Enzo Maresca reveals Chelsea FC's biggest tactical challenge after surprise Sunderland defeat

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Enzo Maresca reveals Chelsea's biggest tactical challenge after surprise Sunderland defeat

The Black Cats’ line-up caught him off guard

Tactico: Enzo Maresca

Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Sam Tabuteau

1 minute ago

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Enzo Maresca admitted he has found it difficult to prepare his Chelsea side to face five-man defences this season after they struggled to break down Sunderland last weekend.

Chelsea were stunned as Sunderland snatched a stoppage-time victory to leapfrog the Blues and take second place in the Premier League.

Sunderland reverted to a back five for their trip to west London, and Maresca said his tactical plan went out the window when he saw the Black Cats' lineup.

“Sunderland, nine games in the Premier League, they never played with a back five from the start. Never,” Maresca said ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

“They played nine games, I watched all nine games from Sunderland before our game. Never.

“They finished with a back five, they were winning 1-0, so to defend the last 10 minutes, they had a back five. But from the start, never.

“We prepared a Sunderland game against a back four, thinking that probably they can be a back five. So before the game, in the changing room, before the players go out for a warm-up, I need to tell the players, ‘Guys, all the Sunderland preparation, do like this, tac-tac-tac-tac, and put in the rubbish.’

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“That's why it's so difficult. The plan for today, now, is this. In ten minutes, we need to change the plan.

“The problem is when you face a team, that they are back four, arrive here, back five, sit back. It's more complicated.”

Chelsea were confounded by Sunderland’s back five setup as they were beaten at Stamford Bridge last weekend

AFP via Getty Images

Maresca conceded that his side cannot hide behind the fact that teams were adapting tactically to try and stifle them.

“The thing that we need to improve and we need to learn, and it's something that I'm saying to the players every day, is now that teams, probably because of what we achieved last season, teams have changed against us,” he continued.

While they struggled against Sunderland, Chelsea have proven themselves capable of breaking down low blocks, as they did away to Nottingham Forest in Ange Postecoglou’s final game in charge.

Maresca said Postecoglou had also surprised him by opting for a back five, but congratulated his squad for getting the result regardless.

“I was in London for the LMA awards. I was with Ange [Postecoglou] before he took the job with Forest. We were speaking, and I said, Ange, I've never seen your team play back five, apart from the last 10 minutes of the Europa League final against United.

“He started to laugh, and he said, ‘I hate to play back five, but because it was the last 10 minutes, and we need to win the title’.”

“We played Forest, it was a back five. And I prepared the game against a back four. So before the warm-up, guys, all the plan, rubbish, back five. This is difficult for the players.”

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