Enzo Maresca revealed he is impressed with Cesare Casadei’s development in a new, holding midfield role after Chelsea’s 4-2 Conference League win against Gent.
Despite 11 changes from their weekend fixture, Chelsea continued their impressive run of form under Maresca to make it five wins on the bounce in all competitions.
Renato Veiga and Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall notched up their maiden goals for the club, with Pedro Neto and Christopher Nkunku also getting in on the act at Stamford Bridge.
It was also a European debut for Chelsea youngster Casadei, who played as an attacking midfielder under Maresca on loan at Leicester City last year but is now exploring a new role in the Italian’s midfield.
‘Cesare played very good against Barrow and played even better tonight. I’m very happy with the way he is playing,’ Maresca said in his post-match press conference.
‘I had Caseare last year and he was playing a little bit in a different position but his year we are using him like a holding midfielder.
‘The reason is because I think football is going in a direction where in the middle you need physical players and Casere off the ball is very big and physically strong and he can help us when we want to press.
‘On the ball, he is improving a lot. Tonight, most of the time was one-touch passes so we are very happy but for him, it’s exactly the same as the rest – many things he can do better but the good thing is that he is going in the right direction.’
And while Maresca was keen to take the positives from an opening three points in Europe, he insisted his side still need to develop a ruthless edge to kill off games earlier.
‘We are performing not only in attack but defensively very well. We are happy,’ he said. ‘I need to repeat always the same: For sure, we can do many, many things better – we can attack better and defend better.
‘Tonight probably the most important thing we can learn is even if we are 4-1 [up], even to the final whistle you have to switch on, you cannot switch off.
‘I think we conceded the second goal just because we saw the game was already finished. I think if we want to be one step forward, even when you are 4-1 and the game is almost finished, you need to continue and not concede another goal.’
Chelsea are back in action on Sunday as they look to maintain their five-match winning run at home against Nottingham Forest.
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