Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca admitted he nearly jeopardised his team’s chances of securing a 1-0 victory over Tottenham on Thursday night by making defensive substitutions in the closing stages, only to discover that an unexpected 12 minutes had been added on.
“We created plenty of opportunities in the first half, and to be honest, it was my error for making the change before realising how much extra time there was,” Maresca expressed, looking visibly relieved as he addressed the media.
“Seeing that 12 minutes had been added, I realised it was perhaps too soon to make those changes. Thankfully, we came away with the win, and that’s what counts.”
As time was running out, with Chelsea ahead thanks to Enzo Fernandez’s header in the 50th minute, Maresca opted to substitute forward Cole Palmer and Fernandez for defender Tosin Adarabioyo and midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, reinforcing his defensive line.
This switch invited Spurs to advance aggressively in their quest for an equaliser during the lengthy stoppage time, which was extended after two lengthy VAR reviews in the second half that disallowed goals for both teams.
Maresca lauded his players for their resilience under pressure to clinch the victory, a result that provided Chelsea with renewed momentum in their pursuit of a top-four finish and a spot in next season’s Champions League.
“To evolve as a team, you need to learn to win matches in different ways, including gritty victories like the one we achieved in the last 10 minutes,” the Italian manager commented.
He also noted that the return of Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson from injury has provided his team with better structure, due to his relentless pressing of the Tottenham defence: “With Nico in the lineup, we are certainly a different team.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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