Head coach Enzo Maresca attended a press conference

After leading Chelsea to a 1-0 away win against Bournemouth in the 4th round of the Premier League, head coach Enzo Maresca attended a press conference.



How do you feel about this match?
"I think we played two different games. In the first half, we struggled a lot, but the second half was much better. I believe the reason we struggled in the first half was because we didn’t win the duels or the second balls. When you play against this team in this stadium, the first thing you need to show is the desire to win those battles. The tactical part is important, but you need to demonstrate that willingness first.  
That’s the message I gave to the players at halftime: In these kinds of games, you have to finish with dirty shirts because you need to fight. I think we performed much better in the second half."

Why did you decide to bring on Jadon Sancho after halftime?
"I think we started the second half much better, and Jadon helped us a lot. But his performance tonight was exactly what we expected from him. As I’ve said, I know Jadon very well because I’ve watched him play many times, and I know what he can bring to us.  
Christopher (Nkunku) also performed brilliantly, not just because of his goal but because of his work off the ball. Jadon was the same. Tosin (Adarabioyo) was also excellent. The second-half performance completely changed, but we need to learn from this. If we want to build something important and win games, the first thing we need is the desire to win, to fight together and win duels."

You've only worked with Jadon for two weeks, yet he played like that. How exciting is that?
"I’m really happy for him. He performed well, and I think João (Félix) did too. Even though Christopher scored, João’s performance was good. The reason I brought Christopher on is because I felt we were creating chances but lacking quality in the box, so my idea was to let him play as a number 9 because we know he’s a quality player who can decide games. We’re happy with all of them."

How important is the creativity on the left side for the balance of the team? 
"When we brought in Jadon, I said we were looking for another winger like Noni (Madueke). Noni can do it on the right side; he can win one-on-one situations and create chances and goals. We want Jadon to bring the same on the left.  
We already have Misha (Mudryk) on the left, and Pedro (Neto) is there too, but it’s great to have two wingers who can offer us this kind of option."

Christopher Nkunku has been on the bench for three consecutive Premier League games. Does that make your decisions tougher?  
"After the game, I told the players that Christopher, Cole (Palmer), Jadon, João, Noni, Misha, Pedro – they can’t all play every game. What they have to do is exactly what they did tonight. If I’m on the pitch, I have to give it my all. Even if it’s just 10 minutes, I have to give everything. This will continue until the end because we have seven or eight top players, and we can’t play with all of them at the same time.  
Sometimes they will need to come on, but what’s important is that they are ready when they do. Christopher was brilliant tonight. He doesn’t deserve to be on the bench, and neither does Misha, but sometimes you have to make these decisions. The positive side is that when they come on, they are ready and will give everything."

Do you now know what your best front four looks like? 
"No, we’re definitely still working on that. We’re in a learning process. If we don’t understand tonight that in this type of game, it’s not just about tactics but also about desire, it will be difficult because we want to build something important. Slowly, we will figure these things out."

How important is Sancho's connection with Chelsea fans?
"It’s very important. I feel like Jadon is someone who needs love. That’s the impression I got when I spoke to him before he joined. I also know that he wants to prove himself, but for me, it’s all about enjoying football. That’s why they play, because they love it and want to enjoy it. And since they’re so good, they’ll do well."

Esteban will join Chelsea next summer. Are you keeping an eye on him?  
"Yes, we’re keeping an eye on him. His performances have been fantastic, but unfortunately, he’s performing well over there and not here yet. We’ll wait until next summer when he comes here, but we’re definitely very happy with how he’s doing."

Have you spoken to him yet? 
"No, no, no. I’ve got plenty of players to talk to already (laughs). No, I haven’t spoken to him yet."