Chelsea’s New Coach: A Former Guardiola Aide! Can Maresca Outshine Arteta?

Outline

• Introduction
• 1. Not Just a Guardiola Clone: Maresca the Strategist
  • a. Player Era of Maresca: His Peak at Sevilla
  • b. Unique Football Insights: Maresca as a Chess Player
• 2. Never Coached a Top-Tier League: Maresca Conquered Chelsea with His PPT
  • a. As Guardiola’s Assistant: Maresca’s Role in Manchester City’s Tactical Revolution
  • b. No Top-League Experience: Maresca Aspires for Success
• 3. Maresca’s 4-3-3 Formation: An Advocate for Offensive Systems
  • a. Emphasis on Possession: Maresca’s Tactical Approach
  • b. Strong Personality: Maresca’s Potential Weakness
• Conclusion

Introduction

Chelsea’s decision to appoint Enzo Maresca as their new head coach for the upcoming season has left many fans surprised. Who is he, and what made him so appealing to Todd Boehly?

Maresca, a PPT wizard and a former youth coach who impressed Pep Guardiola, has taken the football world by storm. After leading Leicester City to the Championship title, Maresca is ready for a bigger stage.

1. Not Just a Guardiola Clone: Maresca the Strategist

a. Player Era of Maresca: His Peak at Sevilla

Starting his career in AC Milan’s youth team, Maresca later had an on-and-off relationship with Juventus. Bought by Juventus at 20, he was frequently loaned out and shared ownership with other clubs. Despite this, his impressive performances allowed him to return to Juventus, where he was seen as a potential successor to Pavel Nedvěd. However, due to contract disputes, he moved to Sevilla at 25.

At Sevilla, Maresca became a key player and helped the team win the UEFA Cup in 2005-06 and again in 2006-07, where he was named the final’s best player. His volley against Real Madrid remains a memorable highlight for Sevilla fans, showcasing his extraordinary skills that stunned both Ramos and Casillas.

b. Unique Football Insights: Maresca as a Chess Player

Towards the end of his playing career at Málaga, Maresca met Manuel Pellegrini, whose advice prompted Maresca to pursue coaching. Initially an assistant at Ascoli and Sevilla, he later joined Pellegrini in the Premier League.

Maresca, responsible for tactical training, continuously studied and refined his approach to football, even writing a thesis titled “Football and Chess.” He believes that the most crucial aspects of football are positional play and strategy, likening a head coach to a chess player who constantly devises plans and countermeasures to find the optimal setup.

Before Maresca, legendary Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi also introduced the idea of a coach as a chess player.

2. Never Coached a Top-Tier League: Maresca Conquered Chelsea with His PPT

a. As Guardiola’s Assistant: Maresca’s Role in Manchester City’s Tactical Revolution

After years of growth under Pellegrini, Maresca moved to Manchester City, becoming the U23 head coach. Here, he achieved significant success, leading the team to play beautiful attacking football, averaging over three goals per game and securing the championship with a 10-point lead three rounds early—a first in Manchester City’s U23 history.

According to The Athletic, during Maresca’s tenure at Manchester City, he experimented with moving a fullback into midfield to provide extra control and defensive strength, an idea Guardiola adopted with João Cancelo, contributing to Manchester City’s tactical revolution.

b. No Top-League Experience: Maresca Aspires for Success

Before joining Manchester City, Maresca briefly managed Parma, aiming to return the recently relegated team to Serie A. However, after just 17 points in 13 matches, he was dismissed.

Following Manchester City’s treble-winning season, Maresca had another chance to manage, this time with Leicester City, recently relegated from the Premier League. Unlike his stint with Parma, Maresca succeeded with Leicester, winning the Championship and achieving a 67% win rate. This impressive record likely influenced Chelsea’s interest in him, not just his impressive PPT presentations.

3. Maresca’s 4-3-3 Formation: An Advocate for Offensive Systems

a. Emphasis on Possession: Maresca’s Tactical Approach

Maresca favors the 4-3-3 formation, similar to Guardiola, with defenders pushing up to midfield and the goalkeeper acting as an additional outfield player, initiating possession play. Leicester City’s goalkeeper, for instance, broke the Championship record for passes.

His teams focus on controlling possession, with wingers tasked with deep defensive work and pressure to ensure dominance. Leicester’s goals often involved creating receiving points between the opponent’s lines and exploiting width with high-quality switches. This approach, characterized by continuous movement and switching, bears the hallmark of Manchester City, making it difficult for opponents to defend.

Maresca’s teams also excel in positional play, deploying multiple horizontal receiving points in the opponent’s penalty area and effectively switching the ball to the flanks, then back to the center, creating opportunities for vertical runs.

While primarily focused on positional play, Maresca’s teams also use aggressive direct passes to find instant breakthrough opportunities.

Chelsea’s interest in Maresca might stem from his impressive PPT presentations and grand vision, but his unique tactical system also holds promise for success with Chelsea’s potential-laden squad.

b. Strong Personality: Maresca’s Potential Weakness

Maresca’s strong personality, which hindered his playing career, could be a double-edged sword in management. His outspoken nature at Juventus ended his prospects there, despite his talent. Chelsea’s less stringent internal management could test his ability to handle pressure.

Despite winning the Championship with Leicester, Maresca’s team experienced a significant slump, nearly falling into the playoffs despite a 17-point lead. His candid post-match comment against Leeds United revealed his bluntness, which could either motivate or create conflicts within the team.

Conclusion

Guardiola’s previous assistant, Mikel Arteta, has succeeded at Arsenal, becoming Manchester City’s main Premier League rival. Maresca’s tactical philosophy is more imaginative and complex than Arteta’s. Can he surpass his predecessor and astonish Guardiola? Chelsea and Maresca both have the potential to achieve this.