Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has made it clear that his side need to improve in a couple of areas ahead of their next pre-season game against Club America.
Enzo Maresca‘s men were destroyed by Celtic in their last friendly, losing 4-1 to the Scottish champions.
Christopher Nkunku’s penalty at the end of the game made it a more respectable scoreline, but Chelsea were 4-0 down at one stage during the match and that should not be overlooked because of one consolation goal.
That being said, it was only a pre-season fixture, so you can cut the players a bit of slack.
Chelsea take on Club America next, and Maresca says Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be available after missing the Celtic game because of a small injury problem.
Enzo Maresca’s message to Chelsea players
Last time out, Maresca wasn’t too pleased with Chelsea’s defensive line. The Italian will want to see improvement there.
However, he has also made it clear that the team, as a whole, need to improve on and off the ball.
Speaking to Chelsea’s official website and other outlets during his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “You always need to win because it is important but in this moment, if we win on Wednesday, then I don’t think it will be mentally better against Manchester City or Real Madrid because what I am trying to tell them, and the message I am trying to send to them, is that at the moment we need to improve ourselves on the ball and off the ball and to prepare ourselves in the way we want to play during the season.
“That is our main focus. And then, I have no doubt, that the results will come.”
Where Chelsea also need to improve
Chelsea were not the most clinical side in the Premier League last season. While they did manage to score 76 goals, according to WhoScored, their xG was actually 80.18.
Had they met their xG, maybe the Blues would have qualified for the Europa League or even the Champions League. After all, Aston Villa only finished five points ahead of them in fourth.
Chelsea are now being heavily linked with a move for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen. Journalist Liam Twomey says Osimhen to Chelsea is far from a done deal, but if the Blues do manage to land him, he should help them to be a more clinical outfit.
Over the last two seasons combined, the 25-year-old has scored 48 goals for Napoli. That kind of firepower could transform Chelsea.
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