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chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca He said he would not let the disappointing results hinder his plans for the season.
blues There has been a clear reassessment of the team’s position with two defeats and a draw in December. Premier League title credentials, as well as a blow to their European ambitions.
A strong performance the previous month had taken them up to second place and seemed to have set them up as potential challengers to leaders Arsenal at the top, leading Maresca to win the Manager of the Month award for November.
But the excitement generated by the valiant resistance in the 3-0 win over Barcelona and the 1-1 draw with the Gunners with 10 men has vanished.
Maresca’s side have not won in the league since November 22 and are nervous ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Everton at Stamford Bridge, after taking a point from games against Leeds and Bournemouth.
Given the deteriorating atmosphere around the club, the Italian insisted now is not the time to overreact.
“We had a great November but we didn’t start December the way we wanted,” he said. “Nine days ago we played Leeds. We have played three games in a row where we haven’t got the results we expected.
“This is football. It’s completely normal. We are always looking for problems. Leeds was there eight-nine days ago. In nine days we will not change our season because we did not get the expected points. I am completely relaxed.
“We dropped points because it’s football.”
Cole Palmer is available to start on Saturday after being left out of the squad for the defeat to Atalanta in midweek wesley fofana Has recovered from the injury suffered in Bergamo and is also fit.
However, Maresca was unable to say how long Liam Delap He will be sidelined with a shoulder injury sustained in the goalless draw with Bournemouth.
“Liam is good,” Maresca said. “He knows he’s been unlucky. He’s focused on his recovery. He’s in the building every day. He’s with his teammates for breakfast and lunch – he’s with us. It’s just a matter of time.”
The current slump seems to be mirroring the decline that derailed the team last season.
Chelsea played Saturday rivals Everton on December 22 last year knowing a win would take them top for a short period of time, but they played out an uninspired goalless draw before embarking on a dreadful run.
They would win only two of their next 10 league games, by which time they were in the fight for a top-four finish, but with his team faltered again, Maresca urged understanding from critics who would accuse his young side of inconsistency.
“The teams that are the most consistent are the teams that are going to be (on top),” he said. “We need to avoid what happened last year, but it’s only a week (of bad results). It’s not a long time.
“When something happens, you are more prepared for the next event and you can survive it.
“Humans, it’s impossible to stay at the same level throughout the season. But maybe we need to learn things.”