Chelsea’s default shape under Maresca is easily identifiable and widely known - but the Italian’s ‘line of six’ is a situational tactic

Chelsea: Why the Conference League is key to Enzo Maresca project at Stamford Bridge - Third-tier European competition could be a springboard to bigger trophies

With Cole Palmer’s form having dropped off, Moises Caicedo is a shoo-in for Chelsea’s player of the year award. He’s the one Blue who has been really good form August up until now. It looks

“Football always evolves,” said Maresca, whose side take a 2-1 aggregate lead into the home leg of their Conference League last-16 tie against Copenhagen on Thursday.

Chelsea will get "better and better" because of the "amazing" coaching of Enzo Maresca, insists Blues defender Levi Colwill. In his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge, Maresca has Chelsea fourth in the Premier League but they have suffered disappointing exits in both domestic cups.

Still inside the stadium, Enzo Maresca used his post-match press conference to praise the flexibility of his side, after they had tweaked their shape to adapt to struggling Leicester fielding - shock horror - a reinforced defence away from home to one of the big boys.

Chelsea face an enormous week in their 2024/25 season with Copenhagen coming to Stamford Bridge on Thursday evening in the Conference League and then a Premier League trip to Arsenal less than 72 hour

That sets out his stall pretty clearly. What he wants is in direct opposition to what most supporters want to see. It is not impossible to get the crowd to back a team playing controlled football. Jose Mourinho did it. But he had the weight of unimpeachable results behind him. Maresca does not - yet.