First shot fired in Maresca’s surprise attack on Chelsea sporting structure – it only ends one way | OneFootball

This is a syndication of the article originally published for the BBC, here.

It’s now Thursday, but the big story at Chelsea remains the comments Enzo Maresca made on Saturday evening.

In his press conference after a fairly routine win over Everton, the coach unexpectedly turned an anodyne question about Malo Gusto’s performance into a launch-pad for a stark statement about how the last 48 hours had been his “worst,” at Chelsea, due to a lack of “support.”

It wasn’t quite clear what he meant – pressed for more details, he clarified he wasn’t talking about support from the fans. But that was all he would say, and yesterday’s presser previewing today’s EFL Cup game against Cardiff saw him resist all opportunities to elaborate.

Chelsea rift caused by gap in expectations

Enzo Maresca looks unhappy in a press conference after a win.

The best explanation, based on the whispers coming from journalists with contacts at Chelsea is that the coach feels he’s been hung out to dry by the club’s transfer policy: he’s the one criticised when rotation costs the team results, when actually it’s the squad he’s been given which is too callow to have the depth needed to win in midweek Champions League games as well as the Premier League matches at the weekend.

Evidently he wants “support” in the form of the club making it clear (perhaps publicly, perhaps privately) that he’s working within those restraints. A highly competitive man still trying to prove his ability as a manager wants it made obvious that he’s operating with a handicap compared to some of his rivals. There’s also some talk of the well known division within the ownership pulling the project in two different directions, with Maresca left in the middle to take the flak.

It’s amazing to see a coach who was appointed as a company man, who has yet to step out of line, suddenly open fire on those above him. It will all be smoothed over, and the media will move on if there are a couple of good results this week. But whatever happens now, that first shot has been fired and can’t be taken back.