The Boss Enzo Maresca Describes Lead-Up Period as The 'Most Difficult Two Days' with the Blues

Chelsea tactician Enzo Maresca stated that the preparation to Saturday's victory against Everton represented "the worst 48 hours" of his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old made a puzzling comment in his post-match interview even after notching a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to strikes from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto.

Those points propelled Chelsea back into the English top flight's top four, perhaps lightening the mood after a defeat to Atalanta in the Champions League that had extended the side's winless run to consecutive matches.

However, when asked about the full-back's contribution and overall performance, Maresca surprisingly disclosed his displeasure over the previous two days at the club.

"How the players are eager to learn has been excellent and this is the reason why I commend them - because with so many problems, they are doing very well after a complicated week," he stated.

"From the moment I arrived at the club, the past 48 hours have been the most difficult because several people didn't support us."

Pressed on his meaning, the ex- Leicester City manager continued: "Worst 48 hours since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team."

When asked if he meant people within at Chelsea, he replied: "Broadly speaking. In general," before specifying when asked if it was aimed at fans or the media: "I adore the fans and we are very pleased with the fans."

Fitness & Disciplinary Woes

Maresca also pointed to Chelsea's persistent injury and disciplinary problems, remarking they had been without key forward Cole Palmer for a large portion of the campaign, in addition to losing key midfielder Moises Caicedo to a three-game ban and striker Liam Delap to two serious injuries.

"I really applaud the players and the squad because we have played 16 Premier League games, five of them minus Moises Caicedo, eleven of them without Cole Palmer, nearly every one of them without Liam Delap," he explained.

"And this squad, no matter who is playing, they are doing brilliantly. Today was 5 games in 12 days so undoubtedly when you see Cole Palmer playing, we have said many times that he's our best player but we play almost all season without our top player.

"We play 5 games in the Premier League minus Moises Caicedo. This is the reason why I'm so delighted for the players and it's something that I would want people externally to appreciate because the effort from the players is fantastic."

Chelsea's win over Everton strengthened their position in fourth in the Premier League standings, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie at Cardiff and a league trip to Newcastle to come in the coming days.

Uncertainty Over Maresca's Comments

It was unclear what exactly prompted Maresca to describe the previous 48 hours as the worst of his tenure as Chelsea head coach.

In that timeframe, the coach had returned with his staff and players from his native Italy, conducted a session at Cobham, attended a pre-match news conference where he seemed at ease, and secured a victory over an high-flying Everton side.

It was not obvious whether any particular media reports had irked him, if social media discourse played a role, or if it was something deeper from inside the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca specifically took care to rule out that it was an issue involving the club's supporters, some of whom have not yet fully warm to him since his appointment from Leicester in July last year.