Enzo Maresca demands Chelsea make training ground change after four games without a win

Enzo Maresca has demanded more intensity from his players in training after Chelsea went four games without a win in the Premier League.

Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace on Saturday following back-to-back defeats against Fulham and Ipswich and a goalless draw with Everton. Having been the closest side to leaders Liverpool, the Blues have now dropped to fourth place to emphasise Mareca’s often-stated belief that they are not ready to challenge for the title.

Maresca’s side didn’t take their chances at Selhurst Park, failing to double the lead given to them by Cole Palmer. They were punished by Jean-Philippe Mateta’s late equaliser, which sent Chelsea home frustrated and left Maresca to reflect on what his players can do better.

“First of all, I always said that the important thing is to create chances,” he said. “If you create chances, that means you are doing the right things, and then you have to take those chances.

"Sometimes it’s football. Sometimes you create and you score. Sometimes you create one chance and you score one, sometimes you need to create 10 to score two.

“This moment is like this. What we can do is to try to be even more intense during the week, when we prepare [for] the game, even if the intensity or the intention of the players is top. But for sure it’s something that probably we need to improve, thinking that we are one of the two or three best teams in scoring goals in this moment.”

Chelsea change their focus to the FA Cup third round on Saturday, when Maresca is likely to make a raft of changes to play Morecambe at Stamford Bridge. It is the first of three straight home games, with Bournemouth and Wolves then visiting in the Premier League.

Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC) Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)

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Jadon Sancho set up Palmer’s goal against Palace with a brilliant individual run and he said the team were “still giving it 100 per cent” in the game. Nevertheless, Maresca hinted at changes for the Morecambe game and is grateful to be given a whole week on the training ground.

“For sure, for sure,” he said when asked if the game could be a refresher. “They just told me now: After September, this is the first week that we have an entire week now. So we have a chance to work this week, prepare for the FA Cup game and then the Premier League."

Asked about the race for the top four, he added: "It's going to be like this until the end. We can be sixth or five in the table, we can be third or second again but at the end, it is going to be until the last two or three games. When we arrive there, we will see."

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