Enzo Maresca responds to Chelsea boos and sends warning to players | OneFootball

Blues boss launches defence of his style of play after Stamford Bridge jeers

The Blues meet Legia Warsaw in the second leg of their Conference League quarter-final on Thursday night, already 3-0 up and cruising towards the last-four.

But all is not well at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues slipping to sixth in the Premier League following back-to-back draws to Brentford and Ipswich and now facing a fight for Champions League qualification.

Sunday’s 2-2 with Ipswich saw frustration at Maresca’s playing style boil over, with audible jeers and boos from large sections of the home crowd as the relegation-doomed visitors took a 2-0 lead.

There were audible jeers and boos from large sections of the home crowd as the relegation-doomed Ipswich took a 2-0 lead at Stamford Bridge on Sunday

Nigel French/PA Wire

There were also cries of “attack, attack, attack” as Chelsea made a number of errors when trying to play out from the back and though they eventually rallied to claim a point, the toxic atmosphere emerged as the headline story from the afternoon.

However, with the Blues still in with a chance of silverware and of securing a return to Europe’s top competition this season, Maresca remains convinced his methods are working.

“We are going fast because this is my first season,” he said. “I’m not going to judge the last two seasons because I was not here but this season, we can reach a European semi-final and we have been top four almost all season compared to the last two seasons where the team has been zero times in the top four.

Sunday was not the first time Chelsea supporters have made their dislike for ‘Marescaball’ clear.

But, rather than criticise fans, the Italian insisted the onus is on his team to keep the crowd on side.

“If fans complain because after four minutes, our keeper gives the ball away, if I am one of the fans, I also complain,” Maresca said. “But sometimes they complain with something they can probably not see but it is the plan.

Maresca has been questioned about his style of play throughout a season that began with the Blues firing on all cylinders as a dynamic, counter-attacking team, but has since seen them become a more controlling, possession-based outfit in the manager’s image.

Having spent the first half of the season playing down title talk, Maresca set his sights on a top-four finish ahead of the run-in.

But Chelsea’s struggle for domestic form, coupled with complaints about the football on show, means he is now under more pressure than at any time in his debut season.

Asked, however, whether supporters could expect to enjoy his team’s style between now and the end of the season, Maresca said: “100 per cent”, suggesting the approach of recent opponents - rather than his philosophy - has made for tedious matches.

“The last six games at home, we faced Southampton, Leicester, Wolves, West Ham, Spurs and Ipswich,” he added. “We have won five [out of] six. The one people enjoyed the most was the Spurs one and that was the one where they tried to press higher and we could attack more quick.

“Against the rest, it has been a different game. We need to learn how to play different type of games.”