In the 16th round of the Premier League, Chelsea defeated Everton 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. After the game, Blues manager Enzo Maresca talked about various aspects of the match.
On his views on the game
“I think this was a very important victory. Everton have been performing well in recent weeks, so winning today is crucial. I believe we fully deserved this win, and the players put in a huge amount of effort.”
On Reece James’ performance in three consecutive games
“Reece James has been asking for more playing time. He’s getting better and better, which is great news for the team because he’s a very important player for us.”
On Palmer’s influence on the team
“I’ve said many times that we’re stronger with Palmer in the squad. I want to praise all the players and the entire team, because we’ve played 16 Premier League games now – 5 without Caicedo, 11 without Palmer, and nearly every game without Drapes. No matter who plays, they’ve performed extremely well.
“Today was our 5th game in 12 days, so when we have Palmer on the pitch, we know he’s the team’s best player – but we’ve been without our best player for almost the entire season. That’s why I’m very happy with the players and hope the outside world can appreciate their efforts.
“Palmer needs to stay fit; if he’s healthy, he’ll definitely have the chance to help the team. We hope we can keep him fit – that’s the most important thing. As for whether he can help us or the national team in the future, we’ll have to wait and see.”
On Gusto
“We’ve said many times that both Reece James and Gusto are full-backs, but today they both played in midfield. Their effort, open mindset, and willingness to learn are excellent. That’s why I want to praise the players – despite many issues, they still performed well after a complicated week. Since I joined the club, the past 48 hours have been the worst, because many people didn’t support us. So I’m very happy for Gusto; at this moment, he and the other players have shown they’re willing to help the club.”
On whether he was referring to fans or the media?
“I love the fans, and we’re very satisfied with them.”
On the team’s defense
“Today’s backline was the same one we used against Bournemouth, Barcelona, and Arsenal, but it’s hard for them to play every three days now. Fofana can’t play every three days at the moment, so we tried rotating the center-backs – a few days ago, it was Badiashile and Chalobah partnering up. We’re trying to find solutions to let the players who can’t play every three days get rest.”
On how to motivate the players after a tough week
“I did my best to convince them that this is part of football, and you need to be prepared. Starting from the game against Leeds, I take full responsibility – that was my mistake in terms of the squad and game plan, not the players’ fault. I think we’re getting better and better, especially under these circumstances.”
