Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca spoke candidly about his team’s defensive errors in their 2-2 draw with Wrexham, stating that they are bound to concede goals this season due to their possession-based approach. Despite taking an early lead through Christopher Nkunku, Chelsea made costly mistakes in the second half, allowing Wrexham to score two goals and take the lead. Maresca, however, remains committed to his style of play and believes that the team will score more goals than they concede.
Wrexham, who impressed with a 1-1 draw against Bournemouth in their previous friendly, capitalized on their popularity in the United States and are preparing for third-tier football for the first time since 2005. The match itself started with a heated confrontation between Levi Colwill and James McClean, with both players escaping red cards. Chelsea had their chances in the first half, hitting the post and producing dangerous corners, but their second-half performance was lackluster, leading to defensive errors and Wrexham’s goals.
Maresca acknowledged that there is still room for improvement and that the team is still in the early stages of their preseason preparations. He emphasized the importance of seeing the identity of the team and remains confident that they will add more solutions as the season progresses. In terms of tactics, Chelsea experimented with using Reece James as an inverted full-back in the first half, pushing him into midfield. Maresca noted that finding space and solutions when facing a packed defense is always challenging, regardless of the level of the opposition.
The match also saw the return of Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia, who missed significant playing time due to injuries last season. Maresca highlighted the importance of getting minutes for these players and the mental boost it provides after a long period of absence. While the result is important, Maresca emphasized the need to consider other factors in this stage of preseason.
Looking ahead, Chelsea will face Scottish champions Celtic in their next friendly as Maresca continues to assess his squad. With several players still absent, the focus remains on developing a clear team identity and giving all players sufficient playing time. Maresca believes that the team showcased their identity in the match against Wrexham and remains optimistic about the future.