Gary Lineker has reflected on Enzo Maresca’s opening few months in charge at Chelsea.
Enzo Maresca, 44, left Leicester City in the summer to become the new Chelsea manager.
The Italian head coach guided Leicester to the Championship title last season, which was enough to earn him a huge opportunity at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking via talkSPORT last week, Jason Cundy claimed Chelsea look well coached under Maresca. Incidentally, the team’s win over Newcastle United at the weekend means they currently sit fifth in the Premier League table.
- READ MORE: Newcastle manager Eddie Howe impressed by one thing Enzo Maresca has ‘already’ done at Chelsea
Gary Lineker super impressed by Enzo Maresca
Gary Lineker thinks that Maresca has made an excellent start in the Chelsea dugout. In particular, he’s praised him for his clear thinking and ruthlessness in such a high-pressured job.
“Maresca is doing a good job. We all looked at it and thought this is going to be really difficult coming in there…” Lineker told The Rest Is Football.
“He’s come into a club in a bit of turmoil in some ways. Apparently the owners have fallen out and that kind of stuff, but I think he’s handled it really well. He’s bringing out the best. He seems to know what his team is. He seems ruthless enough to deal with certain situations. I’ve been very impressed, as I was last season with Leicester.”
Enzo Maresca record this season
So far, Maresca should be pretty content with how things have started at Chelsea.
There’s definitely patterns of play emerging in the Blues team. Also, he’s done superbly well managing a competitive squad by rotating in league and cup competitions.
Here is a look at Chelsea’s record under Maresca so far this season across all competitions:
- Games won – 9
- Games drawn – 2
- Games lost – 3
Chelsea’s previous two full-time managers, Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter, didn’t last longer than a season each. Hopefully, the club has finally found someone in Maresca that can be a long-term appointment.
We’re certainly encouraged by the positive start to Maresca’s reign in charge, but things can always change quickly because the next two league matches are against Manchester United (away) and Arsenal (home).
With the current crop of players, we’re optimistic that Chelsea can end up in the top four, which would be a great first season under new management.
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