“When we face a deep block team” – Enzo Maresca reveals why he could not conduct his tactics | OneFootball

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has revealed why he could not conduct his tactics fully at the weekend due to injuries.

The Blues manager is going through it right now with injuries and fatigue, especially after an international break where many of his players had been out representing their countries.

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Maresca has even admitted that he started Joao Pedro against Brentford on Saturday even after the striker had told him that he was not feeling fully fit before the game. Maresca must have believed that he had little choice but to start him.

Pedro was not quite at the races at the weekend and you could tell he was playing whilst not being fully fit. It took a late Moises Caicedo stunner to make Chelsea believe they had actually won this game. However, Brentford then replied straight away after they managed to bundle a long throw in into the Chelsea net and get a share of the points come the end.

Maresca on low blocks

Enzo Maresca speaks to Chelsea TV after full time.

So with Maresca starting an unfit striker and being without Liam Delap who is out for the long-term, he really didn’t want to be facing the low block of Brentford this weekend.

The Blues boss has revealed that having ‘a proper 9’ is key to breaking down a low block.

He said:

“When we face a deep block team, having a proper 9 and Joao [Pedro] in behind, in the way we played against West Ham with Joao and Liam [Delap], and how we started against Fulham with Joao and Liam, that is the perfect situation for Joao.”

Delap our only option?

We have Marc Guiu back in the squad but can he be described as a ‘proper 9’? I’m not so sure he can be and also, he still has a lot of developing to do. A concern, surely.