{"id":4393,"date":"2026-09-13T06:37:55","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T06:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=4393"},"modified":"2026-09-13T06:37:55","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T06:37:55","slug":"cole-palmers-biggest-issue-with-playing-under-enzo-maresca-is-happening-at-man-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=4393","title":{"rendered":"Cole Palmer&#8217;s biggest issue with playing under Enzo Maresca is happening at Man City"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"post-384828\">\n<div class=\"article-follow\">\n<div class=\"article-sharing google-follow is-native contentpass\"> <a class=\"fw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=thechelseachronicle.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/wp-content\/themes\/grv-media\/img\/google-discover.svg\" alt=\"\"\/> <span>Add to Preferred Sources<\/span> <\/a> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has enjoyed an unbeaten start in the Premier League and Champions League at Manchester City, but concerns are already emerging over his style of play.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/tag\/enzo-maresca\/\">Maresca<\/a> faced a difficult task living up to the expectations of a fanbase who had spent a decade under Pep Guardiola, but results have gone his way so far.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-grvmedia-grv-video GRVMultiVideo\"\/>\n<p>One of the biggest gripes Blues supporters had with the Italian was to do with how lethargic their attacks were. It seemed at times the focus was solely on gaining control of the game through possession.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-getty-images-media\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"702\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-1024x702.jpg\" alt=\"FC Porto v Manchester City - UEFA Champions League 2026\/27 League Phase MD1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-1024x702.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-768x526.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-1536x1053.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-1140x781.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2294323928-750x514.jpg 750w\"\/><\/div><figcaption title=\"PORTO, PORTUGAL - SEPTEMBER 08: Enzo Maresca, Manager of Manchester City looks on before the UEFA Champions League 2026\/27 League Phase MD1 match between FC Porto and Manchester City at Estadio do Dragao on September 08, 2026 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images)\">Photo by Clive Brunskill\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-enzo-maresca-s-tedious-style-of-play-is-already-hitting-manchester-city\">Enzo Maresca\u2019s tedious style of play is already hitting Manchester City<\/h2>\n<p>This often involved plenty of backwards passes from their otherwise talented players, and the same is currently happening at the Etihad.<\/p>\n<p>Of the top five players who have completed the most backwards passes, three of them play for City. These are Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo.<\/p>\n<p>This will surely bring frustration to those attacking players when things are not going as well. It already happened to one of them at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-getty-images-media\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates a win with trophy during\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-1140x760.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2217604466-750x500.jpg 750w\"\/><\/div><figcaption title=\"WROCLAW, POLAND - 2025\/05\/28: Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates a win with trophy during the ceremony after the UEFA Conference League final 2025 match between Real Betis Balompie and Chelsea FC at Stadium Wroclaw. Final score; Real Betis Balompie 1:4 Chelsea FC. (Photo by Mikolaj Barbanell\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket via Getty Images)\">Photo by Mikolaj Barbanell\/SOPA Images\/LightRocket via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cole-palmer-was-not-a-fan-of-enzo-maresca-s-style\">Cole Palmer was not a fan of Enzo Maresca\u2019s style<\/h2>\n<p>Tedious attacking play occurred in the Conference League final against Real Betis, and with Chelsea trailing it took the genius of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/tag\/cole-palmer\/\">Cole Palmer<\/a> to turn the game around single-handedly.<\/p>\n<p>He stated after the game that he took it upon himself to drag the Blues back into the game, seemingly ignoring what they had been instructed to do.<\/p>\n<p>He said: \u201cWe just picked up the intensity, and it was a really good performance in the second half. I was just sick of getting the ball and going backwards and sideways, so I thought if I get the ball I\u2019m just going to go, and it worked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some sections of the Chelsea fanbase never fully bought into Maresca\u2019s style of play, however they have instantly been won over by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/tag\/xabi-alonso\/\">Xabi Alonso<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Blues are the top scorers by some way following the first three Premier League games of the season, and he has got Palmer firing on all cylinders too.<\/p>\n<p>The England international has four goals in all competitions so far in this campaign, and will be looking to add to that tally with the visit of Hull City.<\/p>\n<div class=\"see-more-wrapper lazy see-more-open see-more-blank extra-content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/columnist\/cole-palmers-biggest-issue-with-playing-under-enzo-maresca-is-happening-at-man-city\/none\" data-type=\"subscribe\">\n<div class=\"see-more 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