Enzo Maresca on Chelsea's 2-1 Brentford win

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Enzo Maresca on Chelsea's 2-1 Brentford win  15/12/2024  Stamford Bridge, london, UK

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00:00No matter how many games we are going to win, I think we are not ready to compete for the

00:29title. One of the reason why is because I think that team that they know how to compete

00:37to win title, they are not going to concede the goal that we concede. We concede the

00:42goal 90 minutes, throwing for us, we concede the goal. A team that they know how to win

00:47title, that goal they are not going to concede. So this is one of the reason why I still continue

00:53to say that we are not ready for titles. Even if, I don't know if you don't believe me or

01:01you think that I say that for, I told you many times that I would like, I would love

01:06the pressure to compete for title. But we are not ready for many reason. One of the

01:11reason why is because we cannot concede the goal we concede and open the game and give

01:17them the chance to take point here.

01:21Can you clarify what happened with Kukurela after the full-time whistle?

01:25I asked the referee and he said to me that the second yellow card was for bad attitude.

01:29Do you agree with it?

01:33When the final whistle, I was with coaching staff, hug each other, celebrating, so I didn't

01:38see nothing. I don't know.

01:40Thomas Frank wasn't happy with the way Kukurela play-acted just before that and the players

01:48weren't either. Frank says there's no place for him in the game. What's your take on that?

01:53It's Frank's opinion, not mine. Nothing to say.

01:57Is there something you'd speak to Kukurela about?

02:00Kukurela was top on the ball and off the ball. Together with the other ten, they were fantastic.

02:10We are happy, delighted with Mark's performance tonight.

02:15I asked you about this earlier in the season and you sort of downplayed that Chelsea had

02:22a discipline problem. Is there any frustration yet about the amount of yellow cards your

02:28players are picking up and in this case the red card?

02:31No. I said many times that we could do many things better, the way we attack and the way

02:38we defend, but also the way to manage some moments and probably this is one of the moments

02:42that we can improve. But overall, with the spirit of the team, we know that sometimes

02:47you can receive some yellow cards. Sometimes, like probably the second one, it's not the

02:55correct one or the correct things to do. But there are things that we need to improve.

03:02Obviously, even if you don't think they're bad in terms of what the players have done,

03:08suspensions can hinder what you're trying to do out there on the pitch.

03:14Yes, but Kuku will be suspended and will be another one in his place, since we have done

03:19it. Pedro was suspended tonight and Nonny's performance was top. The way he works off

03:24the ball, the way he sacrificed, the way he fought off the ball.

03:28So, in the moment that they are suspended, another one will play and if the other one

03:33will do good, we'll see after when they come back.

03:37You had seven players out today. It maybe went under the radar a little bit because

03:41you have a good squad, but is it hard to cope with that? And it's Kukuril's red card that

03:46will cause problems for the next one.

03:48We had Joao and Romeo. They can probably be available already for the next one. Carni

03:59after Astana was ill. Chilli was ill. Pedro was suspended. And then we have Rhys and Wes

04:14Unfortunately, yesterday during the session, Benoit felt something and this is the situation.

04:21And Modric as well?

04:22And Mischa, yes.

04:24So does this prove that it's good to have a big squad at this time?

04:32What do you mean for a big squad? 24 players?

04:35I guess you have a strong squad.

04:38Yes, we have 24 players. And I don't know the rest of the Premier League club how many

04:44players they have in the squad. But if we have a big squad, it means that also most

04:51of the Premier League club, they have a big squad. Because we are at Chelsea and we have

04:5640-45 players, every time it's a big squad. But I said many times since we started, I

05:00work with 24-25 players. If this means a big squad, ok, we are with a big squad. But I

05:07think there are more Premier League club with the same amount of players.

05:11You talk about the goals conceded tonight. Is that perhaps another factor why you don't

05:18think you're ready? Is the thing with Koukarela at the end, getting involved in things like

05:24that and getting too carried away. Is that maybe another reason why you're not ready?

05:30For sure, the goal we conceded, it's something that we need to manage better. And then also

05:36probably at the end of the game, when the game is finished, we can manage that moment

05:40in a different way. But I think it's experience for the players to learn and to improve things.

05:49The fans tonight started singing, we've got our Chelsea back. They also started singing

05:54your name. How pleased and proud does that make you?

05:59Very happy, very pleased, very happy as I said already last time. Especially because

06:04we can see them happy. Especially because we work every day to have that kind of moment,

06:09especially at the end or during the game. But it's just because of the players. The

06:14spirit that they showed tonight has been unbelievable until the end. The desire, the hunger to get

06:20three points. And this is the right way.

06:24You don't let us talk about the title, but they want to dream about the title.

06:29No, no, no. You can talk about the title and the fans can dream about the title. Absolutely.

06:38If you ask me, I tell you what I think. And then you can think in a different way. Just

06:43because there are things that I think no matter how many games we're going to win, for me

06:48we are not ready. But we are happy that the fans can dream something more.

06:54People say that one of the reasons you can't get the title is because of the goalkeeper

06:58but with the saving mate from Northampton tonight, is that showing maybe a different thing?

07:03Yeah, but if you remember, Bournemouth away, the penalty. Aston Villa at home, 1-1 away

07:08against Watkins. Nottingham Forest at the end of the game, the save. Tonight, the save.

07:15We are happy with Robert. Sometimes when we say things, again, you struggle to believe

07:21but Robert is doing fantastic. Philip is doing exactly the same in the conference.

07:25And this is what we want. Two keepers that can compete and they can help us to win games.

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