Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca admitted he is encouraging Enzo Fernandez to get into the opposition penalty space extra typically as a way to be extra of a objective menace.
The Argentine midfielder was Chelsea’s match winner at a moist and windy Leicester Metropolis, helping Nicolas Jackson’s fifteenth minute opener earlier than sealing the three factors with a objective of his personal late within the second half.
Fernandez hasn’t been assured of a beginning place this season, battling Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to be considered one of Chelsea’s two central midfielders, however staked his declare for a extra common berth with a participant of the match show.
The objective was Fernandez’s eighth in Chelsea colors and first in 16 appearances this season – prompting Maresca to disclose after the sport that he is attempting to tweak the 23-year-old’s position in a bid to get him additional up the sphere.
“At present, I believed, was the correct sport to make use of Enzo, even when he was again [late] from worldwide obligation. I believe he did very properly,” Maresca mentioned.
“I’m attempting to persuade Enzo [to play] in the identical means as I did final 12 months with Ndidi and Kiernan, that attacking midfielders have to arrive within the field. The rationale why he scored as we speak was as a result of he was contained in the field.
“And, if he was exterior of the field, he wouldn’t have scored the objective. We’re blissful in the way in which Enzo is doing.”
Fernandez’s excellent efficiency was complemented by one other robust exhibiting from Jackson up entrance. The Senegalese worldwide now has ten objective contributions to his identify from 12 Premier League appearances this season – seven objectives and three assists – and was once more essential to Chelsea’s free-flowing ahead play.
“For me, he’s doing very properly. I’ve mentioned many occasions, since we began, he’s working exhausting on the ball and off the ball. He’s making an effort to know the way in which we need to play,” Maresca remarked of Jackson.
“Generally we use him nearly as a midfielder, dropping. Generally we use him attacking in behind. When you bear in mind Brighton, and even as we speak. It depends upon the game-plan.
“We’re very blissful with the way in which Nico is taking part in on the ball however particularly in the way in which he’s taking part in off the ball – the way in which he’s urgent. On this second, we’re very blissful and we’re positive he’s going to get higher sport after sport.”
