Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca admitted his side failed to capitalise on their dominance after surrendering a one-goal lead in a 2–1 defeat to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge, a result that leaves the Blues ten points behind Unai Emery’s team in the Premier League table.
Watching from the stands due to a touchline ban, Maresca saw Chelsea control large periods of the contest before Ollie Watkins struck twice in the second half to hand Villa their 11th consecutive league victory.
Missed chances changed the game
Speaking after the match, Maresca was clear about where the game slipped away from his team.
“I think the goal we conceded for sure changed the dynamic of the game,” he said. “Until that moment, we were in control. By the time we conceded the first goal, we should have scored two or three goals.”
According to the Chelsea coach, the failure to convert dominance into goals allowed Villa to grow into the contest.
“After the goal we conceded, the game completely changed,” Maresca added. “For sure, we have to be more clinical. If we score when we are on top, the game is different.”
Game management remains a concern
Maresca acknowledged that Chelsea’s difficulty in managing matches after conceding has become a recurring issue this season.
“When we concede a goal, even if we are winning, we struggle a little bit with the management of the game,” he explained. “It’s not the first time this has happened. It’s something we need to improve.”
The Italian suggested that experience and composure in key moments will be essential if Chelsea are to avoid similar collapses in future matches.
Control without reward
For roughly an hour, Chelsea dictated possession and tempo, but their lack of ruthlessness in the final third ultimately proved decisive.
“We were completely in control of the game until the goal,” Maresca said. “But control alone is not enough. You need to score.”
The defeat underlined the fine margins at the top end of the Premier League, where missed opportunities are often punished.
Gap to rivals widens
With the loss, Chelsea now sit ten points behind Aston Villa, a gap that highlights the scale of the challenge facing Maresca’s side as the season progresses.
While the performance showed encouraging signs, Maresca made it clear that improvement in finishing and match management is non-negotiable if Chelsea are to turn strong displays into consistent results.
As pressure mounts and expectations rise, Chelsea’s ability to remain composed after setbacks may define their campaign just as much as their ability to control matches.
It’s general. We arrived so many times there, outside with the wingers. I think tonight we were 1v1 so many times between first half and second half. Inside the box, it’s a general situation where in the last third we can do better.
What do you think is the lesson for you guys from this game?
In this moment it’s difficult to analyse because we need to understand again why when we concede a goal we struggle to manage the game in a better way. Again, it can be experience or it can be that we need to analyse and we need to understand that.
Are you concerned with Cole Palmer’s angry reaction at all?
No, no. He was working very good. He was on the ball and off the ball, pressing, he was very good. We have another game now in 48 hours, so he was good and we are happy that he’s back.
Just to clarify, no problem with his reaction to the substitution?
No, no.
Any reason for Marc Cucurella being subbed?
Because he was complaining about hamstring, so we don’t know if it’s an injury now or not. So he asked for the change.
And also, did you feel at 1-0 that you should have had a penalty for handball?
It looks like a penalty but they decided no, so it’s difficult. It’s clear that it’s handball and Pedro Neto is in behind, so also Pedro can touch the ball, can tap in, but the referee decided no.
