marc Cucurella is building chemistry, and Chelsea’s recent performances show a solid defensive foundation. The Blues were fortunate in their previous match against Bournemouth when Evanilson missed a penalty, but they dug deep to frustrate the Cherries and secure the win.
With Chelsea’s attacking play catching the eye, their defensive improvement is just as crucial, particularly after the early-season concerns. Maresca's adjustments have tightened things up at the back, and the club will hope this defensive solidity continues.
0 Comments