Chelsea fans think manager Enzo Maresca aimed a dig at former boss Mauricio Pochettino following defeat to Real Madrid.
Maresca's side wrapped up their pre-season tour of the United States on Tuesday evening with a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Chelsea lost three of their five matches in the USA, with defensive mistakes accounting for six of the 12 goals conceded across those games.
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The London club finished sixth in the Premier League table last season under Mauricio Pochettino, meaning they will play in the UEFA Conference League this term.
Pochettino left Stamford Bridge after just one season in charge, reportedly due to disagreements with club bosses over the direction and playing style of the team.
Maresca was brought in as his replacement, having got Leicester City promoted to the Premier League playing a possession-based style similar to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.
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The Italian coach has not found it easy to implement his ideas with his new squad, and after defeat to Madrid he admitted that he is trying to get his players to un-learn some of the things they did last season.
"We are not working on defensive lines so high. It's a habit from last year or previous years. We are trying to drop four or five metres," Maresca said, as reported by the Daily Mail's Kieran Gill.
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"It's a problem we are trying to solve since day one. One of my first meetings with the squad was about the amount of goals we conceded last year with the defensive line very high. It's something we are trying to work on."
Some fans have taken Maresca's critique as a dig at the work Pochettino did at Stamford Bridge in 2023-24.
Some fans on X agreed with the Argentine coach, commenting "Good point" and "Give him time and patience."
However, many think the Maresca is making excuses for his side's mixed bag of a pre-season.
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"The excuses have started already," one fan commented on X, while another asked: "What is he talking about??"
A third fan wrote: "When he's done taking out the Pochettino in them he'll have to get out the Lampard in them too."
A fourth supporter backed Pochettino, replying: "Poch found the right balance at the end of last season I wonder how long it will take Maresca."
Topics: Chelsea, Enzo Maresca, Mauricio Pochettino, Premier League, Football
Alex Brotherton