One on One | Maresca, one year on at Chelsea

0:01I said the other day for me in this moment, him and Rodri, they are the two best defensive midfielders. as a club we go in the right direction for sure probably one year ago there was noise around the club from different things now it's quite good feeling that all the noise around the club is just about football I really think that the manager is here to service the players to get them better and this is my target to be honest

0:36welcome back to one-on-one from sky sports the podcast that brings you exclusive chats with big names from the world of football i'm joe tomlinson and this week it's a first for one-on-one because it's a second time on this show we're hearing from the same manager it was around this time last year that i first went to meet enzo mareska at chelsea he'd not long been in the job having joined the Blues from Leicester City in July of 2024. So one year on and one conference league and a Club World Cup later, I went to see him again. This time we chatted about the phenomena that is Esteval, the player he thinks is the best defensive midfielder in the league, Moises Caicedo.

1:12And of course, we had a catch up about what life has been like for him over his first year in charge. So for the second time, this is my one-on-one with Enzo Maresca.

1:27Enzo, thank you so much for joining me. It's pretty much exactly a year since we last did a one-on-one podcast together. So I think it's a really interesting time to ask you how you think you developed as a coach over your first year and a bit at Chelsea. I try to learn as much as I can from every day, from training sessions, from games. so I think all of us with time we are getting better And how do you think this place has changed in your presence? Do you think things behind the scenes have really progressed because it feels like as a club things have moved in the right direction? Yeah, I think as you said as a club we go in the right direction for sure probably one year ago there was noise around the club from different things now I think it's quite good feeling that all the noise around the club is just about football and the way we try to play, the way we try to get results.

2:28Let's touch a bit on the way you try to play. Do you think any of your tactical ideas have developed? Because I remember when we first spoke a year ago, we were talking about inverted fullbacks, we were talking about a few different nuances to your tactical style. Has anything changed for you specifically in the last year? I try to adapt, I try to change things, I try to evolve, maintaining the same idea. So I think, again, day by day, session after session, game after game, we need to learn and we need to evolve. I think it's really interesting over the last year, the Premier League feels like it's changed quite a lot.

3:04How would you describe its change? How would you describe its adaption? It's always, you know, it's always, I think it's always evolution in this moment, for instance. Many teams, they are trying to play, I don't know, a long throw in. but it's not something new if you go 20 years ago so it's every time it's like you know something is back you need to be you need to deal with that you need to find solution against these kind of things and this is the nice part Obviously you played in the championship in the 90s probably against the long throws the long balls so you've been able to take some of your knowledge what do you remember from back in those days depending on that Many years ago but it was just that football it was as you said 98 championship most of the team they were playing long throw in and now they are back again.

3:50Yeah, and the long balls as well, people have talked about that in the Premier League at the moment. It's quite direct. Obviously, we went through a period where it's very sort of build-up play, lots of passes. Is that a good thing or a bad thing to be in the Premier League, do you think? It's just the way where, you know, every club, every manager see the things. And the good thing is that you have to adapt, you have to find solutions against these kind of teams. Obviously the competitiveness in the Premier League now is incredible. Every single team is doing such a fantastic job. Is it really hard from a manager's perspective going into each week knowing you are facing an unbelievable side basically?

4:29Yeah, it's complicated. It's complicated because as you said, every team is competitive. Every team, they have a good player, good manager. They are prepared. They are ready. So every game is difficult. and obviously each team is kind of focused on a different area at the moment you look at the way Sunderland play you look at the way Bournemouth play all of the coaches are really getting big praise at the moment is there any sort of specific coach you look at at the moment or a few names you could throw at us that you think is doing a really good job or a really interesting job maybe not just in the Premier League but also in Europe as you said where there are so many good managers around like the Sunderland like yeah Sunderland manager board manager as you mentioned but I think there There are many, many good managers where you can have a look at.

5:12Yeah, and I have to say, I think we should talk about the physicality increase in the Premier League as well. It feels like everybody is tall, is strong, is powerful. How have you found that? It's exactly in the way you said. Many teams, in this moment, I think all the teams, they are very strong. They are prepared, ready. And we go in a direction where probably it's more physicality. and again, you have to try to find solutions against these kind of problems. Obviously, again, that's something you probably face when you're in the Championship and obviously you were playing in midfield, weren't you?

5:44How do midfielders and players in that area of pitch cope if they aren't as big and as tall as Declan Rice or as strong and physical? Yeah, it's also not all in the middle. It's also defenders or strikers in this moment. I think the direction in this moment is more physicality. And again, we try also to be ready on that. And how do you think that that is going to change European football? Do you think the European teams are going to look at the Premier League and potentially go, OK, maybe we should be moving towards a more physical brand of football? Also, the research from Premier League clubs, it's a bit different compared to, I don't know, Spain, Italy, French, in terms of money, in terms of budget.

6:28But for sure, I don't know in other countries, but for sure in England in this moment it's also about physicality. I want to talk about one of the most physical players I think in your team, Moïse Caicedo who is just doing the most fantastic job. Again, I re-watched our interview last year and we were talking about him maybe being one of the best Premier League midfielders. Is he now the best Premier League midfielder? I said the other day for me in this moment him and Rodri, they are the two best defensive midfielders. Moïse Caicedo, the player of the match. Any dispute? Absolutely not. world-class.

7:01I'd go as far to say right now the best of his type in world football. A one-back though by Moises Caicedo and Jean-Pedro surely. Chelsea put their stamp of superiority on this fixture again. That goal was all about Moises Caicedo. Absolutely fantastic. How do you think his game has progressed over that last 12 months? Because it feels like he's added so many different levels to it. he's doing well he's progressing he's improving every day he's open-minded he wants to learn and he's helping his teammates in every game I think his role is quite interesting in the side as well obviously he came almost more of a traditional defensive midfielder but now it feels like he's everywhere he's pressing really high he's scoring goals is that something he's added to his game that element of being able to get up and down yeah it's also you know the way the team tried to work off the ball tried to press the goal we scored against Tottenham he was pressing inside the box because it's, you know, it's the way we try to press, eye pressing, reaction when we lose the ball immediately and he was, he's doing fantastic.

8:08I mean, you yourself, a bit of a box-to-box midfielder. Do you see yourself in him maybe a little bit? No way, no way. You think he's just a couple of levels above maybe? Just a few levels. Obviously, we have to speak about the leadership he's brought to the team and the leaders in the group because he's formed a really nice sort of midfield connection with Rhys James. It's great to see Rhys James back fit playing consistently from an England fans perspective how good has that combination been in Newfield it's very good it's top that combination give us you know physicality also when Romeo is fit give us exactly the same but for sure Rhys and Moy both they are an important piece of this team it favours the right foot of Rhys James

9:01just to touch a little bit on reese james because obviously the world cup is coming up he plays it right back for england but he can play in midfield as well how good is reese james as a footballer because it feels like he's got everything to his game he's very very good the most important thing for him is to be fit and if he's fit he's top player no doubt how have you managed to change that because there were fitness problems but now it feels like he's playing most games he's involved constantly it's fantastic to see. Personally I think it's also a little bit the way we use him because playing as a midfielder or fullback goes inside it's always short distance in terms of run while when you play fullback up and down it's huge distance it's big distance you have to cover more pitch and I guess that probably there also you can get injury more easy.

9:50And obviously he's now a very influential figure at a club. He's amongst the captains, he's in the leadership group. How has he sort of progressed as a leader off the field of this team? He's progressing a lot since I joined the club. Now he's a real leader. You can see him inside the pitch, outside the pitch. He's doing very good. And obviously there's a lot of young players here that he's having to help in the dressing room. Is there sort of a connection between Rhys and some of these young players who he's sort of mentoring a little bit and he's saying, look, this is what we need to do from a Chelsea perspective.

10:24Yeah, absolutely. And you can see that he's become a little bit a reference for the other players. And obviously there's a lot of young players here. I think the youngest average age in the Premier League for a start in XI. It was many years ago that I remember Alan Hansen saying, you win nothing with kids in the Premier League. But that was proven incorrect. And it feels like at the moment things are going your way. So how is that balance of young players in the starting XI in the Premier League working for you? It's always a matter of balance. The most important thing, no matter the age, the most important thing is that they are good players.

10:58This is the most important thing. And for sure, when they are young, you have to allow them, you have to give them the chance to make some mistakes, to be better. The mistake is part of the process, but no doubt that they're going to be always better and better. There's an error here. And Estepal for 3-0. What a finish that is. The Brazilian teenager continues to make a noise in English football. Obviously, everybody wants to speak about Esteval all the time. He's a fantastic talent. But I think what people don't take into account is that adaption period from the Brazilian league. Do you think maybe because the Brazilian league itself is quite physical, it's very, very intense, has that adaption period been a little bit easier maybe for him?

11:42And because he's a good player. Yeah, unbelievable player. He's an unbelievable player. we are trying to use him in the correct way just to give him time to adapt so no rush with him he's doing fantastic he's a good player, he's happy and probably as you said the Brazilian league also in this moment is a demanding league so probably he arrives a bit more ready And obviously on the other side you've got Alejandro who comes already knowing the Premier League it feels like he's been around forever Alejandro Garnaccio even though he himself is still so young what does he provide to the dressing room?

12:15because obviously he's coming from another very big club. He's got a lot of experience in this league despite his young age. He's doing well. He's doing well with us since he joined on the ball and off the ball. He understood immediately with us that if it doesn't work properly off the ball, he's going to struggle to play games because we are in a moment, as I said at the beginning, where you need all the players working hard on the ball and off the ball. And he's doing very good in terms of winger, him, Pedro Neto. they are doing well on the ball and off the ball. Is that something you focused on with Alejandro?

12:48His off-the-ball movement, his off-the-ball work, where he needs to be? He needs to be good on the ball but also he needs to work hard off the ball. I think whilst we're on the topic of young players, we should touch upon some of the players that have come through the academy. I think a standout name, Josh Chapon at the back, who has just been sensational, I think, and not really got many headlines, playing a really hard role. How good has he been? Very good. Very good and he still work very good he knows that he has to work hard he has to improve things like the rest but the way he behaves the way he works every day is very good Because obviously we've lost Levi Colwell at the start of this season to a serious injury is it hard for a player like Josh to step into those shoes into that position?

13:31It's not easy it's a bit different Josh they are a bit different Josh and Levi but for sure for Josh Levi can be a reference because also he's from the academy me. But Josh, I think he has just to pay attention on himself, to understand how to improve and he will be very good for this club. Because obviously he's played a little bit in the youth teams as well, in the full-back area. Levi played a little bit in the full-back area as well. Now they're more into that centre-back role under yourself. Do you see him being more of a centre-back in the long term because of his height, because of his physicality?

14:04Yeah, absolutely. And what sort of skill set does he provide to that central defensive role? It's good in terms of build-up, in terms of personality, the way he carry the ball, the way on the ball he attack is very good. Defensively, he needs to improve things, he needs to understand that first of all a defender has to defend well and then if you have more things much better but again he's very young and he's going to be top player for this club. Is it hard to be a young centre-back? I think a lot of the centre-backs you see across the Premier League are more experienced aren't they? Some say that you don't sort of peak as a centre-back until you're 30 years old.

14:39Is it harder to be a young centre-back than any other position on the pitch you think? It's a delicate position because you are the last man so you are in control of everything so you can check you can control everything but also in case you make some mistake you are the last man so lots of responsibility. And obviously as a centre-back like you say you might make mistakes as a young player and as a coach of a young player, how do you get them to lift their chin up again and sort of play with confidence again after making an error? Give them the chance to make mistakes. It's the only way that they improve.

15:16We know that they are a good player. We know that they are talent. We know that they are going to be an important player in the future. But we also know that they are doing some mistakes that probably cost us some points. But it's part of the process. So let's say we sit down again in another year's time, Enzo. What do you hope to have achieved both on the field and off the field in a year's time? Just help the players to be better. I really think that the manager is here to service the players to get them better. And this is my target, to be honest. Enzo, thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you very much.

15:54Loads and loads to unpick from that one. Things that immediately stood out. I think he seems way more comfortable in the role than when I first spoke to him. He has a real aura of leadership about Imenzo. And when he walks in the room, you know he is there to take charge. And I think he spoke really, really well, particularly on the physicality of the Premier League. It's definitely another trend that we've seen come to the fore this season. And Moises Caicedo in particular, the master of that physicality, the master of his press. He spoke about him there being on a similar level to Rodri. And when he puts players like Caicedo on that level, we're talking about Ballon d 'Or winners here.

16:29Moises Caicedo, for me, has been one of the best players in the league so far this season. You can see why Enzo loves him so much. And it's not just Moises he loves either, is it? Let's have that absolutely right. There's a lot of young talent in this squad that everybody that loves to watch the game loves to watch. I mean, how can you not enjoy Esteval? He is lighting up the Premier League already. And I think Enzo was really interesting about the adaption period, about how the Brazilian league is very physical. So that might help him a little bit there. But it's not just new signings, is it?

16:58I mean, I thought he was great on Joshua Champong as well. An academy graduate is doing at the top level in the most difficult of positions and situations at centre back with the likes of Levi Colwell injured. And can we touch upon Rhys James too? Now, I know he is still only 25, but it feels like he has been around forever. He's had so many injury problems, been such a sad time for him. But recently, he is back to his absolute cutting edge best. He's battling out with Uri and Timba for the best right back in the Premier League slot. He is surely a shoo-in for Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad, having worked with Tuchel himself at Chelsea in the past.

17:37His new role in midfield, the freedom he's got on that right-hand side, really intrigued me. And I thought Mareska was great when he was speaking about this different role, not having to be such a tax on his body, not having to get up and down the pitch quite so much. What I will say is I think he's a really intriguing man to chat to, Enzo Morescu. He didn't give too much away about his first year at Chelsea. I think it's really important for him to keep everything in-house. There's a lot of noise around the club and there certainly was when he first started, but I really believe he's managed to quell that extremely well for such a young coach.

18:13Okay, that's it for this week's podcast. if you want to watch my interview with Enzo Maresca or any of our others from this season, then search 101 from Sky Sports on the Premier League YouTube channel. And if you don't already, then give this show a follow on your podcast platform of your choice so you never miss us. Jules is back with me next week, thank the Lord, when she's hoping to bring you her chat with former Everton, now leads forward, Dominic Calvert-Lewin. That's dropping next Wednesday on your one-on-one podcast feed. And of course, as ever, it will be available to watch across Sky Sports.

18:41So until then, thanks very much for listening. I'll catch you soon.

18:50Hi there, former England cricket captains Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain here to tell you that we're taking the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast down under for the ashes. As England look to win in Australia for the first time in 15 years, we'll be out there to analyse the action and discuss all the big talking points. We'll also have daily episodes during each Test match to keep you right up to date with what's going on. That's the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.