Every word Enzo Maresca said on Cole Palmer injury, Arsenal showdown, Mikel Arteta ideas
The full transcript from Enzo Maresca as the Chelsea head coached looks ahead to Sunday afternoon’s Premier League meeting with London rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge
In the aftermath of Chelsea’s 8-0 thrashing of FC Noah, Enzo Maresca swiftly switched his attention to Sunday afternoon where the Blues welcome Arsenal to Stamford Bridge.
The Gunners come to west London below Chelsea in the Premier League table after they were beaten at Newcastle United last weekend. However, it is still set to be a really tough match for the Blues as Maresca looks to make a real statement with three points in SW6 before the final international break of 2024.
Here is every word the Chelsea head coach had to say as he previewed the Arsenal match and spoke about a certain Cole Palmer…
How’s Cole Palmer? We saw him come and get some dinner from here [the press lounge] today…
“He’s better. He’s getting better. If he can walk and have dinner, that doesn’t mean he is completely fit. He’s getting better. Hopefully we can have him for the session at least on Saturday and then we can take a decision.”
Arsenal on Sunday, will you change anything for them?
“We’re always looking for something different, no matter if it’s Arsenal or another team, to see how we can attack and defend in the right way. We did that this season against any team. For sure, Arsenal is the closest one to the best team in England, that is City. But we’re going to try to do our game, prepare in the best way we can and try to win.”
“For sure, I would like to win this kind of game. But since we started, I’ve always said the same – that for sure I analyse the result but first of all, I analyse the performance. And do you think we deserved to lose against Liverpool?”
No I don’t…
“Me too. But it’s football. Now, hopefully, we can win Sunday, we can win that kind of game. But also, in this competition, in the Premier League, it’s difficult to win against any team.
“For sure, if I can decide, I would like to win against Arsenal on Sunday, no doubt. But, also, Liverpool away, the performance was very good, we didn’t deserve to lose. Even City. The good thing is that we are there.
“We are there, and you cannot see a big difference when we play these kind of games. This is the most important thing. I don’t have doubt if it’s Sunday or if it’s the next game but for sure, we’re going be there and win this kind of game. No doubt.”
You’re coming up against Mikel Arteta, another ‘disciple’ of Pep Guardiola…
“The only thing I can say is that, for sure, I learned many things from Pep. If I’m here today, it’s probably because of the amount of things that I have been lucky to learn next to him.
“Mikel also has his own ideas, the same as me with what I try. Probably both of us, we have to be thankful because we worked beside the one who I consider the best manager in the world. Both, we have been quite lucky to work with Pep.”
Is he better friends with you than Arteta?
“Oh, this is a question. Your question is exactly tonight’s game [against Noah] – it’s a tricky question, it’s very dangerous if you don’t take it seriously! I’m friends with Pep, and that’s it.”
Have you watched back Chelsea losing 5-0 to Arsenal last season?
“I didn’t watch the game in the last days. I watched the game in the summer when I watched all of last season’s games. I’m now more focused on what they are doing this season than last season. For sure, that game was a big, huge defeat for us, for the club. Hopefully, we can do something different on Sunday.”
Arsenal have set up at times to make it frustrating this season. Have you warned your players about that?
“For sure, mentally it will be very tough. Set-pieces, they are very good. But not only against us. They are very good against any team. I watched the Champions League game against Inter Milan, and every corner was smelling of a goal. They are top on that, and we are going to try to deal with that in the best way.”
Is there more pressure on them than you?
“I don’t know. I also like to get pressure from these kinds of game. The pressure is also for us. For sure, they are the closest one with City. Both, I consider them better than the rest.
“The reason why is because one club is working with the same manager for nine years, and the other one is working with the same manager for five years, and this is a big, big, big advantage compared to the rest. So for me, that’s why they are better than the rest. But we’re going to try on Sunday to make life difficult for them. We’re going to try our best.”
Biggest game season so far?
“You don’t know how worried I was tonight against this team. I try to take all the games in the same way – serious, preparing in the best way, how we can attack good, how we can defend good. I try to take all the games in the same way.
“Tonight, I was very worried because this is the one that it’s easy to drop because mentally, you are not ready when you have to be ready. If you ask me, in the next two games, which one do you want to win? For sure, I want to win both. But if I have to take one, I take the next one. Also, because in two games, we play Leicester away and I feel very close to them!”
How has it been playing on Thursdays and then Sundays?
“In this moment, we are quite lucky that we don’t have injuries. So we have 24, 25 players we can choose from. Also we protect players. In this moment, we are in November, and every game, we change players. Fortunately we don’t have injuries in this moment.”
You say you like the pressure? Is it now an even contest with Arsenal? Previously felt like a huge gap between them…
“I don’t know the last two years, what the feeling was. In this moment, the feeling from us is that we can compete, and we can win against any team. If you don’t take it serious and if you don’t do the right things, also, you can lose against any team. But for sure, we have the right feeling that we are going in the right direction. Hopefully on Sunday, we can give our fans a good day.”
