Maresca appears to have aimed several public barbs at the Chelsea hierarchy recently. His first came in mid-August – and concerned his defensive options.Maresca was seeking a replacement for injured defender Levi Colwill, who had been ruled out for the majority of the season because of a knee injury. Chelsea had told him to work with alternative options, including Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, youngster Josh Acheampong and new signing Jorrel Hato.Maresca told the media: “The club know exactly what I think.” He went on to explain none of his other options – except, perhaps, Tosin Adarabioyo, who is now injured – could do the job in possession that Colwill can.Asked again by BBC Sport about signing a defender, he replied: “You like to talk about central defenders? I already spoke. Thank you very much.”Chelsea instead signed Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho for £40m – and he has featured in just one league match as a substitute.Striker Marc Guiu has not played at all since being recalled from his loan spell at Sunderland after Liam Delap injured a hamstring, while academy product Acheampong, who is highly regarded at the club, has barely being called upon. In his news conference preceding the Carabao Cup win at Lincoln this week, Maresca said of Liverpool: “If they continue in this way I think it is impossible to catch them, not just for us, but for all the clubs.”They have been doing a fantastic job since last year, and the players they have decided to buy shows the intention of the club to go again for the Premier League and the Champions League, and that is quite clear.”That is in stark contrast to his comments after the defeat by Brighton, when he suggested the inexperience in his squad was leading to costly mistakes.He has also suggested decisions around recalling defender Axel Disasi – exiled in the so-called ‘bomb squad’ away from his first team – are out of his hands, adding: “The club didn’t mention nothing, so there is not any news.”Maresca is also dealing with several injury problems, with his four main central defenders and star attacker Cole Palmer joining Delap on the sidelines.All of which paints an unsettled picture at the club as they prepare for the midweek Champions League game against Benfica, then a Premier League match with defending champions Liverpool next Saturday.
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Enzo Maresca: Has the mood changed around the Chelsea boss?
