'I feel comfortable': £45k-a-week Chelsea player claims he's relaxed in Enzo Maresca's system
Chelsea’s first-team player has just explained that he’s feeling really comfortable in the new style implemented by Enzo Maresca.
Enzo Maresca guided Leicester City to promotion as Championship title winners last season, adopting a possession-based style of football. As a result, he was confirmed as the new Chelsea head coach this summer.
The Italian boss has had a full pre-season with the Blues squad, which has been building towards their opening Premier League fixture at home to Manchester City on Sunday.
According to club captain Reece James, Maresca’s first message to Chelsea’s players is he loves possession, so that’s a sign of what to expect in the upcoming 2024/25 campaign.
Romeo Lavia super happy under Enzo Maresca
Romeo Lavia has shared that he’s already finding the Maresca system to his liking. In fairness, the 20-year-old’s got the slight advantage that the duo previously crossed paths at Manchester City when he was a youngster.
Lavia said via Football.London: “I’ve played a little bit of that system before but that was like three years ago, so he has added some differences to what I was used to when I was playing with him. I feel comfortable in that system.”
It’s been obvious from pre-season that Lavia, who earns £45,000-a-week (Spotrac), really suits the role as a deep-lying central midfielder. His quality both on and off the ball matches what Maresca wants in the No 6 position.
Respected journalist Simon Phillips previously reported that Chelsea chiefs believed Lavia would excel under Maresca. Therefore, the defensive midfielder’s early comments come as no surprise.
What is Chelsea’s best midfield?
There’s great intrigue about what Chelsea’s best midfield combination will be under Maresca once everyone’s fit and available.
Lavia missed nearly the entire 2023/24 season due to injury during a nightmare first year, so his first aim has to be staying fit. But can he then force his way into the best Blues starting line-up?
He’s facing stiff competition from teammates such as Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the centre of the park.
On paper, a midfield combination of Lavia, Caicedo and Fernandez looks really exciting. We’ve seen in pre-season the manager has liked using versatile attacker Christopher Nkunku deeper as a No 10, though.
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