Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is delighted with the team’s reaction to their poor run of form in the Premier League.
The Blues have failed to win their last four matches in the league to slip to fourth on the log, which is threatening their Champions League hopes.
Maresca’s men lost to Fulham, and Ipswich Town and recorded disappointing draws against Everton, and Crystal Palace.
The Italian manager is impressed with his players’ reactions to the winless run.
He said: “The reaction is not weird or strange. It is a good one.
“Even in the last game against Palace that we drew, the mood was not the best in the changing room at the final whistle because they have the desire to win all the games. This is something very good.”
Maresca admitted that the poor form has surprised him and his coaching staff, saying that sustaining such high levels over the course of an entire campaign with a young, and developing team was always unlikely.
He said: “Probably, as we were in a moment of the season second and close to first, people thought that we were not going to have this kind of moment. But it’s not real.
“At this moment, the only team since the start of the season that is winning nearly every game is Liverpool. Otherwise, every team has had moments where they have struggled with the results, but it’s part of the season.
“You also have to analyse the games, and in the last game against Palace the team was very good.
“It’s a matter of a moment and hopefully we can win the game soon and come back with three points.”
He also provided injury updates on Wesley Fofana, Reece James, and Romeo Lavia.
Maresca said: “We speak the same language in terms of we communicate between each other in English and in French, so it has been quite clear. I spoke with Wes – the 12 to 16 weeks the club mentioned the situation.
“Wes is thinking he can recover sooner than that. We are all happy if Wes recovers and will be available for tomorrow, but we are going to see.
“There is not any problem, I just told you what the medical staff said to me, that it is around 12 and 16 weeks. Wes is thinking he can recover earlier than that. We are all happy if Wes is back as soon as possible.”
Reece James, and Romeo Lavia are expected to feature in Chelsea’s FA Cup clash against Morecambe on Saturday.
“Reece and Romeo are both available and hopefully they can get some minutes for tomorrow’s game.
“The rest are all available for selection other than those that were already injured from before. Benoit Badiashile and Wesley (Fofana) are out and Keirnan (Dewsbury-Hall) is still injured, so he won’t be involved.”
Maresca is expected to make wholesale changes to the size that played out a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace last week.
