Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has identified several areas for improvement following their 4-1 loss to Celtic in a pre-season friendly.
Celtic, led by Brendan Rodgers, secured a 2-0 lead in the first half of a match at Notre Dame Stadium in Indiana.
Luis Palma and Mikey Johnston added to the Scottish champions’ tally after the break, while Christopher Nkunku netted a late consolation goal for Chelsea from the penalty spot.
Chelsea’s loss in their second pre-season game, following a 2-2 draw with Wrexham, underscores the need for comprehensive analysis.
“As we said, the result is always important,” Maresca remarked. “For us, we need to analyze the game in general. I think on the ball, the team were 10 times better than in the game against Wrexham and that is important because we can see the number of chances we created in the first half and second half.”
Maresca also highlighted the need for defensive improvements. “Off the ball, for sure, we can improve things. Sometimes we confuse when we need to play short or a little bit longer. It is part of the process. One of the things we did poorly today was maintaining the high-line when the ball was not under pressure. When the ball is not under pressure, you need to drop.”
He acknowledged that confusion on and off the ball is normal at this stage of the pre-season but stressed the importance of making necessary adjustments.
Chelsea will be looking to address these issues as they continue their pre-season preparations and strive for better performances in their upcoming matches.