Addressing the media, Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, highlighted a certain “habit” that the players adopted during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure last season.
Before the commencement of the 2024/2025 season, the Blues have already let in 12 goals in five pre-season matches.
After the 2-1 loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday evening, Maresca disclosed that they were focusing on rectifying defensive strategies.
He mentioned, “It’s become a habit. We are making adjustments to lower our defensive lines. This high line habit might have originated from last season or even before that; it’s unclear.”
He added, “We are experimenting with dropping back the defensive line by about four to five meters to gain a tactical edge.”
“Last season, our defense leaked goals consistently due to this issue. We are striving to resolve it promptly.”
Chelsea, under Pochettino in the previous season, netted 77 goals but conceded 63, resulting in a sixth-place finish.
Despite their offensive prowess, they narrowly missed out on the final Europa League qualification spot behind Manchester United, meaning they will not participate in the UEFA Conference League.