“I respect Maresca so much as my coach, but what he said to me today after the halftime whistle makes me have a rethink of my future, because there’s no player in the world that would take what he said to me today, and I’m a bit sad about it.” Garnacho reveals what Maresca said to him after the halftime whistle.
“I respect Maresca so much as my coach, but what he said to me today after the halftime whistle makes me have a rethink of my future, because there’s no player in the world that would take what he said to me today, and I’m a bit sad about it.” Garnacho reveals what Maresca said to him after the halftime whistle.
Chelsea narrowly escaped a major scare against Lincoln City to secure their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. The Blues arrived at the LNER Stadium under significant pressure, having just come off a difficult run of results that included consecutive defeats against Bayern Munich and Manchester United in other competitions, as well as a frustrating draw away to Brentford. With this recent form, expectations were tempered, but an early shock during the first half threatened to derail Chelsea’s cup ambitions.Lincoln City, the League One side, took a well-deserved lead shortly before halftime.
Robert Street’s goal fired up the home crowd and raised the tantalizing possibility of yet another giant-killing act in this season’s Carabao Cup. Chelsea looked unsettled and struggled to find their rhythm against a determined Lincoln side that executed their game plan with discipline and energy. The first half ended with the Blues facing the real prospect of an early exit, a situation unfamiliar and unwelcome for a club of Chelsea’s stature.During the break, Chelsea’s head coach Enzo Maresca delivered an impassioned team talk that clearly had a profound impact on his squad.
The players responded with a renewed sense of purpose and urgency once the second half began. Within five minutes of the restart, Chelsea turned the game on its head through two quick-fire goals by Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte. These strikes not only erased the deficit but ultimately proved decisive, securing a hard-fought victory in a captivating cup tie.The win puts Chelsea into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, where they await the draw to learn their next opponents. With ambitions to reach yet another Carabao Cup final, this resilient performance will surely boost the team’s confidence despite a rocky outing.
Reflecting on the game afterward, Enzo Maresca offered insight into the challenges his team faced. “It was not an easy game,” he admitted. “I told the players at half-time that this was going to be tough. That was why I was so annoyed in the first half because we knew that we had to do better.” Maresca’s frustration stemmed largely from Chelsea’s lack of composure and experience in the opening 45 minutes.He elaborated on the importance of desire and experience in these types of cup games. “Sometimes it’s about desire, but it’s also about experience,” Maresca explained. “Jamie Gittens and Jorrel have never played in games like this before. It’s more about desire, and that’s what we struggled with in the first half. If we face another lower league team away in the Carabao Cup next time, tonight’s experience will be valuable for us.”Maresca was full of praise for Buonanotte’s performance, stating, “Buonanotte was very good.
We all struggled in the first half, but we were much better in the second half after we changed Jorrel’s position.” He also noted that Chelsea anticipated Lincoln’s tactics, which included long throws and set pieces, allowing them to adapt and respond effectively in the later stages of the match.In summary, Chelsea’s progression to the next round was far from straightforward, but a combination of tactical changes, player determination, and Maresca’s half-time intervention helped them survive this tricky encounter. As the Blues look ahead in the competition, they will seek to build on this experience to overcome future challenges.
