Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca emphasized that his players’ resilient performance in challenging conditions was more significant than the disappointment of dropping two points in their 0-0 draw with Everton.
The Blues fought to maintain a draw at a windy Goodison Park on Sunday. Despite creating the better chances in a tight first half, Chelsea relied on goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s performance as Everton came close to breaking the deadlock in the second half.
A goalless draw prevented Chelsea from temporarily moving above Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, but Maresca focused on the positives post-game. The Italian manager even claimed that Sunday’s 0-0 draw was more impressive than Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Brentford the previous weekend.
Maresca focuses on positives despite Everton stalemate
“I’m absolutely happy,” Maresca beamed. “I just said to the players that I am more happy today than the Brentford game. The reason why is because I was quite worried about today’s game; a tricky game, a tricky stadium, a tricky team.”
Everton may be entangled in a relegation battle, but Sean Dyche’s team is not to be underestimated. Sunday’s clean sheet marked their seventh of the season, the highest in the Premier League.
“They are defensively top,” Chelsea’s optimistic boss continued. “They are one of the five best teams in Europe in terms of clean sheets. You struggle to create chances against them and it was not an easy game. You have to deal and you have to learn to play different games; long balls, second balls, set pieces. Football is not just what we do on the ball, it is also how you defend and deal with that”.
“Like I said, more happy today than the Brentford game. For sure, prepared the game like always to try and win the game but sometimes there is also another team there that tries to do the same, so we are happy today.”
Maresca would have been much happier if Nicolas Jackson had capitalized on either of his two first-half chances. The erratic forward struggled on Merseyside, leaving Chelsea four points behind, a Liverpool side that convincingly took their chances against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Chelsea and Maresca will now be looking to return to winning ways when they welcome Fulham to Stamford Bridge for a traditional boxing day fixture on Thursday. Yet another slip up could see Arsenal leapfrog them in second place and that is something they will want to avoid.
